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Chillies

Capsicum annum / chinense

INTRODUCTION

Chillies, very closely related to Peppers, are grown for their ability to add spice and heat to a whole range of recipes in the kitchen. They range from the very mild to outright blow your head off hot.

Originating from Mexico and South America, they have been in cultivation for thousands of years. They have, amongst some growers, gained an almost cult-like status, with Chilli festivals and events becoming more popular each year. Ranging in strengths, sizes, shapes and colours from green, red, yellow, orange, purple and brown, there is sure to be a Chilli to suit every taste bud.

Soil Preparation

Chillies are not suited to open ground growing in the Uk unless you can provide a hot and humid environment.

However, they are well suited to greenhouse, polytunnel or even cold frame culture.

Chillies require a long growing season with consistently warm and humid conditions.

A convenient method of production is to grow in pots or grow bags. If using pots, a container size of at least 5-10 litres should be used filled with quality compost.

Sowing & Planting

Seeds should be sown early in the year, preferably, January or February. Always use a heated propagator and maintain a temperature of 22-30oc if you wish to achieve the best results.

Seeds will take about 10 days to germinate. When seedlings are large enough to handle, prick out into 9cm pots and try to keep growing on temperatures at 16-20oc.

During late spring, pot on into final growing position. Maintain temperatures at 18-25oc and high humidity.

Growing & General Cultivation

Keep well watered throughout the growing season and feed on a weekly basis with a high potash feed.

Although consistent watering is essential, keeping your Chilli plants on the dry side as they reach maturity, will help to enhance their flavour and heat.

It is not necessary to remove or pinch out the growing tips of Chillies, as this can delay flowering and fruit formation.

Remove any old flowers from developing fruits to reduce the risk of disease.

Some varieties will produce tall plants that will require canes for support.

Maintain temperature and humidity.

After fruiting has finished, some varieties can be treated as perennial plants and overwintered in frost-free conditions for growing on in subsequent seasons.

Pests & Diseases

Chillies can be prone to all of the usual greenhouse pests and diseases, especially during warm weather:

Slugs and Snails can be a problem for seedlings and young plants - for remedies - see product directory.

Aphids will be inevitable at some stage of growth. These sap-sucking insects will secrete sticky honeydew, distort foliage and potentially spread viruses. Use an Organic Insecticide or consider Biological control. See Product Directory for details.

Red Spider Mite shows up as yellow mottling on the foliage. On the underside of leaves, webbing will become obvious in severe cases, with mites clearly visible. The pest is normally more of an issue on indoor crops, particularly during hot, dry weather. Biological control is available. See Product Directory for details.

Greenhouse White Fly can affect greenhouse crops but is not normally a problem with outdoor production. If the problem occurs, consider Biological control. See Product Directory for details.

Botrytis can cause fruits to rot. This fungal disease is worse during periods of high humidity. Remove old flowers and plant debris. Try to keep foliage and fruits dry while watering.

Harvesting

Like Peppers, Chillies start off as green fruit, maturing to red, orange, yellow or brown.

Harvesting begins in July and August depending on variety and will continue until the first frosts.

The heat of the fruits will differ hugely between varieties, from mild to medium to hot to extremely hot. The strength of heat will gradually increase as each variety reaches maturity.

The heat of an individual Chilli variety is measured by the 'Scoville scale'. Mild Chillies come in at 1000 or less, with the Carolina Reaper hitting a whopping 2.2 million in recent tests.

Be warned, some varieties are so hot, gloves are required for harvesting and preparation in the kitchen.

Keep harvesting to keep plants actively producing.

Chillies can be stored for short periods in the fridge but for long term storage, they can be dried, frozen or pickled.