Do chilli plants like sun or shade?
For the best crop, grow them in a greenhouse, polytunnel or sunny conservatory. They should also be happy in a sheltered, sun-baked spot outdoors – ideally beside a south-facing wall or on a sunny patio or balcony. This plant does best in full sun gardens with a minimum of 6 hours of direct sunlight. This plant can also grow with 4-5 hours of direct sunlight and at least 6 hours of indirect sunlight, but will produce less fruits. Plants do best in pots with loamy soil at least 15cm deep, or in true ground.Chilli plants are best grown in full sun. Choose a location that will receive at least 6 hours of full sun each day. Chilli plants need a well drained soil enriched with plenty of organic matter.Once they are mature enough to transition outdoors, we recommend you pick a location where the plants will receive at least 6-12 hours of direct sunlight throughout the growing season. The morning sun is favorable because it is less intense than the afternoon sun.Chilli peppers are warm climate plants that do not tolerate frost but will thrive in a sheltered sunny spot (against a wall in colder climates) about 50-60cm apart in well-drained, well-manured soil with some super phosphate raked in.
How do you care for a chilli plant?
Water your chilli plants regularly throughout the growing season, and once the first fruits have set, feed them weekly with a high potash tomato fertiliser. Also remember to: Pinch out the growing tip of the first flowering shoots to promote more branching and a better harvest. Water regularly but sparingly. Chilli plants usually require an airy soil which is well drained. Add a little bit of compost to it and give it a good mix. Keep the soil moist but don’t overwater it. Water every alternate day or every 2 days depending on the weather.For best results use a combination of organic, slow release and liquid feeds for your chilli plants like tomato feed, compost, coffee grounds and nettle tea.If your chilli plants are not fruiting, it is usually caused by the temperature that is either too hot or too cold. Remember chilli plants need full sun to produce a good crop. Make sure your plants are receiving at least six hours of sun a day for fruit set.Fertilising and Harvesting Chilli Apply OCP eco-seaweed and OCP eco-aminogro every 2-3 weeks to encourage strong, healthy plants that will produce lots of chillies. Avoid fertilisers that are high in nitrogen as this produces too many leaves and less fruit.Chillies thrive in full sun, and although they will grow in semi-shade they won’t produce as many fruits, so make sure you position your pot in a sunny area away from strong winds. Select a pot at least 30cm (12 in) wide and fill it with a good quality potting mix such as Searles Herb & Vegetable Potting Mix.
Do chilli plants come back year after year?
As chillies are sensitive to frost, they are usually grown as annuals. But this does not have to be the case because chillies, unlike tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) for example, are perennial plants. Kept in the right spot, chillies can even bear fruit all year round. To ensure a reliable crop, chillies need a warm, sunny position outside or they can be grown in a glasshouse or covered structure. Very hot chilli varieties definitely grow better under cover, as this helps develop the intense heat, taste and flavour.Overwintering chilli plants successfully means that you need to provide conditions of between 5 and 12 degrees over the winter, and ensure without fail that frost-free conditions are maintained. These conditions can be maintained within a cooler area inside your home, such as a porch or conservatory.Pruning to re-shape a plant may be needed if it has grown a little too much towards a bright window, or to remove dead growth while over wintering a plant. As long as you provide good spacing and good light, chilli plants usually develop into a natural bush shape.Chilli plants grow best with an alternating mix of dry and moist soil. You should aim to keep the soil moist but allow it to dry out occasionally. You do not need to water it every day. Waterlogging the soil is the worst thing you could do with your plant so stay on the dry side where possible.
What is the lifespan of a chilli plant?
Capsicum is the botanical name for chillies, peppers and chilli peppers. Chillies can live between 1. The wild species chilitepin grows perennially as a small bush. Though chillis are usually grown as annual summer crops in the UK, these plants are actually perennial in warmer climate zones. This means that when they are not killed by frost or cold temperatures in the winter months, they can potentially survive and fruit again over more than one year.Chilli seedlings need a lot of nutrients to grow to produce a tasty bumper crop so liquid feed with PowerFeed PRO SERIES for Tomatoes & Vegetables every 2 weeks. Increase the application rates from 20mL to 50mL of concentrate per 9 litres of water as the plants mature.If you’ve grown a thriving chilli garden during the warm months and are wondering if you can keep your beloved chili plants alive over the winter to enjoy another harvest next year, the answer is a resounding yes.Water your chilli plants regularly throughout the growing season, and once the first fruits have set, feed them weekly with a high potash tomato fertiliser. Also remember to: Pinch out the growing tip of the first flowering shoots to promote more branching and a better harvest. Water regularly but sparingly.Thriving in hot weather, chillies prefer at least 6 hours of sun per day and a slightly acidic soil to fruit at their best. Fortnightly applications of PowerFeed for Flowers, Fruit and Citrus (50mL per 9 litres of water, every 1 -2 weeks) will ensure abundant flowers and tasty fruit.
How often should I water chilli plants?
They need a good amount of heat to grow properly, with the ideal temperatures laying somewhere between 26° and 31°C. The best environment is a greenhouse or sunny spot outside, but a warm kitchen windowsill also works. Chillies are nearly always thirsty, so water them once or twice every day as long as the soil is dry. Pinch out the growing tips when plants are about 20cm tall to encourage bushy growth. Tall varieties may need staking. Water your chilli plants little and often. As soon as the first flowers appear, feed weekly with a high-potash liquid fertiliser such as tomato feed.Sow chilli seed indoors as early as January if you have a heated propagator, or from March if you don’t. Transplant seedlings into individual 7. Eventually, transplant them into 30cm pots of peat-free, multi-purpose compost.It is common practice to use a standard tomato fertilizer for feeding chilli plants. This works well, but it is important to recognise that tomato feeds are not all created equal. There is significant variation in the ratio of nitrogen to potassium between brands, and this will affect the growth of your chilli plants.The most important thing is to start your plants early: Many chilli varieties need well over 100 days from sowing to the first harvest, so sow them indoors as early as possible. Depending on the variety, you should sow the chillies between mid-January and early March.If growing outside select a sunny, sheltered, well drained position. If growing inside a sunny window sill or conservatory is perfect, just remember – don’t let the soil dry out. Pinch out the growing tip when the chilli plant gets to about 20cm high – this encourages bushy growth and better crops.