chilli plant identification

How do I identify my chilli plant?

The stems tend to grow straight up throughout and curve just before touching the flower head. The Frutescens plants tend to be short and shrub-like with a high number of flowers. The chillies themselves are typically lanceoloid in shape and don't vary much.

Do chilli flowers turn into chillies?

Once your Red Chili Pepper is flowering, the flowers need to be pollinated. ... Our Red Chili Peppers ripens from white to red. Once the fruits have ripened, the plant will slowly start to degrade, and the Red Chili Pepper refill has fulfilled its purpose to produce little chilies.

Do chilli plants come back every year?

Chilli plants are not annuals. They are in fact short-lived perennials, so if you can successfully overwinter your plants you get fresh chillies much earlier the next season than growing each year from seed.

What are the bugs on my chilli plant?

Insect Pests. The insects most likely to 'enjoy' your chile plants are slugs & snails, aphids (greenfly/blackfly), pepper maggots,whitefly and nematodes. Flea beetles, cutworms, hornworms, thrips, spider mites and leafminers are less common. ... 'Dispose' of any slugs and eggs wherever you find them.

How long does a chilli plant live?

Chilies can live between 1.5 - 15 years depending on the species. The wild species Chilitepin grows perennially as a small bush.

How can I make my chilli grow faster?

The soil used to plant a chili seedling should be high in Nitrogen. This Nitrogen will help in rapid growth for the first month. Step 2 Add NPK 19:10:19 to the soil once in a month. For Faster Growth, you should add NPK or Urea, DAP, and potash in equal quantity once in a month to each plant.

Should I let my chilli plant flower?

Answer: Well as a general rule I avoid pinching out flowers and prefer to let the plants do their own thing. That said there are a number of different ways you can help increase your chilli pepper yield. One way you can help your plants is to use a feed in order to help growth and development.

Should I cut the flowers off my chilli plant?

Also, when the plant comes into flower, pinch out those early flowers so that the Chilli plant will throw out more shoots, bush and produce a better crop.

Why does my chilli plant flower but no fruit?

You could have a condition called, "blossom drop", and it may not be a case of flowers not being pollinated. The most common cause is temperature extremes. If daytime temps are above 90Â°F and there is a dry, wind condition, the pollen will not be useable--the quality and nature of it will change.

How many chillies does a plant produce?

One plant will often give you a hundred chillies or more. So all but the most dedicated chilli eater can usually be self sufficient in chillies with just a few plants – something very achievable, even in a tiny growing space. Any surplus chillies can easily be dried or frozen, keeping you in supply all year.

How do you trim a chilli plant?

To harvest chillies cut them off the plant with scissors or a sharp knife. Chillies can be harvested when they are green or red, however, there are some varieties that will not turn red in our climate. If your plant has unripe chillies, you can ripen them off the plant.

How do you pollinate a chilli plant?

As they are self-pollinating chillies do not require insects or the wind to pollinate, however if the stamen (male part) develops and is not touching the pistil (female part) this will lead to a sterile flower. Giving your plant a gentle shake occasionally will help solve this problem.

How do you treat aphids on chilli plants?

A common one is diluted washing up soap. Washing up liquid contains many more chemicals than just soap, some of which are bad news to a growing plant. So while such a solution may kill the aphids it may also kill the plant.

How do I keep bugs from eating my chilli plants?

Garlic/chilli-based spray is effective for small sucking insects such as aphids as well as caterpillars. Combine crushed garlic and chilli (powdered chilli will do if you don't have fresh) with one tablespoon of vegetable oil and a small amount of dishwashing liquid or soap flakes.

Why are my chilli plants sticky?

If your pepper plants have a sticky residue on the leaves and stems, or if the plants develop yellow, curled leaves, aphids are the likely culprit. These soft-bodied insects congregate on the underside of the leaves and suck out the sap, leaving a trail of sticky honeydew in their wake.

Do chilli plants need direct sunlight?

As soon as they start to emerge, it is best to move them to good sun light so that they can start generating food.

What is the best time to grow chillies?

Right Season

Chilli can be cultivated as Kharif and Rabi crop. Additionally it can be planted at anytime. Sowing months for Kharif crop are May to June while for Rabi crops they are September to October. And if you plant them as summer crops then January and February are good.

How much space do chilli plants need?

Space the chili pepper plants 18 – 36 inches apart with about 2 -3 feet between rows. The plants will eventually grow to nearly 3 feet high. Water! Keep the soil constantly moist, but not soaking wet.

Why are my chilli plants not growing?

Q: My chilli plants are not growing well, what could be wrong? A: The three main causes are: Temperature – Chilli plants will grow very slowly or not at all in cold conditions. Try to keep the soil around 20c as an optimal. Watering – too much water or compost that is too airless will retard growth.

How long does green chilli take to grow?

Chillies don't do well in frost, which is why it's important to wait until the threat of frost has completely passed for the season before you plant them outside. It takes the seeds 2 to 4 months to grow and produce fruit, which is why it's important to start early.

How often do you feed chilli plants?

For a bumper crop, water regularly, especially in hot weather, and feed every two weeks with a general purpose liquid fertiliser. Feeding should start when the flowers first appear, usually while plants are still indoors, and should continue until the fruits have all been harvested.