Casicum Cheyenne, Chenzo, Apache, Redskin, Mohawk patio vegetables - available through vegetalis Cultural Information

Introduction
Capsicum frutescens, the Chilli pepper, has been an increasingly popular ‘vegetable’ over the last few years. The fruit can be used to spice up many dishes, and to make spicy sauces to use with barbequed meat or fish. Floranova has bred two varieties especially for growing on the patio or deck, but they perform equally as well in a cool greenhouse, once all danger of frost has passed. They prefer to be grown at lower temperatures than their hot house cousins.
Both varieties are on the ‘European Common Catalogue’, so can be sold throughout Europe for human consumption.

Sowing and Germination

With a seed count of 150 seeds per gram (4,200 seeds per ounce) and generally high vigour counts, Capsicum lend themselves to direct seeding into plugs or small pots. Sow during late winter into low nutrient compost that has an open and free draining texture with a pH of between 5.5 and 5.8. Cover the seed with up to cm (1/4 inch) of compost or vermiculite and water well. Place on a heated bench or in a growth chamber and maintain a media temperature of 20 – 25oC (70 – 75oF). If being germinated on an open bench then it is wise to cover the trays with clear plastic, to maintain moisture levels around the seed, but this MUST be removed as soon as the seed begins to emerge. If being germinated in a growth chamber fogging will keep the moisture levels high and light to between 5,000 and 10, 000 Lux to provide sufficient light. Emergence should start in five to seven days, when light levels should be raised to between 10,000 and 25,000 Lux. When emergence is complete fogging can be switched off, and the young plants can be removed from the growth room or propagation area. The young plants should now be allowed to dry out slightly between watering. If necessary a light liquid feed can be given once the cotyledons are full expanded. Use a well-balanced 1.0.1 feed at about 75 ppm.
Maintain a minimum night temperature of 20Co (70oF), ventilating at about 22oC (72oF).

When the first true leaves appear then the night temperatures should be dropped to 15oC to avoid soft growth. Continue with the fairly dry regime, to further harden the plants and up the feed levels to 150ppm weekly, but fertilise only if the plants are showing signs of hunger. Too high feed or moisture levels or too high a temperature will cause soft, stretched growth and poor plant quality.

Growing on to

Capsicum can be grown in packs and small pots for sale as green plants, or in much larger containers for sale as premium items complete with flowers and fruit.

Whichever market is being targeted, it is very important that the plants be kept growing steadily throughout the life of the crop. A check in growth caused by excessive dryness or hunger will result in loss of leaves and, in the later stages of the crop, bud drop. Use open medium nutrient media with a pH of between 5.5 and 6.3 for potting into, and encourage a good root system by keeping the media on the dry side, only watering the plant and not the whole container.

Once the roots have reached the sides of the container ensure that the plants are kept moist, but never waterlogged, and that they are given regular, but well spaced out liquid feeds. A feed every third or fourth watering is probably about right. Up to the first fruit set use a well-balanced feed (1.0.1) at about 150 ppm. Once the first flowers have set fruit then the fertiliser regime should be changed to 150 ppm of a high potash solution (1.0.3 or 1.1.3) to encourage fruit set and growth and to reduce vegetative growth. It is important not to feed too heavily, otherwise soft, stretched plants, and aborted flower set will result. Plants that are being grown under cover at the time of flowering sometimes set fruit without being pollinated. This can lead to wrinkled, distorted fruit, that looks unpleasant. Additionally the fruit cannot be used. Ensure that the plants are available to pollinating insects at all times.

After establishing the newly transplanted crop at 18 – 20oC (65 – 70oF), maintain night temperature settings of about 15oC (60oF), ventilating during the day at 18oC (65oF). Ensure that the plants are well spaced on the bench to help prevent soft, stretched growth.

Here at Foxley, the crop takes between 5 and 6 weeks from sowing to first transplanting (this will be plug timing), and a further 4 weeks or so until the commencement of first fruit set (9 – 10 weeks from sowing and packs should be ready for sale). A further 6 to 8 weeks is then required for the first fruit to ripen, a total crop time from sowing to ripe fruit of 16 –18 weeks.

Pests and Diseases