Growing Chilli peppers, also Hot peppers

Capsicum sp. : Solanaceae / the nightshade family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
                S S    
                    T T

(Best months for growing Chilli peppers in New Zealand - cool/mountain regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings

September: After risk of frosts

  • Grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 64°F and 95°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 16 - 20 inches apart
  • Harvest in 9-11 weeks. Wear gloves to pick 'hot' chillies.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Best grown in a separate bed as chillies need plenty of light and air circulation.

Your comments and tips

30 Apr 09, Mark (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Matt (27th April 09). I have the same chillies growing as you do. Mine are called Firecrackers. I think they are the Firecracker Piquin from Capsicum Annuum family which i believe means you should keep some seeds if you want to grow them again. It may or may not survive til next year. A nice chilli though. We have been thoroughly enjoying the Black Pearl, Scotch Bonnet and White Habanero this season. Still got a few to ripen. Lucky the days in Perth are still sunny. The Jamaican Gold produced some beautiful looking fruit this year too and quite delicious!
01 May 09, Hazel (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I was wondering if chili plants grow wild? we have a small one in our backyard & none of us planted it or even like chilis, yeah I know it's a stupid question but we're new to this I only found it yesterday.
05 May 09, Hans Zerbes (Australia - temperate climate)
Love jalapeno's I have about 25 bushes planted close together, grew them from i saved plant, will I be able to repeat this? will the existing give another crop next season We have no frost (Coastal) Still productive now. Hans
16 Apr 20, Tom jivani (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi how many years can repeat fruiting this jalapeno's chilli ?
06 May 09, Erica Sampson (Australia - temperate climate)
To Hans Zerbes re getting seeds from chili plants. Leave one or two of the healthiest and best looking chilis on the bush to ripen fully. Pick when full color is achieved and hang them on a string (needle and cotton through the stem) to dry. Take out the seeds when they are fully dried and save until planting time. It wouldnt hurt to get another (same type) chili plant from a nursery to help with healthy cross-pollination so that you maintain a good genetic strength.
18 Jun 09, (Australia - temperate climate)
I have heard that there is a chilli that is hotter than the Scott Bonnet Any body know anything about it?
18 Jun 09, JPVD (Australia - temperate climate)
Scotch bonnet, then habanero (closely related) and now the mighty Bhut Jolokia.
26 Jun 09, Dis (Australia - temperate climate)
Thank youJPVD that's the one now where does one get seeds?
06 Jul 09, Anne (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I'm having terrible trouble with possums eating my chillies (leaves & fruit - even habaneros!). I now have a small greenhouse but it's not big enough for all the varieties I want to grow. Does anyone have experience with a possum deterrent? I've tried various over-the-counter so-called deterrents and all have been crap. Did a Google search & ended up on a CSIRO site where they suggested a home made spray made of, guess what, chillies! Needless to say I didn't bother with that one!
27 May 11, Sarah (Australia - tropical climate)
I had the same problem. I netted the garden thinking it was possums, but I caught rats in the netted sections several times. One night they ate over 60 ripe chillis and all my halerpinos. I got a cat shortly after, and she brought in a lot of rats at first. As the rats declined, the chillis increased. I now have a full pot of them, and they are now un-netted.
Showing 41 - 50 of 427 comments

Hi. I have my own chilli breeding program going on, and am planning to use a combination of Thai chilli, birdseye chilli, Chilli Diablo, some stock chilli (generic, little spice, huge fruit, and Habanero. All these plants are growing in a full-sun position in neutral soil with some compost and old manure mixed in, making it slightly more acidic, but they seem to love it. I have noticed growth of up to an inch a week if Worm Castings and seasol are mixed with some water and sprayed onto the leaves of the stock chilli and diablo. As the leaves of these two are very large, foliar feeding goes down a treat. The birdseye and thai chillies have smaller leaves, so I just add it into the irrigation water, with equal results. The habanero I have left alone, as a bit of an experiment to see how maintenance-free this part of the veg garden is. All the plants (apart from the diablo) were started from seed in the middle of winter, indoors, and the Thai chilli and Birdseye chillies have been topped as half the crop from them will go into our special family chilli sauce. All plants have abundant flowers, some of which are ready to open, and average about 60cm tall. I hope this helps and inspires some peopleto get into chillies.

- Mick

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