Chilli
Close relative of capsicum with similar warm-season needs; in cooler regions it's usually grown in a pot that can be moved under cover.
- Sun
- full sun
- Water
- moderate
- Spacing
- 40cm
- Harvest
- Ready in 85-120 days
- Difficulty
- intermediate
- Grows in
- Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Tasman, Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury
- Expected yield
- 20-40 chillies per plant
- Cost to grow
- ~$6 NZD
- Grocery value
- ~$25 NZD
- Companion plants
- Basil, Tomatoes, Onions, Carrots
- Plants to avoid nearby
- Brassicas, Fennel
- Common diseases
- Verticillium wilt
- Common pests
- Aphids, Whitefly, Thrips
When to plant by region
In Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne and Napier / Hawke's Bay: September-December. In Hamilton / Waikato, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson and Tasman: October-November. In Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast and Christchurch / Canterbury: November.
Growing stages
Germination & sowing2-3 weeks in warm soil
- Needs warm soil (20-25C or more) to germinate, often slower than its close relative capsicum
- Best started indoors given the long frost-free season it needs
- Damping off risk in wet seed-raising mix
Seedling & establishment
- In cooler regions, keep it in a pot that can be moved under cover until frost risk passes
- Aphids and whitefly can target soft new growth
- Don't plant out until soil has properly warmed
Vegetative growth
- Thrips can build up on foliage in warm, dry weather
- Verticillium wilt risk if soil is cool or wet
- Full sun needed for strong, steady growth
Flowering & fruiting
- Aphids and whitefly often cluster around flowers and developing fruit
- Fruit set slows in prolonged cool weather
- Move potted plants under cover if a late cold snap threatens flowering
Harvest85-120 days from transplanting
- Ready from about 85 days, with some varieties taking to 120; expect 20-40 chillies per plant
- Colour and heat both increase the longer chillies are left to ripen
- Pick regularly to keep the plant producing