Growing Chili Peppers: A Home Guide

Introduction

An unexpected blog post about an unexpectedly fulfilling hobby.

A few years ago, I started growing chili peppers at home and have harvested enough to make hot sauces, jams, and powders that I share with friends and family!

It provides a peaceful contrast to the high-velocity world of software engineering. A hobby that gets you closer to nature and gives you the space to recharge and recalibrate.

For me, it all began with a small act of generosity: a kind colleague handed me some chili pepper seeds. I knew almost nothing about gardening at the time, let alone growing chili peppers. But I was intrigued. I love spicy food and couldn’t resist the challenge. What started as simple curiosity quickly blossomed into a rewarding obsession.

After some trial and error—and a whole lot of research—I grew my first successful crop, harvesting kilograms of chili peppers in just one season. But the real reward wasn’t just the peppers themselves. It was the meditative activity of tending to the plants, the thrill of watching them grow from tiny seeds to vibrant, fruit-laden bushes, and the satisfaction of transforming the harvest into unique creations: smoky powders, tangy jams, fiery sauces.

Over the years, I’ve geeked out on everything from grow lights and irrigation systems to fermentation techniques and polytunnel setups. I’ve had successes, failures, and plenty of surprises along the way. But one thing is clear—this hobby has enriched my life in unexpected ways, providing a grounding balance to the modern world.

In this post, I’ll share everything you need to get started with growing chili peppers at home. Whether you’re looking to nurture a single plant on your windowsill or dive headfirst into building a full-fledged chili garden, this guide will help you get started.

I really hope this post inspires you to give it a try. Let’s grow! 🌱🌶️

By the way, if you want to share your gardening journey or have any questions, join the open_in_newDiscord community! And if you enjoy my content, you can open_in_newBuy Me a Coffee to support future posts.

TL;DR 🔰

Before diving into the details, here’s a quick overview of the process:

1. 🏠Start indoors (Feb-March in UK) while it’s still too cold outside.
2. 🌱Germinate seeds into seedlings.
3. 🪴Transplant into larger containers with nutrient-rich soil.
4. 🏡Move plants outdoors when the weather warms up (if you have space).
5. 🌶️Harvest fresh chili peppers and enjoy the rewards! 🎉

Throughout the process, you’ll be maintaining the right balance of light, water, temperature, and nutrients to help your plants thrive.

Choosing Varieties 📇

The first step on this journey is choosing which chili varieties to grow!

Beyond the common types you may already know, there is an exciting world of options to explore. Chili pepperss come in all shapes, sizes, flavors, heat levels, and colors. Whether you are after fiery superhots, mild and fruity peppers, or something uniquely ornamental, there is a variety for every taste and purpose.

Germination 🌱

Starting chili seeds the right way is key to a successful harvest. To germinate, seeds need a warm and humid environment. There are many techniques to achieve this, but here’s my method, ideal for a medium-scale grow setup:

My Germination Process

Prepare the Pellets:
Hydrate the coir pellets by placing them in warm water until they fully expand. Drain any excess water to prevent overly moist conditions.

Sow the Seeds:
Place 1–2 chili seeds in the center of each pellet, just below the surface (~5mm deep). Cover lightly with coir. If seeds are planted too deep, they may struggle to germinate.

Propagate:
Transfer the pellets into heated propagator trays or another location that maintains a steady temperature of 25–30°C (77–86°F) for optimal germination. Close any vents to keep humidity high.

Label:
Clearly label each pellet or tray to keep track of your varieties!

Care:
Use a spray bottle to keep the coir evenly moist, checking daily. Briefly remove the propagator lid to allow fresh air circulation and reduce mold risk.

Wait:
Chili seeds take 7–21 days to germinate, depending on the variety. Be patient and maintain consistent conditions. If no signs of growth appear after three weeks, it's likely the seeds were unsuccessful.

Remove Lid:
Once most pellets in a tray have germinated, remove the lid completely to increase airflow and prevent open_in_newdamping off.

Provide Light:
As soon as seedlings emerge, ensure they receive plenty of light! Without enough light, they will become tall, weak, and leggy.

Pinch Extra Seedlings:
If multiple seedlings sprout in a single pellet, pinch off the weaker ones, leaving only the strongest seedling per pellet. Be careful not to disturb the roots.

By following this method, your chili seeds will get the best possible start and grow into thriving, productive plants!

Light 🌞

Proper lighting is essential for healthy chili plants. Here’s how to make the most of both natural and artificial light:

Natural Light Tips:

• 🪟Placing seedlings on a south-facing window in the UK works well, as it provides the most sunlight exposure in the northern hemisphere.
• 🌬️Be cautious of cold drafts near the window, especially during winter or early spring. Chilly air can stress young plants and slow their growth.
• ☀️Also, watch out for excessive heat. Strong direct sunlight, especially in summer or when using propagators, can raise temperatures above 30°C (86°F), which may stress plants and damage young leaves.

Upgrading to Grow Lights:

• 💡For more consistent and robust growth, consider using a grow light. Natural light is limited in the UK, but grow lights provide the right wavelengths for longer hours, helping plants grow stronger and healthier.
• 💡I use a medium-sized grow light (open_in_newViparSpectra XS2000) to support my many plants, and it has worked great!

Recommended Brands:

• open_in_newViparSpectra
• open_in_newSpider Farmer

Soil 🧑‍🌾

Before moving seedlings into pots, let’s talk about soil. A bag of store-bought compost works well on its own and provides satisfactory results.

Compost is often tailored to different plant stages, with higher fertilizer content for mature plants. However, avoid compost with added water retention features for chili peppers, as they prefer to partially dry out between waterings.

While standard compost works fine, you can improve plant health and yields by enhancing your soil mix. Here’s what I recommend:

Early Soil Mix (for the first container):

• 1 part Peat-free John Innes Compost
• 1 part Perlite
• 1 part Vermiculite
• Sprinkle of open_in_newrootgrow™ (Mycorrhizal Fungi)

Standard Soil Mix (for all subsequent containers):

• 80% Peat-free John Innes Compost
• 10% Perlite
• 10% Vermiculite
• Sprinkle of open_in_newrootgrow™ (Mycorrhizal Fungi)

If you’re working on a medium to large scale, buying perlite and vermiculite in bulk online is significantly cheaper than purchasing from chain stores. Small amounts can be mixed in a tray, but for larger batches, laying everything out on a tarp makes mixing much easier.

In the UK, the only compost brand that has consistently delivered exceptional results for me is open_in_newMelcourt, particularly their open_in_newSylvaGrow® Peat Free John Innes range.

When selecting John Innes compost, you’ll notice a number associated with it: Seed, No.1, No.2, or No.3. These indicate fertilizer strength, so it’s best to start with a lower number for seedlings and gradually increase as the plants mature with each repotting.

Speaking of repotting, let’s dive into that next...

Potting Up 🪴

As your seedlings grow, so do their roots. To prevent them from entangling with neighboring coir pellets, you’ll need to move the ones you wish to keep into separate pots. Jumping straight to a large pot might seem convenient, but it can cause water retention issues and slower growth.

To avoid these problems, many gardeners gradually move their plants into larger pots throughout the season. Smaller pots also help identify the strongest seedlings early on, allowing you to focus your time and resources on the most vigorous plants. I usually pot up only the two strongest seedlings of each variety and discard the others.

For a good plant size, I recommend a 9L final pot, while 12L is ideal if you want to push for a larger plant.

Example Pot Increments:

• Coir Pellet → 9cm pot → 1L pot → 3L pot → 9L pot
• Coir Pellet → 9cm pot → 1L pot → 5L pot → 12L pot

When to Pot Up?

The general rule is to pot up when you see roots reaching the sides of the grow medium. This usually happens around the same time you notice roots emerging through the holes at the bottom of the pot.

For coir pellets, be mindful that roots can grow into neighboring pellets. It is best to move them into pots quickly to prevent entanglement. However, be careful not to overwater if the seedling is still small and not well established.

If you have strong lighting and enough space to prevent the pellets from rooting into each other, you can wait a little longer. In that case, your seedling should look like this:

For potted plants, avoid letting the roots grow too aggressively inside the container, as this can cause the plant to become pot-bound. The plant shown below was grown in a 1L container, is well established, and is now ready for potting up:

Watering 💧

When watering indoor plants, I use filtered tap water to remove chlorine, which can affect soil health. Another option is to leave water out in an open container for 24 hours, allowing the chlorine to evaporate. For outdoor plants, I use collected rainwater from a water butt.

You likely will not need to water coir pellets during germination, especially while the dome is on. However, if the pellets start to look dry, give them a light watering.

Once seedlings sprout, they gradually consume more water. The best method for watering trays or pots is bottom watering by placing them in a shallow tray of water, allowing moisture to absorb from below. This ensures the grow medium is fully saturated and encourages deep root growth. Watering from above may only moisten the top layer while leaving dry spots near the bottom. Avoid letting them sit in water longer than necessary. Once they are saturated, remove them from the tray.

A common question is how often to water. There is no set number of days, as chili plants grow best when allowed to partially dry out between waterings rather than staying constantly saturated. Overwatering is much more likely to stunt growth than underwatering.

With experience, you will develop a sense for when to water. Check the weight of the pot. If it feels noticeably lighter, it is probably time to water. You can also poke a finger an inch or two into the soil near the edge of the pot to check for moisture. If left too long without water, the soil will become extremely dry, and the plant may start to droop. However, it should bounce back quickly after a good watering.

Moving Outdoors 🏡

Once your plants are large enough, you may want to move them outdoors if you have the space.

Since they were started indoors, they need to be acclimatized to the outdoor environment. Without a gradual transition, they may go into shock due to the sudden change in conditions. This process is called open_in_newhardening off, where plants are slowly exposed to outdoor conditions over a couple of weeks. It can be a tedious process, so it is best to start as soon as the risk of frost has passed to avoid constantly moving larger plants around.

If you have a greenhouse or polytunnel, you may be able to skip hardening off by waiting for a cloudy week and moving them directly inside. This method requires less effort but comes with a slightly higher risk.

These plants were just moved into the polytunnel and are in 1L containers:

The same plants moved into 5L containers:

And finally moved into a variety of 5 - 12.5L containers depends on plant growth speed:

Plant Care 💅

Here are some tips for keeping your plants happy throughout the season:

• 📊Get a open_in_newdigital thermometer and hygrometer to monitor conditions.

  • Maintain a temperature range of 15-30°C (59-86°F) at all times.
  • Keep humidity between 40-70% for optimal growth.
• 🍃Ensure good airflow around the plants. If growing indoors, a open_in_newsmall plant fan can help circulate air.
• 🌱If seedlings are growing tall and weak, they are not getting enough light. Move them closer to a grow light or a sunnier window.
• 🚱If leaves start turning yellow, it may be due to overwatering, underwatering, or a nutrient deficiency.

  • Overwatering: If the soil feels constantly wet and the lower leaves are yellowing, reduce watering and allow the soil to dry between waterings. Ensure proper drainage.
  • Underwatering: If the soil is very dry and leaves appear wilted before turning yellow, water thoroughly and adjust your watering schedule.
  • Nutrient Deficiency: A lack of nitrogen is a common cause of yellowing leaves. If new growth appears pale or older leaves are uniformly yellow, and you will not be moving the plant to a container with fresh compost, apply a suitable fertilizer such as open_in_newChilli & Pepper Focus to restore nutrient balance.
• 🐞Watch out for pests such as aphids, slugs, snails, and ants. Ladybugs, however, are beneficial and will help control aphid populations.

  • If buying plants from a garden store, check carefully to avoid introducing pests.
  • If you encounter aphids, open_in_newSB Plant Invigorator is a non-toxic option for removal. For larger-scale use, open_in_newthe concentrate version can be applied with a sprayer.
• 🔫A open_in_newhigh-quality pressure sprayer is useful for misting plants or applying SB Plant Invigorator.
• 💮Pinch off any flowers, flower buds, or small peppers if you still plan to move the plant into a bigger pot. This helps the plant focus its energy on growing larger before it starts producing fruit.
• 🐝When the plant flowers in its final container, ensure proper pollination.

  • If growing indoors, give the flowers a light tap to assist pollination if airflow is weak.
  • If outdoors, bees and wind will take care of it naturally.

Harvesting 🌶️

If all goes well, you will have established plants covered in chili peppers that are beginning to ripen!

Some peppers, such as jalapeños, are commonly picked while still green but will continue ripening to red for a sweeter and spicier taste. Just be sure not to leave them on the plant too long once fully ripe, as they will eventually start to go bad.

You may notice stretch marks or corking on peppers, especially jalapeños. This is completely normal and is even considered desirable, as it indicates rapid growth.

Most peppers can be removed by hand by gently bending the stem backward where it connects to the plant. However, some varieties may be more stubborn and require cutting with a clean tool, especially larger peppers.

Tasty Creations🫙

There are many ways to use up your chili peppers. I have personally enjoyed making:

• 🫙Lacto-fermented got sauces
• 🫙Salsa verde
• 🫙Chili jams
• 🫙Pickled jalapeños
• 🫙Powders and flakes

If you need extra time to use them, you can freeze peppers in vacuum-sealed bags. Just be sure to use them up and share with friends and family!

Here, I have sliced peppers and placed them on a dehydrator tray to dry before blitzing them into powders and flakes:

Lacto-fermentation works wonders with chili peppers. It enhances flavor, adds a tangy depth that balances the raw "plant" taste, and significantly extends shelf life. Many hot sauces use lacto-fermented peppers for their complex flavor. Here, I am lacto-fermenting jars of chili peppers, which I will later strain and blend into hot sauces:

warning Warning

You may soon find yourself slightly obsessed with hot sauces, attending hot sauce events, and maybe even selling your fiery creations!

Extra Resources 📚

Most of what I learned came from:

• 💬Random gardening chats with my friends 🙌
• open_in_newRHS Gardening
• open_in_newPepperGeek YouTube Channel
• open_in_newChilliChump YouTube Channel
• open_in_newSouth Devon Chilli Farm
• open_in_newSpices on the Web
• open_in_newThe Noma Guide to Fermentation

Other Plants 🌿

Many of the techniques used for growing chili peppers can be applied to other plants, so why not try growing a few more?

Here are some I recommend:

• 🍅Tomatoes

  • Sungold – My favorite variety, a super-sweet orange cherry tomato.
  • Paul Robeson – A fantastic heirloom beefsteak variety.
• 🥒Cucumbers

  • Shintokiwa – A delicious long variety with a surprisingly crisp texture.
• 🟢Tomatillos - Perfect for making fresh salsa verde.
• 🌿Herbs - Basil, Rosemary, Thyme

Discord Community 💬

I've created a new open_in_newDiscord channel where we can all share our gardening journeys! If you have any questions or just want to see what we’re growing and cooking, feel free to join and check it out!

Conclusion

The best part about growing chili peppers is that no two seasons are ever the same. Some plants will thrive, others might struggle, but each year brings new lessons. The key is to keep experimenting and, most importantly, have fun with it.

Whether you are nurturing a single plant on your windowsill or tending to a full garden, growing chili peppers is an incredibly rewarding journey. From germination to harvest, every step is a chance to learn, and the effort always pays off. There is nothing quite like using homegrown chili peppers, experimenting with flavors, and sharing your spicy creations with friends and family.

If this post has inspired you to start growing, I hope you jump in and enjoy the process. Expect a few surprises, a bit of trial and error, and plenty of satisfaction as you watch your plants thrive.

If you have any questions or want to connect with other chili growers, feel free to join the open_in_newDiscord community and share your progress.

This guide is completely free, but if you found it helpful and would like to support my content creation, you can open_in_newBuy Me a Coffee. Your support helps me continue creating content and sharing my passion for gardening, software engineering, and everything in between.

Happy growing, and may your harvest be fiery and plentiful! 🌱🔥