Chillies

[Ian]

I've been growing chillies, some very successful. However I have a scotch bonnet that overwintered from last year. It's over 4ft tall, produces millions of flowers but has never produced a single chilli.

Does anyone have any ideas before I bin it?

[MingtheMerciless]

Does it need another SB plant so it can cross fertilise?

[Ian]

That never seems to be a problem for other chillies I have single plants of but I'll try growing 2 next spring. It makes sense

[Count Steer]

Chilli plants are supposed to be self-pollinating but you can help them along with a cotton bud. Never had to do it myself, the ones I grew (in the greenhouse) all fruited happily but never tried SBs or over-wintering plants. (Used to buy plants or seeds at the chilli bash each year at RHS Wisley).

'Apache' was my main one - just the right level of heat for me and a really good cropper. They all tended to look amazing as they ripened. Lovely things.

[ZRX61]

Chilli plants are supposed to be self-pollinating but you can help them along with a cotton bud.

My step dad used one of those very fine hair make-up brushes he filched from my mother for that purpose.

[Count Steer]

Chilli plants are supposed to be self-pollinating but you can help them along with a cotton bud.

My step dad used one of those very fine hair make-up brushes he filched from my mother for that purpose.

I've used a fine paintbrush (artists not decorators ) to pollinate other things but a make-up brush would be .

(I did read that you can do it with a toothpick too but that didn't seem very logical. Best thing is a few tame, trained small bees ).