A lovely idea for a present is to grow chilli in a pot and give them away. Or keep them for yourself, not only do they make beautiful decorations to the home, you can also eat them!
Chillies are needed in just about every meal preparation. Quite simple to grow in your home, they do not need any fancy equipment or advanced gardening knowledge to produce a bumper harvest. You can use simple gardening tools and look forward to getting hundreds of home-grown chillies in containers and pots. Here, we will talk you through the method grow chillies in a pot to make your kitchen garden complete. You know we love all plants at Make Their Day Flowers in Cheltenham! Putting together and delivering gorgeous bouquets to the local area may be what we’re best known for but we’re green fingered too!
Materials needed to grow a chilli plant in a pot
Gather these items to get started.
- Good quality chilli seeds from a local or online store
- Napkins or paper towels
- A planter or container fit for purpose
- Soil
- Gloves to protect your hands while handling chillies
In case you can’t find a garden centre or shop to buy a packet of chilli seeds at, just slice your favorite chilli variety, remove the seeds and spread them on a napkin or tissue to dry. It should take 2-3 days to get the seeds ready to sow.
Getting started with the seeds
Wet the seeds and plant them in the soil. Make sure that they are sown about 2-3 cm below the surface of the soil to enable proper germination. Water the seeds every other day so that the soil remains moist. It is important to protect your planter from the strong sun or harsh winds if growing outside. Continue the process for a week or so for the best results.
Germination of chilli seeds in the soil
You will require well-drained, aerated soil for the best results. Chilli plants need soil with good compost and the soil shouldn’t be overwatered. Depending on the weather conditions, you can keep watering the seeds every other day. Once the germination process starts, you will notice two small leaves (mostly within 8-10 days of seed planting) appearing on the surface of the soil.
Make sure that you expose the pot to 4-6 hours of sunlight every day. Continue watering every other day.
Get your chilli plants to grow
The best part of growing chillies at home is that it takes just 1-1.5 months to start flowering. Look out for tiny buds when the plant is about 8-12 inches in height. White, small and pretty, the flowers will start falling after 7-10 days.
Taking care of your potted chilli plants
As your chilli plant grows bigger, it will require regular watering and nourishment to become hotter and spicier. You may want to wait till your chillies are 5-7 cm long before you start using them in your recipes.
Way forward
Do you desire spicier and hotter chillies? If yes, it is a good idea to leave the green ones on the plant. Over time, your chillies will start taking on a red colour. Remember, the ones with the darkest shades of red will be the hottest. Pick and use them carefully.
Are you ready to take up this spicy challenge? Or maybe you’d prefer to grow herbs instead!
