Couple of questions for ya !!!

[andy]

Being a veg virgin, i still need to asking some basic questions.

Firstly, chillis and peppers are doing well but do i need to stop them or are they self branching ?

Courgettes....i have a variety called soleil (yellow one) and another called black knight ( i think). I intend to in a large (30 litre) tub but not sure how many plants to put in a tub ( i suspect just one !!!)

Also, peas. Just put 9 plants into a 30 litre tub but not sure how high they grow.....i have just the normal pea and a mange tout. i have 4 foot canes so 3 foot of them are above ground...is that any good ?

Many thanks in advance

[Dutchy]

Peas. The bloke across has normal peas and his canes are all not taller than 1 meter. So yes your 3 foot above soil should be fine.

Courgette one per tub, they grow huge and will hang down and from there crawl over the ground into the sunniest spot they can find. Fortunately they do not crawl much further than 1 meter.
If you have a rough bit of land allow them to claim that.

Chilli. I never have nipped mine out in order to get them to branch as they do branch themselves but the Pinochio's nose is the exception, it sometimes grows tall and floppy so I decide to nip when I think it is needed. This year the S&S did the nipping way ahead of me. I just hope I will get it to flower and fruit in time after this.

Peppers no clue.
Maybe some one else has useful input for you.

[Tig]

I just leave my sweet peppers to get on with it Andy, they don't grow that tall, mine are usually about 2' 6", never stopped chilli peppers either. I have had some rampant peas in the past, but I'm with Dutchy - 3' should be fine.

I've never tried a courgette in a pot, some bush more than others though, they have huge 'gunnera' shaped leaves (with softish prickly hairs on the stems) - the yellow ones I've grown always seem more compact in habit than the green, could just be the variety I grew (gold rush f1)

You should have plenty of goodies to eat - most important bit of growing veggies is the eating of them

x Tig

[andy]

Thanks guys

I'm really enjoying it now Tig....i've given loads of spare veg away to neighbours, friends, family and work colleagues so i should have a few beers coming my way this summer !!! ;D

[Dutchy]

Some harvest veg some harvest beer ;D

[Spruance]

I agree with the other comments that it is not necessary to pinch out peppers but last year mine were mistaken for dahlias by my Mum who pinched out the growing tips and planted them in the garden.

After despatching mother to Specsavers i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd161/GWDAdmin1/Smilies/Default/grin.gif I repotted the peppers and put them back in the GH. I wasn't expecting much in the way of fruit but I have to admit that the accidental haircut produced more fruit than usual on decidedly more compact plants so maybe I will try that again this year. i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd161/GWDAdmin1/Smilies/Default/wink.gif

[carolann]

Andy I am growing a Courgette called Midnight which is for containers its the first time I have tried these so I shall keep you posted, it says on the packet that its a compact and spineless plant but I have only sown 2 plants as that is all we need as you get lots of fruit off one plant if you keep picking them.
As for your peas I grew Hurst Greenshaft last year and it said that they grow to 36" mine where well over 6ft so beware if in doubt put longer canes in just in case i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd161/GWDAdmin1/Smilies/Default/cheesy.gif

[Ladygardener]

I've grown Courgette in a pot Andy and it just produced a few less fruit than the one in the ground but did well. Best of luck.