If you've ever wanted to spice up your garden (literally!), growing chili peppers is one of the most fun and rewarding crops to try. From seedlings to pepper harvest, the process is quite simple once you get the hang of it. I have learned over the years and would like to share some of my notes with y’all. If you're looking to learn how to grow chili peppers, read on!🌶️🌶️

• Seed Preparation

  Let's start with seed preparation! I like to plant my seeds between February and April, but honestly, if you crave those super-hot varieties, I'd recommend starting even earlier—like January. 

  You can sow cleanly in pots filled with good seed-starting compost. Then, keep it at a comfortable temperature of around 65-70°F or 8-21°C. That's the right temperature for these plants to grow healthily.

  

  

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• Planting

  Timing is the key! After your young chilli pepper plants are ready, keep them in a comfy space until at least the end of May. I usually leave my plants in pots in a sunny place. Alternatively, you can move them to a final container inside a greenhouse (the best choice) or polytunnel. 

  Note: make sure the temperature around them is always warm.

• How To Care

  • Humidity and temperature 

  Make sure they stay above 15°C (59°F). But don't go above 30°C (86°F) because it will slow down fertilization. On warm days, I like dampening the greenhouse. Then, let the moisture envelop your chili pepper.

  • Watering

  Water your plants regularly but not muddily—the term is little and often. I always make sure the compost or soil in the pot stays evenly moist. Again, don't let your chili peppers get waterlogged.

  • Feeding

  Once those red flowers start appearing, give your chili peppers high-potassium liquid fertilizer weekly. It'll help them grow those hot peppers you're dreaming of

  

• Training and Pruning

  When your plant reaches a height of about 1 foot, you can pinch out the tip of the shoot to encourage the growth of side shoots. This method is to give you more fruits. Don't forget to provide some support since chili peppers can be very heavy as they grow. Now, you can clearly see how do chilli peppers grow.

• Harvesting

  The next step of chili paper planting is harvesting. I highly recommend early harvesting. Why? This is because leaving them on the plant to ripen slows down new flower production. Thus, it could reduce the amount of harvest. But it's totally up to you guys! Anyway, you can store the chili peppers in the refrigerator.

  

Conclusion

I think growing chili peppers is an exciting journey, from seedings to fiery fruits. Anyway, this how-to-grow chili pepper guide is suitable for most varieties, including green and red chili peppers. Now, I want to hear from you—how do your chili peppers grow? Share your spicy harvest pics and tips!🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️