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Green chillies are one of the most used ingredients in a typical Indian kitchen. No matter what you’re cooking, the addition of a green chilli can add to the flavour and spice of the dish. Right from serving a plate of salad with sliced onion rings to making a time-consuming dish like biryani, green chillies are an essential addition.
And the best part about green chillies is that you don’t have to buy them in bulk and store them in your refrigerator, as they are so easy to grow in a kitchen garden. Given the weather conditions of India, no matter if you have a large lawn or a balcony, you can plant the seeds and grow the chillies in either soil or a pot. To make sure you get a healthy harvest, here are some tips to follow.
When To Plant
Knowing when to plant which seed is the most important part of home gardening. As for green chillies, typical summer months in India, i.e., from March to June, are ideal for sowing the seeds. You can either go to a local nursery to buy the seeds or even use dried seeds from chilli. However, to ensure a high yield, it is recommended that you buy good-quality seeds from a nursery.
Nourish The Soil
Since you would want your green chilli plant to be of the best quality and highly nutritious, it is important that you nourish the soil before sowing the seeds. You can check and choose loamy, well-drained, and loose soil that will allow the roots of the chilli plant to spread. Then, you can add manure and organic compost to make the soil healthier.
Choose A Sunny Spot
Green chillies require a lot of sunlight to grow. If you are sowing the seeds in the ground, choose a spot that gets direct sunlight. Else, you can change the position of the green chilli pot so that the plant gets at least six hours of sunlight. Note that the ideal temperature for green chillies to thrive ranges from 20-35°C, and if the plant gets insufficient sunlight, it’ll result in a weaker plant and low yield.
Watering And Fertilising
Green chillies require continuous and consistent watering for a healthy harvest. To ensure that you’re neither overwatering nor underwatering the plant, check if the soil is moist and not waterlogged. Coming to fertilisation, chillies are moderate feeders and would not require a large amount of fertilisers. All you need to do is ensure that you are adding a fertiliser rich in nutrients like nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus (NPK).
Prune For Better Results
Pruning is not limited only to flowers and bushes. To ensure a healthy harvest of green chillies, don’t forget to pinch the top of the plant once it is about 8-10 inches high. Also, look out for yellow or discoloured leaves and trim them. Regular maintenance will enhance the branching, making sure you get more and better quality chillies.
