Chris Collins reveals how to successfully care for these small space-friendly superstars
Chillies are amazing plants: their fruits (or technically berries) are grown, cropped, and have become a celebrated ingredient across the world. From the flavourful foods of Thailand and Western China to the humble ‘pepe’ pepper blend of West Africa (where they help preserve foodstuffs that would otherwise expire in the tropical heat), chillies are a spicy superstar.
The great news is these plants are easily grown organically in the UK from seed, and take up little room, but there are a few tips that will ensure success.
Feed little and often
Chillies need a long run up in our cooler, temperate climate and they benefit enormously from a warm, early start. Sow them in a tray of good quality peat-free seed compost in late winter, preferably in a heated propagator. Prick out at the cotyledon (two leaf) stage by gently lifting them out, holding them by their leaves only, and potting them on into their own individual pots. Keep them in a warm protected environment, such as a windowsill.
Young chilli plants love warm, damp soil, and they will quickly put on growth as the daylight extends. Once they have six to eight leaves, they will benefit from an organic liquid feed, just a little, regularly applied. You can continue growing your chilli indoors or plant them out in a nice sunny spot, maybe into a pot on your patio or balcony come late spring.
Pinching out the growing tips helps the plants bush out, and a top-dressing or mulch of a good organic compost will really kick these plants on.
The biggest problem you may have with chillies is what to do with all the fruit! If you cannot use them all in their fresh state, lay them out on paper in a sunny spot indoors. Let them dry and cut them up fine and you’ll have chilli flakes to bring your spicy dishes to life for years ahead.
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Small garden Q&A
Q. Can I make my own seed propagator?
A. Yes, simply repurpose tomato or fruit punnets with lids. Pop drainage holes in the bottom container, place a drip tray underneath, and cap with the lid to create a mini greenhouse.
Q. How do I water chillies effectively?
A. It’s best to water chilli plants from below, and in the morning if possible as they don’t like sleeping with wet feet. As the summer progresses, reduce watering to encourage the plant to get its roots deeper and this will encourage flower and fruit production. Misting can help the fruits develop and reduce pests such as red spider mite – which like dry conditions.
Q. My chillies have whitefly, how can I manage this organically?
A. These tiny flies will fly about when the plant foliage is disturbed but careful removal of their young scales from the underside of the leaves by hand will soon reduce numbers. If not, bio-controls in the form of a parasitic wasp will work well, but only use these if you have large scale infestations.
For more organic gardening advice – for gardens big and small – head to www.gardenorganic.org.uk, where you can also find out how to support the charity by becoming a member.
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