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Guides > Vegetables > Chili |
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Guide to Growing Chilies |
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Overview |
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Sometimes peppers are a challenge to grow in cooler areas. The many varieties of sweet and hot peppers thrive on full sun, warm weather, well-drained soil and modest fertility. |
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Growing Guide
GROWING NOTES
Well-drained, light, moderately fertile soil, high in organic matter. Needs steady supply of water for best performance.
Perennial in tropical regions, grown as a tender annual in New York.
Fruiting can be temperatmental. Requires warm temperatures. Using black plastic and row covers can speed early growth.
MAINTAINING
Sow seeds indoors, ¼ inch deep in flats, peat pots or cellpacks, 8-10 weeks before you anticipate transplanting outside. Seed germinates best when soil temperature is 80 F or higher. It will not germinate below 55 F.
Keep plants indoors in a warm (70 F during the day, 65 F at night), sunny location. Lack of light will produce leggy, unproductive transplants.
Don't be in a rush to transplant outside. Cold temperatures can weaken plants and they may never fully recover. A few days at 60 F to 65 F with reduced water will help harden plants and reduce transplant shock. Over-hardened plants grow slowly after transplanting.
Set plants out 2 to 3 weeks after average last frost when the soil has warmed and the weather has settled. Plant them 12 to 24 inches apart, in rows 24 to 36 inches apart, or spaced about 14 to 16 inches apart in raised beds.
Use black plastic and/or row covers to speed soil warming and early growth. Use caution with row covers not to overheat plants and cause them to drop their blossoms.
If not using black plastic, mulch plants after they are well established and the soil has warmed to retain moisture and control weeds.
Peppers can be temperamental when it comes to setting fruit if temperatures are too hot or too cool. Nighttime temperatures below 60 F or above 75 F can reduce fruit set.
Too much nitrogen fertilizer may promote lush vegetative growth but fewer fruits. Peppers usually responds well to phosphorus fertilizer.
Stake tall varieties for earlier and heavier harvest.
Peppers need even moisture for best performance. An even supply can reduce blossom end rot, a disorder caused by lack of calcium.
Do not plant in same spot more than once every 4 years.
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Harvesting Guide
HARVESTING
Generally, when a chilli flower forms a pod, the pod will be a certain colour. Usually the unripe pod colour will be green, but with some it will be yellow (Hungarian yellow wax is a good example). After some time (between 4 to 6 weeks) a mature (ie fully grown) pod will ripen to another colour. This is usually red, but can be orange, yellow or even brown. In between, some varieties (and this can even vary between pods on the same plant) have pods that turn a dark purple or black colour. This means it's on its way to ripening, so don't panic!
Like tomatoes, the time a chilli takes to reach its ripe colour will seem like forever, but it will get there so long as a frost doesn't get to the plant first.
You can harvest a chilli pod anytime you want! If they aren't mature, they will not have reached their full heat potential. If they are mature but still not ripe, they will not have as many sugars in them as the ripe version (think of the difference between a green and red sweet pepper). Some recipes call for green chillies, some for red, some for either.
Once they are ripe, they might be OK to stay on the plant until you need them, however there is a risk that they will spoil over time, but be sure to harvest before the frost.
If you plan to pickle your chillies, it is recommend that you harvest them while they are still green. There's no harm in pickling ripe chillies, however they tend to turn soft over time in the vinegar more so than unripe chillies. If you plan to dry your chillies, then wait until they are ripe as unripe chillies don't dry too well (although if they are starting to change colour, they will continue to ripen once picked, so they should dry OK).
SAVING SEEDS
The proper drying of seeds is essential if you want your seeds to last and ensure future plants are healthy. Excess moisture retained in the seed encourages life and the seeds will either slowly lose nutrients and vigour until they die, or simply rot. Moisture also encourages mold, diseases and fungal infections which might be passed on to the next generation of plants if seeds are not dried sufficiently. Scientific literature on seed saving often quotes that seeds should be dehydrated (dried) until the moisture content is 8% or less. In practical terms, it the seeds are not brittle after drying, they are not dry enough!
Selection - Select only ripe healthy pods
Extraction - Carefully extract the seeds from the pod and place them on to a piece of kitchen towel. Towel dry the seeds to remove moisture and any debris still attached. Inspect the seeds and discard any which are damaged or discoloured at this stage.
Drying - I like to dry my seeds in labelled polystyrene cups in the airing cupboard for a week or two. Alternatively you can dry seeds on a paper tray somewhere warm (and out of the direct sunlight) and where the kids can't knock them over. Turn the seeds every few days or so to ensure that the bottom layer of the seeds is exposed to the air. Good airflow is important to ensure the seeds dry evenly and prevent damping off.
Testing - After a week or so test the seeds for moisture content. As a general rule, if you can bend the seeds they are not dry enough. Dry seed should be fairly brittle and will not dent when you try and bite them.
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