How to Grow Chilli Plant at Home

How to Grow Chillies:From Planting to Harvest

Welcome all to the Growing Guides @GreenUp. Our guide covers all the info that you will need to grow chillies successfully—including sowing seeds, transplanting chillies outside, and chilli plant care.

Green chillies add taste to  the food. Green chillies dried in sun turn red and used to make red chilli powder, which is an essential ingredient in Indian Recipes.

Chilli (Capsicum Annuum)

Chillies are easy to grow. They grow well in warm and temperate areas.

Planting

Site Selection

Select the site which gets good amount of sun. Chillies grow well in warm areas. The soil should be well drained so that no water collects there. Any kind of soil can be used to grow chillies with neutral pH

When to plant Chillies

• You can sow seeds in the month of February to April. But sowing early is preferred so they get long summer to grow well.
• Sow the chilli seeds in small pots 1 to 2 inch deep or seed starting trays about ¼ inches deep in proper soil mix(Take 20% garden soil and 80% compost). You may use 1 - 2 inch plastic cups if you don't have seed starting trays or small pots. Keep them under shade.
  
• The ideal temperature required for germination of seeds is 18-21℃. So keep the pots in warm place and seedlings should appear in 10-15 days.
•  Seeds require very less water. So just sprinkle water on the soil to keep it moist. Do not over-water it.

Transplanting

The right time for transplantation is after 10 to 14 days when you see two leaves on the seedlings.

• If you wish to plant outside in a pot ; take a large pot. The soil mix should be normal garden soil mixed with compost(cow dung manure or vermicompost).
• Plant one plant per pot.
• Begin by gently loosening the root area of the young plants and lift them with some soil at the roots. Do not pull the plants off the stems.
• Newly set transplants may need to be shaded for the first few days to prevent excessive drying of the leaves.
• Pinch out the growing tips once the plant has grown about 15 to 20 cm to encourage many branches which will yield more number of chillies.
• Water the transplants immediately so that the roots settles well.If you wish to plant outside in your garden or in an open space, make sure to have space of about 2-3 feet between two plants.And now they will require more water than in the case of potted plants.

Plant Care

Watering

• Do not water your  plants too much, just water enough to make the soil wet. Keep this in mind-water the plants in such amount so that the water reaches till the roots. Watering once a day would be fine.
• Do not pool the water if the plants are planted in the garden.

Fertilizing & Care

• Fertilize your plants once in every two weeks.You may use fertilizer or compost.

Weed Removal

Loosen the soil and then remove the weeds, grass.

Pests, Diseases

Some common pests and diseases that could affect plants are

• Aphids
• Whitefly
• Red spider mite

Harvesting Chillies

Pick the fruit as needed when it reaches a good size. You can pick them up when they turned green but waiting for them to turn red will yield them a stronger hotter, taste.

Exclusive Tips @Green Up

• Don't pool the soil with water as your plant will die with excess water.

• After transplanting the plant, do not keep directly under sun. Keep it first few days under shade (if possible), then a few days later, take them out under the sun.
  

• Spray organic pesticides, so that it does not hinders the plant's growth, such as dilute solution of Neem Oil mixed with shampoo. Learn more about treating Pesticides.

• Learn more about fertilizers and their usage, doses.
  

• Click here to read more plant care tips for free(given by gardeners, and farmers) exclusively on Green Up.
  

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