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5 years now! Want to get some advic

Hello brothers and sisters,
 
It has been 5 years in growing chillies. Collecting seeds from PepperJoe, Ebay, Gumtree...
 
I recently moved from Perth WA to Melbourne, I found it VERY windy here up north (VERY windy!)....and I am afraid I might not be able to grow my own chillies any more? (I live in an apartment, balcony is spacious but too windy for a tent, I think it will just get blown out to the street if I use tent), I am actually thinking of growing next to the window but mine are facing SW, first sunlight at 12:30....no morning sun at all. 
 
Not enough room for indoor set up as well although I used to grow hydro/ indoor and outdoor. 
 
Anyway, here are the frustrations I have at the moment, I want to ask if anyone here from Melbourne growing chilies? Or any advice from anyone else? 
 
I also want to buy some Peter Pepper seeds and chocolate seeds if you have any spare left on your hand, as a start. 
 
 
 
Hey, welcome to the eastern states!
 
THSC has Peter Peppers, as well as heaps of chocolate varieties.
 
Plenty of members would as well I'd imagine.
 
 
 
Welcome mate! 
 
Living in Melbourne and growing for my first year (originally from Perth too! moved over a few years ago) 
 
The season is going pretty well, but the wind is a major pain though and has done some damage. I basically keep my plants out on a balcony and bring them inside on a particularly bad day. Actually, just today it started raining pretty heavily and I was packing my dacks because I left the plants out. No harm done fortunately. 
 
I also stake them up for some extra support, even with smaller plants something like a kebab skewer can really make a difference. That being said, the leaves are still pretty susceptible to damage because the pedicles (leaf stems) are just so fragile. Maybe caging is better?
 
I'm not sure how others manage here, but yeah I just have to keep tabs on the weather and move them around. As you'll come to realise the old saying about Melbourne's 4 seasons in a day isn't too far off the mark. 
 
Happy growing and all the best in battling the elements
 
 
 
 
 
 
TheTRPV1Agonist said:
Welcome mate! 
 
Living in Melbourne and growing for my first year (originally from Perth too! moved over a few years ago) 
 
The season is going pretty well, but the wind is a major pain though and has done some damage. I basically keep my plants out on a balcony and bring them inside on a particularly bad day. Actually, just today it started raining pretty heavily and I was packing my dacks because I left the plants out. No harm done fortunately. 
 
I also stake them up for some extra support, even with smaller plants something like a kebab skewer can really make a difference. That being said, the leaves are still pretty susceptible to damage because the pedicles (leaf stems) are just so fragile. Maybe caging is better?
 
I'm not sure how others manage here, but yeah I just have to keep tabs on the weather and move them around. As you'll come to realise the old saying about Melbourne's 4 seasons in a day isn't too far off the mark. 
 
Happy growing and all the best in battling the elements
 
 
 
 
 
Oh good to hear, at least we can still grow chillies in Melbourne :dance:
 
By the way, I am not quite agree with 4 seasons in a day.
 
More of "4 seasons in half day" :rolleyes:
 
TheTRPV1Agonist said:
Actually, just today it started raining pretty heavily and I was packing my dacks because I left the plants out. No harm done fortunately. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I tried googling "packing my dacks" and didn't find anything.  What does that even mean???
 
PodHopper said:
I tried googling "packing my dacks" and didn't find anything.  What does that even mean???
 
Dacks is a funny Australian slang for underwear/pants. So when you're "packing" them, you're figuratively shitting yourself. 
 
From Urban Dictionary:
 
packing (ones) dacks
v. Shitting ones pants. Australian slang. Commonly used to describe a state of immense terror, said terror either figuratively or literally leading one to involuntarily empty ones bowels directly into whatever trousers one may be currently wearing. Experienced by most persons at some unfortunate moment in life, this temporary affliction can be both hilarious and horrifying to onlookers.
 
Instead of a tent on the balcony, you might be able to build a wood box (same size as a tent - you design the specs) out of OSB or plywood and 2x4's. Should be plenty heavy enough to hold against wind, and wont cost any more (usually less) than most tents. And if you build it right, you can tear down once you're done with it by taking out a few well placed screws (just build each wall separately and tack them together).
 
PS: I actually like using 2x3's for the skeleton of my grow boxes, they cost a lot less and weigh less, but for the added weight, you may want to go with the 2x4s
 
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