Growing Chilli peppers, also Hot peppers

Capsicum sp. : Solanaceae / the nightshade family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
    S                  
        T T            
        P P            

(Best months for growing Chilli peppers in USA - Zone 5a regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • P = Sow seed
  • Grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 64°F and 95°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 16 - 20 inches apart
  • Harvest in 9-11 weeks. Wear gloves to pick 'hot' chillies.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Best grown in a separate bed as chillies need plenty of light and air circulation.

Your comments and tips

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10 Feb 18, Desiree (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Hi I planted habeneros and jalepenos but the insects are eating the leaves, any natural insecticide I can use
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11 Feb 19, Andy (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
fill a drum with kakie bush then fill with water, after 1 week put the water on it. Problem gone Happy planting
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06 Oct 18, RL (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Pour boiling water over a handful of chopped up tomato leaves and 3 subsections of garlic. Allow to infuse for 24 hours then remove vegetable matter, add a drop of dish washing liquid and spray on chilli leaves about once a week. If you want to get fancy you can also add a drop of linseed oil to the mix but I've found it works fine without.
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18 Mar 18, hain (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
you could use the chilly itself to deter the pests .............you take the fruit pulp it and pour warm water over the pulp let it stew for a few minutes ......one cup to one fruit ...........and use a bottle sprayer to spray the whole plant making sure o spray the underside of the leaves too............that should hold the pests at bay for a while if not working the up your ratio of fruit to water.... hopefully that works well
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30 Nov 17, George Tsui (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Blueberry dying: After growing in pot for nearly a year, my Blueberry starting to die, can some advise me why???
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10 Jan 18, Edward S (Australia - temperate climate)
Check your soil pH. Blueberries require acidic soil. If pH>5.5, add peatmoss to the soil. Also, try not to water with tap water. Tap water is alkaline. Water with rainwater.
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03 Dec 17, Mike (Australia - temperate climate)
Why would you ask about blueberries in the chilli section? I have no idea - water, heat ????. Google how to grow blueberries.
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29 Nov 17, Lalita patel (New Zealand - temperate climate)
How many chilli plants will grow in a medium size pot
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02 Dec 17, Hamsa Lingam (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
You can sow up to 10 seeds but you must transplant when it is about 10 cm to individual pots for the plant to grow and give abundant chillies
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21 Nov 17, William R (Australia - tropical climate)
Anyone growing orange habaneros in Cairns? Looking for seeds or seedlings. Cheers William
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Showing 131 - 140 of 432 comments
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I'm actually in Thailand but your site doesn't list that. Having a hard time growing chilies here and looking for any hints. Soil has plenty of nutrients but does not dry out due to the rains and clay underlayer. At this point I'm thinking of adding sand to the soil to aid in drainage. I've dug a hole in the garden down to the clay layer and filled it with water. It drained within 5 minutes so it's really about my topsoil quality. Thanks!

- Eric Nelson

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