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Chilli is a close relative of capsicum and as
such they both have the same growing requirements. Chilli
plants grow best in the warmer months. In temperate climates
such as the climate of Adelaide, seeds can be sown direct
into the ground from August to December, but to give the plants
a good head start, it is best to sow them during July into
punnets kept in a warm place, later to be transplanted into
the garden.
Use seed raising mixture to sow the seeds into
and keep the punnets as warm as possible by putting them into
a glasshouse or covering them with a plastic bag held up with
wire. Sow the seeds 5 to 8 mm deep and keep the seed bed moist
but not wet. If you can manage to keep the soil temperature
warm (20 to 25 degrees C) you will get rapid and strong seedlings.
Transplant seedlings into 10 cm pots using potting mix and
continue to grow them in a warm spot in full sun until they
are about 15 cm tall.(Growing them against a north facing
wall is a good way to give seedlings a little extra warmth.)
As always, when transplanting, disturb the roots as little
as possible and transplant before the plants become pot bound.
Seedlings can be transplanted into the garden
from September and should produce fruit by the end of December
and keep producing fruit until the warmth runs out in autumn.
Choose a spot in full sun to grow chillies, however, during
the heat waves that come during summer, covering them with
shade cloth will help prevent them being sun burnt.
A couple of weeks prior to planting chillies
in the garden, dig in plenty of well totted organic matter
along with a little complete fertilizer. Plant the seedlings
50 cm apart and provide them with regular watering, particularly
through the heat of summer.
Using a small amount of complete fertilizer each
couple of weeks after flowering starts will encourage plenty
of fruit. Frequent picking will also encourage more flowers
and fruit to form.
(Contributed by Michael)
(summer 2009)
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