The Indian cuisine will be incomplete without the addition of green chillies. Be it the classic North Indian chole bhature of the famous South Indian vada pav, green chillies are what set the flavour of dishes across the country. Since the condiment is so essential and you have a kitchen garden in place, why don’t you grow green chillies this season?
Just imagine not having to ask the vegetable for some extra green chillies while buying the daily ration and just relying on your kitchen garden for fresh and healthy produce. Also, since green chillies require sunshine, the summer season would be a perfect addition to your home garden. But before you plant, here are some tips to get the best chillies.
Selecting The Variety
Considering the diversity of India, it shouldn’t surprise you that even green chillies have a wide range of varieties. From Jwala to Kanthari, not only do they differ in their level of spiciness, but requirements of soil, water, and sunlight also vary. So, before planting green chillies, ensure that you are choosing the variety that will suit you and your kitchen garden the best.
Sunlight
Green chillies thrive in warm weather. The ideal temperature for them to grow is 20 to 30 degrees Celcius. So, to get the healthiest produce of green chillies, ensure that the plants get at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight.
Soil Conditions
Apart from the location, soil is another important aspect of the growth of any plant. For green chillies, ensure that the pH of the soil is between 6 to 6.8. Also, ensure that the soil is not too tightly padded and has some air spaces in between to support good drainage and aeration of the plant.
Watering Routine
It is no news that you need to water your plant every day. But, since you are planting green chillies in the summer season, you should be extra careful with the regularity of watering. Keep in mind that the green chillies would neither grow well in soggy soil nor in drought. So, water only when the top inch starts to dry a little.
Use Fertilisers
To ensure that you get all the necessary vitamins and minerals from green chillies, you have to make sure that you are feeding the plant with balanced fertilisers. Every few weeks, try to add fertilisers to the soil, especially in the initial growing stages. Also, make sure that you are using water-soluble fertilisers as they work better with vegetable-bearing plants.