how to grow chilli seeds

How to Grow Chillies

 Prepare the seeds. To help make the coating of the seed easier for the new growth to penetrate, you can soak the seeds to soften them up. Fill a bowl with lukewarm water, and place the seeds inside the bowl. Allow them to soak for a full 24 hours, and then strain them from the water and lay them out to dry. Wait to plant them until they have dried completely, typically after 10-12 hours.
 If you want a bit more help in speeding up the germination process, soak the seeds in room temperature chamomile tea instead of plain water.

 Plant the seeds in small containers. You can purchase seed trays for your seedlings, or you can simply use individual planting pots for each seed. Fill each small tray or container with your soil (already amended with fertilizer and compost). Then, place a single seed about ½ an inch below the surface of the soil in each container.

Water the seeds. Seeds will need to be watered on a daily basis, so that the soil is kept moist at all times. Give seeds the biggest water after first planting, and then continue adding about a teaspoon of water daily after that.

Place them in a location with heat and sunlight. If you’ve planted seeds before, you may have a heat lamp on hand; heat lamps are perfect for aiding your seeds in growing quickly. If not, place your seeds in a location that gets plenty of sunlight, like a south facing window, and lots of heat, like near a radiator. Just be careful the seeds are neither too hot nor too cold, as both will result in little to no growth.

 Watch for the seeds to sprout. It will take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks for the seeds to first sprout. The seeds will sprout a pair of leaves to start, known as ‘seed leaves’. After a bit, a second pair of leaves will sprout; these are known as the ‘true leaves’ and signals that the chillies are ready for transplanting. You can continue waiting for them to grow and for the heat outdoors to rise, or you can plant them as is when their true leaves come in.

Harden off your seedlings. Seeds that are grown indoors are used to a constant temperature with little fluctuation; when they are introduced into the ‘wild’, they can experience a bit of shock from the varying temperatures, moisture levels, and changing sunlight. Harden them off by placing their pots or trays outdoors for a few hours every day. Start at only 2 hours a day for about a week, and then add one hour to each additional day they are placed outdoors until they can stand being outside for a full 24 hours. At this point, they can handle being planted outside without fear of shock.

Plant at the right time. Wait to plant outdoors until after the last frost of the spring, typically around March or April depending on your local weather. Plant on a sunny day in the late morning or early afternoon when it’s not too hot, so as to avoid transplant shock

Dig your holes. Chillies should be planted individually to avoid crowding, even if you are planting seeds directly outdoors. Dig small holes slightly larger than your seed or root ball using a garden trowel. These should be spaced about 1 foot (0.3 m) apart, but depending on the type of chilli you’re planting the spacing may need to be greater. Research the chillies you’re growing to find out the perfect spacing conditions for your plant.

 Plant your chillies. Place each chilli plant or seed into the holes you've dug. Replace the soil over the top of each, so that only about ½ inch of soil is on top of the roots or seeds. Don’t tamp or press down on the soil too much when you’re finished, as the chillies will grow better in loose, well-draining soil.

 Water the chillies. Chillies will thrive when their soil is moist, but not soaking wet. After the first planting, give the chillies a bit of extra water to avoid transplant shock. Then, water them on a daily basis so that the soil is damp. If you’re growing sweet peppers, you can make them even sweeter by giving them more water than usual.

Maintain the plants. It will take a month or longer before the chillies begin flowering and bearing fruit, so you will need to maintain their health during this time. Pull out any weeds that you encounter, as these will steal space and nutrients from your chillies over time if you leave them. Incorporate compost and potassium fertilizer into the soil on a monthly basis to keep the nutrient levels high. You can also add a layer of mulch to the top of the soil, to lock in moisture and block out weeds.

 Harvest your chillies. Time to harvest will vary between species of chillies, but you can generally tell when they’re ready by their size. Chillies will change colours, so unless you have a clear idea of what colour the ripe chilli will be, don’t rely on colour as an indicator of ripeness. If you’re questioning whether a chilli is ripe for picking, give it a taste! You’ll know whether it needs to continue growing for a bit longer, or if it’s ready to make a debut in your kitchen
 If you're aiming to make chilli powder or pepper flakes with your chillies, leave them to shrivel and dry up on their own on the branch before harvesting.