Your comments and tips

31 Mar 17, John (Australia - temperate climate)

Maybe I am biased but I wouldn't use chemical fertilisers like you mention as they destroy soil life. Healthy soil teeming with soil life is the answer. Build your soil up with old manure, compost and any organic matter and 'numbers' won't be necessary.Use crop rotation starting with a leaf crop after you have added manure, etc to the soil. When the leaf crop is finished plant a fruit crop (beans, capsicum, tomatoes zucchini, etc), then finally a root veg crop. Re-fertilise the soil ready to start the cycle again. plants need more than N-P-K and organic matter will achieve this, building up the soil life, increasing the capacity of the soil to hold water, increasing disease resistance and making more micro-nutrients available to your plants. adding some lime in late autumn or winter will also help. Trust this helps.

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16 Mar 17, Marie (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)

Hello, we had the first frost this morning, my plant is full of big green chilies, is it now time to pick all my chilies or will they still turn red? Also how do i save chilie sead for next year?

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17 Mar 17, Jack (Australia - temperate climate)

If the chillies are hit by frost they are likely to rot. I suggest pulling the plants out by the roots and hanging them upside down in a protected spot. This works with tomatoes and at least you would redeem some or most of them. To save seed cut or flick them out and let them dry on some paper towel. Store them in a paper bag or envelope with the name and date on it.

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01 Jan 17, Lynne Adams (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)

Do I nip top stems off to increase side stems and fruit

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02 Feb 17, Karen (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)

Yes. Not counting the seed leaves I generally let the plant grow to about 8 true leaves then remove the lower 2 (ventilation space under growing plant) and cut the stem leaving 4 true leaves. This results in a stronger stem, more side shoots = more fruit. This works well for me growing one plant per 15L container.

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07 Jan 17, Peter (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)

If you nip off the stem they will be sturdier plants and I have found they do produce more fruit.

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07 Jul 14, Deepak Bhatia (New Zealand - temperate climate)

What kind of fertilizer does chillies need

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30 Jun 10, (New Zealand - temperate climate)

Growing indoors, they will need an even warmth and plenty of light. If they are on a windowsill, watch that they don't get too cold overnight.

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12 Jan 09, Lucy (New Zealand - temperate climate)

hi, I am growing chillis in a 75cm round pot, there is 1 chilli plant and 1 capsicum plant in there, will they grow well in a pot?

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03 Sep 08, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)

Julie, chillies will do better in full sun

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