Succeeding in growing chillies and peppers

Where to install chillies and peppers?

Chillies and peppers thrive in rich, well-draining soil and need warmth and plenty of light to bear fruit. They should be placed in the sun, ideally sheltered from cold winds. Therefore, observe your garden carefully to determine its sunlight exposure and choose the most appropriate location accordingly. In cooler regions, they benefit from being grown under cover.

In the vegetable garden, they pair well with cabbage, carrots, and also with marigolds, which seem to stimulate their production. However, avoid planting them near other solanaceae such as aubergines, potatoes, or tomatoes.

When and how to sow peppers and chillies?

Sowing takes place in March, but young plants intended for greenhouse cultivation can be prepared as early as February. It is done in warmth at home or in a heated shelter, with the optimal temperature being 25 °C. Using a heated propagator or placing the trays on a radiator improves germination.

• Fill pots or trays with special sowing compost.
• Sow the seeds on the surface and cover them with compost. They should be buried about 1 cm deep.
• Water gently.
• Place the pots in a bright location, such as near a window or under a frame.
• Transplant the young plants as soon as they have their first leaves and reach about 7 cm tall.

When and how to plant them?

Planting in the garden takes place when all risk of frost has passed, generally after mid-May, or even June in cooler regions, as chillies and peppers only develop from 15 °C.

• Prepare the soil by weeding and loosening it. Don’t hesitate to add compost or manure to enrich the soil.
• Dig a planting hole.
• Remove the young plant from its pot.
• Place it in the centre of the planting hole.
• Fill in the hole and lightly firm the soil.
• Water generously.
• Feel free to add a layer of organic mulch.

If you are planting several young plants, space them 50 to 60 cm apart.

You can also plant chillies and peppers in large pots, to be placed on your terrace or balcony.

Staking the young plants is not essential, but it is highly recommended in windy conditions.

How to care for them?

Unlike tomatoes, peppers and sweet peppers do not require pruning.

Their maintenance involves weeding, hoeing, and occasional watering. These tasks will be reduced if you mulch the soil with fine, dried layers of grass clippings or fallen leaves, for example. This protection will also help to keep the soil moist and reduce the frequency of watering.

Diseases and Pests

Peppers and chillies are rarely affected by parasitic attacks, except for aphids, which can be easily eliminated by spraying with water mixed with black soap.

In terms of diseases, the same issues as with tomatoes (downy mildew, anthracnose) can occur, but much less frequently.

To avoid them:

• do not wet the foliage during watering,
• maintain proper planting distances,
• if necessary, carry out sprays of Bordeaux mixture.

When to harvest them?

Pepper and bell peppers are harvested at ripeness, from mid-August to the end of October, approximately five months after their sowing. Bell peppers can be consumed while still green, but it is when they are perfectly ripe, having reached the expected colour, that they offer their full flavour.