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

18 Nov 16, John (Australia - temperate climate)
Yes. That is what would happen naturally. Don't cover the seeds too deeply and mke sure they do not dry out.
18 Sep 16, jordan (Australia - tropical climate)
My bigger chillies going well but just the small ones 4inch chilli leaves curling upwards especially tips which grow tiny so I pull off and then lower leaves grow regrowth but top repeated itself tops are tiny and curled live in cairns queensland
24 Sep 16, Bob Dobbs (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Your chillies probably have an attack of 'Broad Mite'. I grow a lot of chillies and frequently have to spray for these mite. The small leaves curl up and stop growing. Ask your local nursery what they recommend as a spray and make sure that you spray the under side of the leaves, as that is where they will be. I do not use organic sprays but prefer not to recommend anything in writing. Bob
17 Sep 16, Paul (Canada - Zone 4b Temperate Warm Summer climate)
I have many green chili peppers on my plant, and frost is around the corner. If I harvest the green chili peppers, and bring them in the house, will they turn mature into red chili peppers?
21 Aug 16, Freeman (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Hi plz give me the following information.I can i plant chilie during summer and winter? And chilies are on markets.
16 Jul 16, Mark Rogers (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
What is the preffered time to sow Habenero seeds
01 Oct 16, May (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Hot chillies need a long growing season, so as early as possible in spring would be good, although soil temperature may be too cool still for them to germinate. So best, I think, is to start them indoors, in seed trays, at the very start of spring, using heating if possible to get them going and then planting outside as soon as they are strong enough and it is warm enough. You can sow seeds later during the growing season also if you have a plan to pull them through winter, because they're perennial and that way you'll have strong plants that can start producing asap when the next growing season starts.
02 Jul 16, Gordon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Best time to prune and what type of fertiliser
26 Jun 16, Julie (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
I have Bischops Crown, JalapeƱo, Hungarian Hot Wax and Zim Birds Eye chilies growing in my veggie garden. They grow well and bear a lot of chilies, however the birds seems to love nipping at all of them except the Birds Eyes. Is there anything I can do to deter them, they take a bite out of every chili and leave the bushes looking terrible.
17 Jul 16, (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Birds, the feathered variety, are a big problem in my area of Centurion. I brought the winter surviving plants into the north facing patio and in pots this year and the birds are waiting at the front door already in mid-July as I begin to plant out the August plantings, but this year, I am blesseed with glass houses. Last season,, when birds became a major nuisance, I found some old CD discs and hung these up on strings from the surrounding trees just above the vegetable garden. It worked just as well as shade/ frost cloth that I removed. Secondly, my wife and I adopted a cat, this worked even better!. Good luck!
Showing 171 - 180 of 432 comments

I have a few Naga Jolokia plants growing, they are flowering, but not producing any fruit, any ideas how I can get them to produce fruit? Also how do I go about collecting seed to grow more at a later date?

- Daniel

Please provide your email address if you are hoping for a reply


All comments are reviewed before displaying on the site, so your posting will not appear immediately

Gardenate App

Put GardenGrow in your pocket. Get our app for iPhone, iPad or Android to add your own plants and record your plantings and harvests

Planting Reminders

Join 60,000+ gardeners who already use GardenGrow and subscribe to the free GardenGrow planting reminders email newsletter.


Home | Vegetables and herbs to plant | Climate zones | About GardenGrow | Contact us | Privacy Policy

This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. GardenGrow is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
We cannot help if you are overrun by giant slugs.