Grow your own chili

EVERYONE CAN GROW CHILI

Anyone with a bright window can grow chilies. Chilies are easy to grow and very decorative – both when they bloom and not least when they bear their often very colorful fruits. If you fall in love with a chili, just save the seeds and find some soil and a pot, and you're good to go.
Chilies can be grown on a windowsill, in a greenhouse and later in the spring you can also grow chilies outdoors. Chilies come in countless variations: from large bushy ones to small cute plants, in all colors and shapes and in all wind strengths, from the gentle breeze to the crazy hurricane. If you are new to the profession, just try it out, you can't choose the wrong chili.

WHERE DO YOU GET THE SEEDS FROM?

You can take seeds from a chili pepper you buy from the supermarket and put them directly in the ground, but you can't be sure that the same chili plant will come out of the seed. Chilies will often cross-pollinate each other if they are placed together with other varieties, and you can risk that they will not germinate. I would recommend that you buy your seeds from an established seed grower. Then you are sure that what you think you are putting in the ground is also what will come up again. I have bought seeds in both Denmark and abroad and have only had positive experiences with buying online - in other words: Much of what I have put in the ground has come up again.

WHEN SHOULD THE SEEDS BE SOWED?

You can sow your seeds right up until May, but since chili plants need a lot of time from the beginning of germination until you can proudly pick your first chilies, it still takes between 4-6 months. It is therefore a good idea to start sowing the seeds as early as January, February and March. The varieties that have great strength take up to 7 months from seed to fruit ripening, so you should sow them earlier than the others. I actually feel that as soon as I have toasted the New Year, my fingers start to tingle to start sowing my chili seeds. I really like this whole process and I keep tinkering with it – it is pure therapy for me.

HOW DO YOU SOW YOUR SEEDS AND WHAT SHOULD I USE?

Seed tray, plastic mug or sprout box
Seed trays can be purchased online, in garden centers and perhaps in your supermarket. Seed trays or sprouting boxes come in different varieties. Some are so sophisticated that they have built-in heating, so that you always have a temperature that suits your seeds. But you can easily make it simpler. You can just use a regular plastic cup and cover it with cling film to keep it warm.

Different soil types
You can sow the seeds in regular potting soil, but many people also choose to use jiffys or root cubes. You can also use regular potting soil, but then you need to be aware that the soil does not contain too much nutrition, which can burn the seeds. If in doubt, ask at the nursery.

The sowing itself
Stick the seeds 1 cm into the soil and cover them. Then water the soil lightly, the seeds must not float in water. Chili plants hate overwatering. On the other hand, the soil should be kept slightly moist, and the soil and air temperature should be warm. Closed germination boxes have the advantage that they retain both heat and humidity. If you do not have one, you can cover your seed trays with cling film. It is important for successful germination that the soil does not dry out and that the temperature is stable.

GERMINATION

Germination times can vary greatly. Some seeds germinate after just a few days, while others take several weeks to emerge. Most seeds germinate at a temperature between 18-30 degrees. However, you should be aware that the stronger chili varieties will only germinate at a temperature of 28-30 degrees. Light is not necessary until your seeds have germinated.

FROM SPROUT TO PLANT

Once your seed has germinated and has developed its first two cotyledons, the sprout needs plenty of light. I usually give a new plant artificial light for about 12-14 hours a day. If you don't use artificial light, it's important that you have a south-facing windowsill. If in doubt, you can use a compass. This is where you place your sprouts, and in this way you ensure that they get plenty of light during the day. However, you should be aware that the leaves of very small plants can easily be burned on hot days with strong sunlight. If necessary, make sure that the plants get some shade during the hours when the sun is at its strongest. Some chili growers give the small sprouts a light cold shock every day to prevent the chili plant from becoming long and lanky and thus fragile. If a small sprout gets cold for a few minutes, it thinks: "Ugh! It must be too cold here, so let me stay down to the ground and protect myself from the cold". My method, as previously mentioned, is to use lots of light.

Light

Light is an important building block on the road to healthy plants. There is a great risk that a chili plant will not get enough light in Denmark, simply because we do not have the hours of sunshine that the plant needs. A chili plant is quite "smart" and will use all the tricks to survive. If a chili plant lacks light, it thinks: "There is something shading me, so I better grow wildly to reach the light". This results in an inappropriately long and lanky plant. On the other hand, if the plant gets plenty of light, the growth remains low, dense and strong, which is an advantage when it is going to bear many heavy fruits later. A south-facing windowsill can do the job, but it makes good sense to add extra light, especially in the dark winter and spring months. In the last few years, LED lamps or grow lights, as they are also called, have become very popular as a supplement to the sun's own light. The advantage of LED lamps is that they have a long lifespan and are cheap in terms of power consumption. Furthermore, many grow lights are often built to deliver exactly the light that a chili plant requires. The lights often consist of blue, red and sometimes also white bulbs. The blue light (the blue wavelengths) is used by the plant for proper growth regulation and flowering, while the red light (the red wavelengths) is primarily used in connection with photosynthesis, which provides energy for the plants' metabolism and thus increases fruit production. When the plant is about to outgrow its home, it is time for you to repot it. Repotting should generally be done when the roots no longer have room in the pot they are in. I usually repot my chili plants a few times depending on which variety and how big the plant ends up being when it is fully grown. If you want a large plant, it needs a larger pot, whereas a small pot gives a small plant. A small pot is a 1-3 liter pot, while a large pot is a 7-10 liter pot. When repotting, it is important to be careful not to damage the roots. The roots of very small plants in particular are very delicate. When repotting, the plant should have plenty of fresh soil around the roots and then be watered well. The pot size should follow the plant, so it is not good to jump from a small pot to a huge pot with a small plant.

Irrigation

Too much and too little – is a good basic rule. Chili plants don't like too much or too little water. There are several theories about watering. Some believe that a chili plant can dry out a little once in a while, while others just water it thoroughly. I think it makes good sense to water without overwatering. I never give my plant so much water that it sits in the saucer, but I also don't let my plants dry out. Overwatering can cause the root system to rot, and the plant cannot absorb the necessary nutrients. You also risk flushing the nutrients out of the soil, so there is no nourishment for the plant, and the flowers will fall off. No flowers equal no fruit. A symptom of overwatering can be yellow leaves or yellow tips on the leaves.

Pollination

Whoops! Here comes something important! Chili plants are self-pollinating. This means that a chili flower needs pollen from another flower on the chili plant to develop into fruit. Outside, wind and insects will help the pollen along the way. An indoor plant, on the other hand, will need help. A daily shake helps, but you can also "play bee" by using a cotton swab or a paintbrush and carefully "flying" from flower to flower and pollinating each one. Flowers that are not pollinated will fall off. When a flower has been pollinated, the flower will also fall off, but a small fruit will remain, and an exciting experience is on the way. Therefore, make it a daily habit to give your plants a shake.

Planting

If you have a greenhouse, you will probably want to move your chili plants away from the windowsill and into the greenhouse at some point. It is important that you give your chili plants time to get used to the new environment. It is therefore a good idea to start by moving the plants to their new home for a few hours a day, so that they have time to get used to it. After that, you can gradually move your plants permanently into the greenhouse. Please note that chili plants cannot tolerate frost and prefer temperatures above 10 degrees.

Stressed plants

When the plants are about to flower, I can stress them by giving them too little water. A stressed plant sets many flowers and produces many fruits in the fight to survive. I let the plant run out of water about every 14 days. I'm sure there are many theories about this point. Some claim that a plant only produces many fruits when it has reached its full growth potential. Too small pots and thus too little space for the root system are another way to stress the plants. I therefore often leave my plants in pots so small that the root system becomes visible. If you're in that situation, it's all the more important to add fertilizer regularly. A small pot with a large plant runs out of water quickly, so it's a bit more demanding. The payoff is many more fruits, but it also requires a lot more attention to the plants.

Fertilizer

Fertilizer is a separate chapter. A chili plant must be fertilized to get enough nutrients for growth and flowering. Fertilizer is also important for creating a healthy plant that is resistant to diseases. But how much fertilizer should the plant have? In general, it can be said that a chili plant can do with relatively little fertilizer. If you give the plant too much, you risk burning the plant. Too much fertilizer also slows down the absorption of nutrients other than the one just added, which will result in yellow leaves and flower drop. You can fertilize with fertilizer that is mixed with water, added to the soil, or as fertilizer tablets. Some people choose to start their plants with a small fertilizer lunchbox. When transplanting, the germinating plant is placed in nutrient-enriched soil, and you do not have to fertilize for a period of time.

Air circulation

A chili plant growing indoors needs some air around it. That's why I put a fan on my plants. It makes them both healthier and stronger. When the plants are small, I can just give them a breeze for 5-10 minutes a couple of times a day, while the larger plants get lighter breezes for 3-4 hours a day. And yes, buying a timer makes the control easier of course.

Plucking flowers

The vast majority of chili growers want beautiful plants with lots of fruit. When a plant starts to flower, you can choose to pinch off the first 5-7 flowers. This point also divides chili enthusiasts. Some pinch the flowers, while others leave them alone. I do both depending on the variety. I do not pinch the small plant varieties, while I always remove the first flowers on the large varieties. With the right pinching of flowers, you can get some very beautiful and harmonious-looking plants. I usually select a few that get special treatment.

Harvest

When the plant's flowers have been pollinated, small fruits will appear. The fruits take about 30-40 days to fully develop and then a ripening period of 2-4 weeks follows. You can usually tell when the fruit is ripe by the change in color. However, let it sit for a few days after it has changed color so that the fruit can ripen completely. During the ripening period, the fruit will develop both its flavor and strength, but chilies can be eaten at all stages of the ripening period. I regularly taste my chilies to find the best time to harvest them.

Let your plants overwinter

You don't have to start over by sowing seeds every year. Many chillies are perennial plants, which means they can overwinter. Of course, it requires a little space, but you will find that the plants will look much better the following year and will produce many more fruits. So it is definitely worth the effort. It is important to move plants that have been outside or in a greenhouse inside before the night frost sets in. Place the plants in a bright and cool place, but the temperature must not fall below 10 degrees. If the plants are too warm, they will want to put out new leaves. They must not dry out completely, but still only need a little water every other week. Don't be alarmed when the plants lose their leaves. In early spring, the plants will start to put out new shoots. You can help them along a bit with an LED lamp. In April, the plants need new soil and fertilizer. Plants that have overwintered set fruit earlier than newly sown plants.

What do you do if your chili plant goes crazy? Pickle! Read a guide to pickling chilies atchiliklaus.dk .

Looking for inspiration for what you can cook with your chilies? Read the recipes at chiliklaus.dk .