So, I bought a bhut jolokia, naga morich & chocolate bhut off the internet. Re-potted them and left them outside.

They all went very pale, so I assumed they wanted feeding, which I did.

Then the leaves started turning brown at the ends and dying.

Turns out they were water-logged with the rain, and not growing because it was too cold.

So, I thought, I know I'll buy a cheap greenhouse. Keep them hot and dry! Kept them dry, but I kept it zipped up thinking these guys are from India - the hotter the better!

All the flowers dropped off all my chillies, and they didn't look too happy. :-(

I now keep it un-zipped so the temp doesn't go over 30 oC in the daytime. I zip it up at night.

They were looking better, but still not growing much.

I read about using epsom salts to help the chillies take up the nutrients, and also putting a capful of white wine vinegar in the watering can to make the solution more acidic - these plants like it slightly acidic. My soil was 8.5 ph, on the alkaline side.

I add both now, and only water once a week at most, maybe once every 10 days with half a dose of chilli focus plant food - contains the micro nutrients as well.

So the results after a month...

This was a sickly looking spanish pepper. After advice, I chopped off the droopy leaves. I thought it would die...

And today, lots of new growth. Even got some flowers coming...

My pompeii sweet pepper, it was doing ok, but much better now...

Here it is now, more peppers and the huge middle one is just starting to turn colour.

Apache before...

Look at this monster now! Loaded with pods, won't stop flowering! It's only meant to be a small decorative plant - by far my biggest & bushiest.

Another shot of the apache.

This was a habanero I bought from a garden centre. Ill treated and covered with aphids.

Same plant after some TLC.

Sparkler turning red, these tiny peppers are dynamite!

Numex Twilight turning red. Don't think these are too hot, but very colourful.

I have one red jalapeno! This plant hasn't done much, but I don't I've helped early on.

Cayennes are finally turning red, took so long I thought they were going brown from rotting! Couple of days later, we have red chillies!

Dorset Naga, waiting for these little wrinklies to turn red! Ate a green one and it tasted like a very hot bell.

Cheyenne, turning yellow. Think it should go to orange, same heat roughly as a jalapeno.

Naga Morich coming on leaps and bounds. Not really expecting any fruit now, my super hots are only just getting started. Wished I'd found this forum months ago. I'm hoping to over-winter all of these though, and hopefully I won't be such a novice next year.

Row of super hots in the greenhouse.

Row of easy to grow in Britain peppers...

And finally, a row of colours...

They've all just had a feed, complete with salt & vinegar! (Chilli focus, epsom salts, and white wine vinegar) They won't be watered now for at least a week, and I'll try to keep them at about 25 - 30 o C.

These plants would most likely be dead now through my ignorance, if it wasn't for certain people on this forum (you know who you are! ;-)).

I am hoping to over-winter all of these, we'll see how that goes!

I also forgot to say, keeping the greenhouse zipped closed was stupid, because a.) the temps. were too hot, and b.) no bees to pollinate the flowers.

Thanks to everyone, I'll update any positive changes!

I remember when you first came here asking for some help. Much the same way I arrived back in March. It's amazing how much you can learn when you have good teachers. Your right about the good hearted people here.They don't care about accolades, they just want to spread the heat! Your plants look amazing now! I hope you're able to get a few more pods before the season ends. I can't wait till next year when you try your super hots. Good luck!

Tim

Thanks Tim, I've learnt more from this forum than I ever could've done from a textbook. So many friendly & helpful people! I just wished I'd found it ages ago, but my plants are looking good and I'm looking forward to next year. Here's to a long and hot friendship! :-)

You are doing an excellent job, the best/ worst thing about gardening is the trial and error stages lol

Good job! Memories of when I first started growing in containers! Watch out, it's addictive...

A couple of points for next year. If your soil get saturated in the rain, consider using 5-1-1 mix from the container forum. My plants get tons of rain at times, but never get saturated from it, and in fact, seem to thrive after a long spell of rain. You may be able to leave your plants out of the greenhouse more, which will give them more sunlight. I never worry about leaving them out in the rain. I too have a greenhouse, but only use it in spring and fall for warmth and hardening off.

Also, epsom salts is something you should only have to use once or twice a year, not constantly. If you have a properly made soil, it likely has lime in it, and also if your water is pH 8.5, it likely has lots of magnesium in it. Good to correct the pH though when it's that high.

All in all though, great to see you succeed!

Thanks for the tips capoman, I shall lay off the Epsom salts. It's too late to change my soil now, but I know for next year.

Cheers, Rich.