Everything you need to know about Green Peppers(chilies): A Growing Guide

Indian food is incomplete without the stingy spice of green chilies! Learn about How to Grow Green Chili Plant at Home in India and enjoy fresh Green Chili Peppers are an essential ingredient in Indian Cooking. They not only add heat to Indian food but also add an intense depth of flavor. They are typically used in tempering, pickles and are sometimes enjoyed raw. Learn about how to grow this indispensable ingredient. India is one of the leading producers of chilis in the world. It produces enough for its domestic use and exports as well. Green chilies are readily available in India throughout the year; in fact, it is one of the important crops here. Andhra Pradesh produces 50% of the total chili production in India. Other states like Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal also cultivate green chilies.

 

                     Benefits of Green Chili

• Green Chili's are rich in vitamin A and C. They are also a good source of iron and potassium.
• Green chilies are rich in antioxidants and their consumption increases metabolism.
• Capsaicin in green chilies has been shown to reduce body temperature. No wonder people in hot countries such as India love their spicy food with green chili.

 

              Requirements for Growing chilies

• Preferable temperature - Green chili grows well in a warm environment. It requires an 18 to 20-degree Celsius temperature. They grow neither in cold weather nor at high temperatures.

• Soil -  Although chilies can grow well in a variety of soils with neutral pH, black soil is suitable for rainfed conditions. On the other hand, soils like sandy loam, which are well-draining and rich in organic matter, work better with proper irrigation facilities.

 

• Fertilizer  -  Tomato fertilizers work well for chili pepper plants, as do compost and well-rotted manure. A good 5-10-10 fertilizer is usually sufficient for peppers. Work it into the soil before transplanting, about 3 pounds per 100 square feet. We use a solution of fish emulsion and seaweed.

Once the peppers begin to appear, fertilize one more time. You can also use manure or compost, which releases more slowly into the soil. Much, however, is affected by your soil, so you may want to consider a soil test if you are having issues.

 

• Sunlight -  These plants require full sunlight to prosper well, so, choose a sunny spot, but remember to keep the plants under shade.                                                                                                                                                  
• watering - The chilies do not require a lot of water, so water only when the topsoil dries. Moreover, make sure to maintain porous soil, as the plants cannot withstand moisture for a long time and may rot.

  Growing Guide

•   Sowing of Seed - The first step in sowing seeds is to prepare the seedling tray.

For this, fill the seedling tray with a mixture of good quality vermicompost and coco peat in the following ratio.

Vermicompost – 60% ( get it from here)

Coco Peat – 40% ( best in the market)

Now, gently place the seeds over this mixture at some gap and then lightly cover them with the same potting mix.

After this water them gently with a water sprayer to make the soil moist.

 

•  GERMINATION OF GREEN CHILLI SEEDS - Chili seeds will start to germinate in 7 to 10 days. Keep the soil moist by spraying water. And it should get enough sunlight.                                                                           
•   Repotting Saplings into Small Individual Pots - Once the seeds have germinated and grown their first true leaves (size 3-4 cm) now is the time to move each of them into an individual container.

1. This step is necessary because it allows them to grow freely.

2. For this simply take the seedlings very carefully out of soil and put in inside a 4-inch pot.

3. Now keep this pot in bright indirect sunlight.

4. After a few weeks, it will grow big enough (12-15 cm) to be planted into the final container.                                                                                             

•  TRANSPLANT GREEN CHILLI PLANTS OR CHILLI PEPPER PLANTS - For this, you need to fill a 10-inch size pot with potting soil (I recommend this one).

Now take out the saplings from their pot and plant 1-2 saplings per pot (10 inches).

Once you are done, water it thoroughly and place it in a location that receives a good amount of sunlight as the chilly plant requires at least 6 hours of direct sunlight every day.

•   HARVEST GREEN CHILLIES FROM YOUR PLANTS - Your chilies are ready to harvest in 80 to 90 days. You can harvest green chilies once they have grown completely. Chilies used for drying are harvested at a full ripe stage which can be turned into chili powder.