Mild Chilli

These chilli plants (capsicum annum) love sunlight. They will be happiest on a sunny windowsill, in a greenhouse or conservatory, or outside on a sheltered patio. The fruit are fairly hot and are delicious in curries, stir-fries stews and Mexican dishes. Store in a sealed container in the fridge if you can’t use them straight away.

Whilst chilli plants are in small pots like this one, they will need regular watering. Remove the plant from its container or pail and water from the top and let the excess drain away. Allow the top of the soil to dry out completely before watering again, particularly during the cooler months.

These chilli plants have been brought on for an early spring crop, and we expect them to flower and produce fruit for many months yet. To get the most from your plant, you could also grow more chilli plants from it if you wish. Simply harvest the seeds from one of the chillies and allow them to dry out in a cool, dark place for a couple of weeks, before sowing them in a well-draining compost in a seed tray. Keep them on a warm and sunny windowsill and once the seedlings are about 3” tall, transfer them to a deeper 1L pot and then sit back and wait to enjoy the fruits of your labour!

Problem Solving.

Any problems are usually associated with overwatering. If the plant becomes waterlogged its roots need to be allowed to dry out and then a normal watering pattern re-established.

If the leaves start to droop and the flowers start to curl you know it is thirsty, so water straight away. Yellow or brown edges to leaves is normally the result of low light levels in the winter but very yellow leaves are a sign that your plant is lacking nutrients so give it a good feed with any general houseplant or tomato feed and remove any discoloured leaves.

Our plants are grown in a pesticide free environment. In the unlikely event that you find any pests (including aphids or caterpillars) on your plant use a soft soap to wash off the offending creatures and pick off any damaged leaves to keep the plant tidy.