Chili Pepper Growing Guide

Capsicum annuum

Chili Pepper

Crop Rotation Group

Solanaceae (Potato and tomato family) ●

Soil

Well drained soil that holds moisture well.

Position

Full sun.

Frost tolerant

No.

Feeding

Mix an organic fertilizer into the planting holes as you transplant peppers. Feed every two weeks with a liquid feed after the plants begin to blossom and set fruit.

Spacing

Single Plants: 1' 1" (35cm) each way (minimum)
Rows: 11" (30cm) with 1' 3" (40cm) row gap (minimum)

Sow and Plant

Start indoors, and set out seedlings when the soil is settled and warm. Mulch to keep soil lightly moist at all times.
Our Garden Planner can produce a personalized calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area.

Notes

Tie heavy-bearing plants to a single stake to keep them from falling over. Ornamental varieties with variegated foliage and colorful fruits are easy to grow in containers.

Harvesting

Chili peppers can be harvested when they are immature, but pungency increases with ripeness. Wear protective gloves when handling hot chilis, which can be dried or frozen for future use.

Troubleshooting

Hot weather increases hot compounds in chilis, so those grown in cool climates may lack heat. Some chilis do not bear heavily until days become shorter in late summer.

Planting and Harvesting Calendar

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Pests which Affect Chili Pepper