Chilli Peppers
More than just the heat ...
A bit of history on chillies ...
Chilli peppers originate from modern day Bolivia in South America and have been part of human diets for thousands of years. Cultivation of chillies in Mexico date back to around 6 000 years ago. According to research chillies were first cultivated in parts of South America including Bolivia, Mexico and the Amazon.
Capsicums were first discovered by European explorer Christopher Columbus and his crew. They were the first to bring capsicum varieties to Europe. The Europeans promoted use among various trade routes, which lead to introduction to Asian countries. Chilli peppers have become an integral part of Asian cuisines. The cultivation and use of Chillies is widespread across the world in many diverse locations.
A few notes on growing ...
Environment – Firstly, chillies enjoy warm temperatures. The closer you can grow Chillies in an environment where they feel at home, the better your harvest will be. They prefer daytime temperatures between 24 and 30°C. They will tolerate night time temperatures of 12°C, but do better between 15 and 20°C. Most chillies do not like frost. Get seeds started earlier before the last frost and move outdoors when temperatures increase.
Secondly, chillies prefer humid environments of a humidity between 50% and 70%. High levels of humidity can lead to disease. Chillies grow well in full sun, but will cope on a balcony with 6 hours of sun. Chillies grow well in greenhouses, but make sure temperatures do not get too high. You might need to start ventilating above 35°C.
Fruiting season and duraiton – There are so many different Chilli varieties out there it is difficult to have specific grow times. However, many chillies can bare fruit from seed from 70 to 100 days. Some go up until 120 days. Generally chillies fruit from mid summer to early Autumn.
Germination – Most chillies germinate between 1 week and 3 weeks depending on the variety and temperature. Some hot varieties like Bhut Jolokia can take 35 days. Try and keep a constant warm temperature to improve germination. Get them started indoors and move outside when temperatures increase. You can soak for a few hours before sowing in small containers with soil or a germination mix of fine compost, cocopeat and perlite. The Pindstrup Blond Special substrate works really well for growing seedlings. Always keep grow medium moist during germination. The most important is to be patient with your seeds.
Watering – Lastly, many problems can be avoided by watering correctly. The best time to water chilli plants is in the morning or evening. Water once or twice a week. Increase to almost daily during warmer days. Water plant so that the entire root ball gets water. Do not overwater or let plant become waterlogged, this can lead to fungus issues. You can spray foliage to increase humidity . However, do not water in blistering sun. If water falls on fruit it can form burns. This works better outdoors, and fungus issues can occur when plants are too wet. Foliage should always be able to dry before night fall.
Soil – Furthermore, chillies enjoy rich loamy soil with good drainage. Be sure to add some compost to your garden. When planting in pots make sure soil retain sufficient moistures but drains well and does not become waterlogged.