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Help please on pot sizes for various chilli varieties

Desi_in_LondonDesi_in_London London regionPosts: 537
in Fruit & veg
Hoping some experienced container-chilli growers can help me. I have grown some before ( but no clue what type they were , in a different flat with a v sunny balcony and massively prolific from  , 2 litre pots from some random "grow your own chilli" kit in spite of not being dwarf varieties   ( seemed jalapeno esque in heat and taste but were not all the same seeds). This year I was less successful ( supermarket chillies which all germinated but didn't do much because I sowed them too late after Easter by the time the idea occurred to me) .
For next year I have a few apache F1 seeds , aji omnicolour , super chilli f1 , golden cayenne and habanero limon ( all premier seeds). I was hoping to grow all in pots , and keep the first 3 in relatively small pots indoors . I would appreciate any help re what "reasonable minimum final pot size" would be recommended for each variety  so I can get myself organised to acquire some if i don't have them already-- not for maximum plant size but to avoid plant distress. (i understand re sequential potting up , I think I saw a south devon chilli video clip re apache  and super chilli being ok in a 1 litre pot , but I also think I saw someone's  posts on this forum of super chilli pics on a patio in pots that look quite a lot bigger than 1 litre ). Is 5 litres or 5-7 litres ok for the cayenne and habanero ( both of which i bought basically because i like yellow and its hard to get yellow chillies in the shops).

And separately - has anyone used either a herbgrow ( think they are 3 l pots ) or a chilligrow ( 6 litre pots ) for chillies and is that worth it for yield ? I was loosely thinking of the former as a "tidy" indoor set up. 

Thank you very much -- I have searched the forum for some chilli threads ( and found some) but I can't see specific pot size questions having been asked before.
Kindness is always the right choice.

Posts

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Billericay, EssexPosts: 8,580
    I grow Jalapeno every year and put them in 5L pots in the greenhouse. They get quite big plants.
    Super Chilli is one of my favourites especially for looks. The fruits are small and powerful! They are OK with 1 in a 2L pot (1L would probably be ok too), but look really good with 3 plants in a 5L pot or 5 plants in a 10L pot. They perform well against a south facing wall on my patio and look really good.
    I grew Hungarian Yellow Wax last year in 2L pots and they done well. The good-size lime-green fruits look good too.

    The seeds need an early start as they have a long season.
    I sow mine in a heated propagator in my greenhouse late Feb or early March.
    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • Desi_in_LondonDesi_in_London London regionPosts: 537
    @Pete.8 that's great to know ( and I think it might have been your photo of super chilli that i saw on the thread somewhere that I can no longer find). Thanks so much!
    Kindness is always the right choice.
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Billericay, EssexPosts: 8,580
    This one?
    Super Chilli on the patio - can't remember how many plants

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • Desi_in_LondonDesi_in_London London regionPosts: 537
    edited December 2020
    Yes am sure its the same plant(s) but I remember the photo being from a little further away ( ie this looks like a close up ) , think was two pots visible at base of the chilli(s). Don't worry about looking for it , you have helped me a lot already.

    edit to add - found the post of your pic @Pete.8 from 17 aug ( i assume this year)
    A chillie plant for colour in the conservatory corner — BBC Gardeners' World Magazine
    Kindness is always the right choice.
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Billericay, EssexPosts: 8,580
    Well found @Desi_in_London
    Same plants different angle.
    I think it was around 2016 that I last had them in that area.
    Good luck with yours!
    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • edhelkaedhelka GwyneddPosts: 2,122
    Chillies are super sensitive to overpotting/sitting in a big pot of wet compost, so I always pot on gradually. The final size depends on the variety, growing conditions and the length of the season. Ajis can grow big, like filling 20l pot big, but usually, they are unable to do this in one season (unless you start very soon and have a heated greenhouse or start with an overwintered plant). My final pot is usually 8-10 litres (the same as for tomatoes or one size smaller) and realistic minimum 5-7 litres.
  • Desi_in_LondonDesi_in_London London regionPosts: 537
    Thank you @edhelka i think aji omnicolour ( in theory anyway ) is supposed to be an ornamental / smaller plant so I'll see how i go with it re pot size. I don't have grow lights (if i see any cheap those and possibly a chilli/herbgrow might be my birthday present to myself) --was thinking that I would start sowing seeds in mid/late Jan ( indoors ) and then by the time they germinate I can shuffle them back and forth between windows to get reasonable light for a few hours a day until the days get milder/longer.
    Kindness is always the right choice.
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Billericay, EssexPosts: 8,580
    The problem you may encounter by sowing anytime in Jan is that the sun is so weak, your seedlings will barely know it's there and will get leggy - I know I've done it.
    There are far fewer daylight hours in Jan than there are in Feb. So try and hold back until mid-Feb if you can resist the urge :)

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • Desi_in_LondonDesi_in_London London regionPosts: 537
    I'll try but I'm making no promises I can't keep!
    Kindness is always the right choice.
  • dbhattukdbhattuk London Posts: 23
    Bought some chilli plants (mixed variety) potted into nice pots in the garden, few days later the squirrels ate the plants, I guess if chillies had grown they may have had a bit of a shock!! 
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