Your comments and tips

01 Aug 20, Constance (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)

I stay in Botswana.When can I start to plant chillies?

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03 Aug 20, Anonymous (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)

Look at the monthly calendar at the top of the page, set your climate zone, it tells you the best months to start planting - NOV.

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22 Jul 20, Christal van der Byl (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)

I live in the Eastern Cape and my mom makes and sells chilli paste. I am thinking of growing the chillies ourselves because it can get difficult to find chillies. What advice do you have to make sure that we always have chillies growing? I will be making wooden creates / boxes to grow the chillies in, because the soil on our land is not very fertile if I grow but it will be outside and in the boxes I can move them around for different times of the year where the sun will be catching best.

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23 Jul 20, Anonymous (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)

I feel you would have more chance of a good crop if you planted in the ground than in boxes or crates. They need to be in sunlight all/most of the day. They are a spring through autumn crop I think, I have never grown them. You need to improve your soil by adding compost and manures regularly, yearly. Soil is only the medium that plants grow in. All soils need to have nutrients added to them, compost, manures, mulch that breaks down, fertilisers etc. Do some internet research on how to grow them.

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20 Jul 20, Jyoti (New Zealand - temperate climate)

Best is to plant a new chillie plant.i had a plant which survived winter but did not gave as much fruit as it did before.

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18 Jul 20, Theresa (USA - Zone 10b climate)

Hello, I want to grow chili peppers (Scotch Bonnet) soon but I see that it may be outside of the growth period. What advice would you give? I live in Long Beach, CA.

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06 Aug 20, Anonymous (USA - Zone 9b climate)

Wait until it says when to plant is a good idea. The guide here says this is the best time to grow it, to give yourself the best chance of a good crop. Now you can start a little earlier or later but you may not produce as good a crop. Then you have to take your weather/climate conditions into considerations. This website isn't spot on all the time. They might say plant beans from fall (autumn) to spring, but the bean fly kill mine in autumn so I only plant in the spring. Where I live it says grow egg plant in warm weather, spring to late autumn. I have picked it all through winter. Sometimes it is all about trialing things or just having a go.

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16 Jul 20, Tshwgo (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)

I am planning to plan habanero peppers and love in the north of Johannesburg. When is the best time to plant and how do I maintain? Thank you in advance

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19 Jul 20, Astrid (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)

Don't be in a rush to get the seeds out. This year we've got a cold winter, so if you are sowing directly into the ground I would not sow earlier than mid September in Jhb North just to be safe. If you can start the seeds indoors you could sow early August, and plant out mid September. Plant in full sun at least 50cm apart. Make sure your plants don't dry out or your harvest will be affected. The best way to do this is to mulch well with organic matter around the plants (leaves, compost etc) to prevent moisture loss / keep moisture levels constant, but you will still need to water. When you see flowers develop, feed with a small handful (per plant) of Vita Veg Fruit & Flower - don't dig it in, just sprinkle around the plant. Leave your bushes to overwinter, they might survive!

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16 Jul 20, (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)

Check the chilli page for your climate zone and read it, it has when to plant. Then google how to grow chilli in south Africa.

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