Growing Organic Vegetables: Growing Chilli Peppers

Latest Update 26th December 2019.

Chilie Peppers

This is my first attempt at growing red chilli peppers. So this blogpage is a work in progress.
They grow here in spring and summer, and I plan to grow 2 plants in spring every yer in a drip line irrigated bed.
My wife is not a lover of hot foods, so it will have to be used in small quantities to flavour soups, casseroles and pickles.

Description.

Nutrition.

This food is very low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium.
It is a good source of vitamin K, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, potassium, manganese, dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin B6 and folate.
More from nutrition data.self.com.

This blogpage explains how I maintain healthy plants. It describes how soil is prepared prior to planting, how to regulate the sun's intensity and how to help protect and feed plants through their leaves.

This blogpage tells you when to make compost and plan other garden/household related activities.

Growing Instructions.

Chilli Pepper seeds are germinated in an EcoPropagator. They are transplanted individually into fresh propagating soil and allowed to mature until they are ready to be transplanted into a drip line bed.
Mulch is removed from the prepared bed to expose soil and holes dug. They are filled with fresh homemade compost, and smaller holes made in the compost using a dibber.
The 2 best seedlings are planted and watered in with seaweed extract diluted in captured rainwater. The mulch is replaced to protect the soil around the seedlings.
Exclusion netting is used to protect the seedlings from digging birds and the worst of the climate in summer (hot windy conditions).

Pollination

Capsicum are self pollinating, however the pollen grains are securely held on the plants anthers. Moderate vibration will release this pollen and often a strong breeze will be enough.
Bumble bees buzz pollinate chilli peppers by grabbing the flowers and vibrating their flight muscles vigorously. Honey bees don't use this technique and consequently they are not very efficient pollinators of these plants.
In mainland Australia where there are no bumble bees, we must rely on native bees (like the blue banded bee) or the wind. Both are unreliable in suburban gardens, and barriers like greenhouses and pest exclusion netting make the problem worse.
To ensure a good fruit set, buzz pollinate them by hand. I do this using an electric toothbrush. See related video.

Harvesting and Storage.

Chilli peppers can be harvested from November onwards.
Pick some early while still green. This encourages more flowers, but leave some to ripen to their beautiful red livery.
They can be stored, chopped into small cubes (skin on), in the freezer after removing seeds . I blanch them in boiling water for 2 minutes and cool them rapidly in cold water. I dry them and pack them into resealable plastic bags for storage in my chest freezer.
I only grow one variety of chilli pepper to remove any risk of cross pollination in the resulting seeds.

Organic Pest Control.

Chilli peppers, like most vegetables, are vulnerable to attack from certain pests in my garden. My blog on "Controlling Garden Pests" explains a little about these pests and what to do to protect plants from them. For details click on the appropriate link below.

Growing Organic Vegetables