Select your climate zone Australia - cool/mountain Australia - sub-tropical Australia - temperate Australia - tropical New Zealand - cool/mountain New Zealand - sub-tropical New Zealand - temperate United Kingdom - cool/temperate United Kingdom - warm/temperate What is my climate zone?

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
								S	S	T	T

(Best months for planting Chilli in Australia - cool/mountain regions)

S = Plant undercover in seed trays. T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings.

September: After risk of frosts

• Harvest in 9-11 weeks. Wear gloves to pick 'hot' chilies.
• Grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed.
• Best planted at soil temperatures between 18°C and 35°C.
• Space plants: 40-50cm

Small bushy plants. Dark green ovate leaves.

Chilli need warm frost free weather, so protect with glass or plastic covers if planting outside in cooler areas.

Most varieties need a long growing period to produce many 'chillies'.

There are many types of chilli. Some are more fiery than others. As a general rule, the smaller the pod the hotter the taste.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Chilli

Chillis freeze very well. Wash, dry, and free whole. Use them direct from the freezer (no need to defrost).
Wear plastic gloves or wash your hands thoroughly after handling and cutting to avoid accidentally rubbing chilli juice onto your mouth or eyes!

Your comments and tips

30 Jun 10 KAiki (Australia - temperate climate)

Can I grow chilli in a pot inside the house in winter?

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05 Jul 10 Bill44 (Australia - temperate climate)

If you want to use chilli's during the winter months it's best to pickle some of the crop before they finish. This is what I do and have year round supply.

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30 Jun 10 (New Zealand - temperate climate)

Growing indoors, they will need an even warmth and plenty of light. If they are on a windowsill, watch that they don't get too cold overnight.

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12 Apr 10 fiona (Australia - tropical climate)

The best way to get rid of the burning of chilli, on your fingers or mouth is milk, either drink or soak fingers in the milk its works for me!

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06 Apr 10 Wendy (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

I have something eating my chilli plant too. When I look at the underside of the leaves there are lots of tiny pale green creatures, I think they might be aphids? I'm trying pyrethrum to get rid of them, fingers crossed.

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23 Feb 10 Alison Smith (Australia - temperate climate)

Feb 10 - We've planted a black pearl capsicum - stunning black foliage & fruit. Just harvested and deseeded the ripe fruit (red). I will try my hand at growing some more from seed. I make the mistake of not handling them with gloves, so my hands are still stinging. The brother in law's a chilli fan, but these'll blow his head off!

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13 Feb 10 Beverley (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

My Birds Eye chillie plants are now approx. 5 ft high covered in tons of little chillies - do you prune chillie plants? - first time chillie grower!!!.

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22 Jun 10 (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

I am not sure how to pick chillies,do you cut the stem or pull off from the base of chilli

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25 Jun 10 (Australia - temperate climate)

In the supermarket they all seem to have a bit of stem still attached, so they've been cut off. I normally cut them, as if they are ripe then pulling them will split the fruit and cover your hands with chilli juice.

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10 Feb 10 phil (Australia - temperate climate)

i have 1 chilli plant in a large pot with other herbs on my balcony. some thing is eating the leaves. what would it be & what can i do to prevent is?

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