In contrast to most spices from tropical regions, chillies can be grown here without any problems. Find out how here.
Chilis have conquered the whole world and of course ended up in our kitchens. Which is why more and more gardeners would like to harvest a fresh chilli pepper themselves in their own vegetable patch. We would therefore like to show you how you can grow chillies in your garden yourself.
Extension
Spread seeds
In principle, chillies like it really warm, which is why you have to sow the seeds in a flower pot on a sunny window sill (at least 25 degrees) from the end of January. We recommend sowing in nutrient-rich, slightly moistened potting soil.
» Tip:
In addition, cover the pots with transparent foil or glass for the first few days, then a pleasant, high level of humidity will form in them for chillies.
Transfer to potty
The germination time is about 2 weeks. As soon as the plants have two leaves, you can put them individually in pots. You can repot the plants in yoghurt pots, for example. At this point you should also fertilize the plants. It is best to apply a little complete fertilizer to the plants.
Transfer to the open air
After the frosty days in May, you can transplant the chillies outdoors. A location that is as sunny as possible and a planting distance of approx. 40 centimeters are very important here. Even better, however, is the accommodation of chillies in the greenhouse. Because the climate in the greenhouse is really very well suited for chilies.
Of course you can also plant chillies in tubs and put them outdoors. The advantage: when the outside temperatures are cool, you can quickly transport the plants to a protected interior space.
Care
Water the chilies
Chilis like relatively little water, otherwise their roots will rot extremely quickly - it is therefore best to only water the plants moderately once a day. If it rains continuously, you should also cover the plants with an air-permeable film.
Fertilize chillies
Chilis require minimal fertilizer. It is usually sufficient if you plant the plants shortly beforeGive the flower a little potash or phosphorus fertilizer.
Harvest
Chilis have an average ripening time of 70 days. This is one reason why the harvest should usually not take place until the end of August or the beginning of September. However, it can also extend into November. However, since the chillies then have to struggle with the cooling outside temperatures, it is advisable to harvest the unripe chillies and let them ripen indoors.
» Tip:
If you remove all the slightly red colored fruits from the vine early, new flowers can form again. This means you can even harvest the chillies twice.
Use chillies
You can use the chilies fresh straight away. If you have too much fruit, you can also freeze or dry it.