• To not miss anything and get all the information to succeed in your chili planting, check out our Ultimate Chili Growing Guide

The fruits first turn purple, then yellow, orange, and finally red, which is visually very pleasing!

As for the taste, expect a very bell pepper-like flavor, a juicy crunch, and a moderate heat.

• heat level: between 1,000 and 5,000 on the Scoville scale.
• plant size: approximately 60-70 cm
• fruit size: approximately 3 cm long
• fruit color: purple at first, then yellow, orange, then red at maturity
• genus: Capsicum Annuum
• ideal germination: between January and April
• harvest: between September and November

What Equipment do I need for growing my chilies?

To optimize your results, we recommend equipping yourself with:

Numex Continental Chili Seeds.
An enclosed growing space like a mini greenhouse.
Coco coir pellets, peat, or cotton (to germinate the seeds).
Labels (to avoid mixing up your seedlings).
Potting soil (ideally a mixture of 50% black peat and 50% blonde peat) or flowering potting soil which will also work.
Chili Fertilizer or Tomato fertilizer, or 5-5-10 fertilizer for those in the know.
A water sprayer or watering can.
Gloves (if you don't like the feel of soil).
Pots with a diameter of 7 or 8 cm at first before using 10-liter or larger pots depending on the chili for transplanting

To make your life easier, we offer our mini greenhouse for growing your chilies.

How Do I Germinate My Chili Seeds?

Planting Chili Peppers is a process that requires patience and some knowledge, but don't panic, we'll explain everything you need to know to germinate your chili seeds!

Chili seedlings are typically started at the beginning of the year, generally between January at the earliest and March for the beginning of spring. To do this, you'll need the equipment listed above.

You then have 2 options:
Plant directly in a pot full of potting soil with your seed at half a centimeter depth
Place a seed on a coco coir pellet or on a piece of cotton.

In both cases, once the seed is in place, you'll need to spray enough water to moisten the soil or cotton without soaking it, then place your coco coir pellet or cotton in a container like a mini greenhouse that will retain heat and humidity, thus providing oxygen. If you're using a flower pot, you can simply stretch plastic wrap over it and make small holes with a toothpick to oxygenate the plant.

The ideal is to maintain a constant temperature of 28 degrees. You can store your container behind a sunny window, on or near a radiator, or on a heating mat or heating pad designed for this purpose.

OUR TIP:

Place your mini greenhouse on your internet router!

Remember to ventilate your growing area from time to time to prevent the appearance of fungi while keeping the soil moist. Once the first leaves appear, you'll need to make sure to give your seedlings enough sunlight for 12 to 14 hours per day. Once the second set of leaves is well developed, you can then transplant them.

Once in a pot, keep your plant near a heat source and exposed to sunlight (ideally try to filter the light to avoid heat stress)

After the Ice Saints around mid-May, you can move your plant outdoors and plant your chili in the ground if you wish, or leave it in a pot and place it on a balcony, a window sill, or even along a wall, preferably on the south side.

How do I water my Numex Continental Chili?

When watering your Numex Continental chili, be careful not to overwater. Too much water can drown the plant and lead to its demise. You simply need to let the soil dry between each watering to avoid insect proliferation and drowning the plant.

Once the plant is well developed (once your plant reaches about thirty centimeters), you can cause water stress by stopping watering the plant for several days before resuming watering (however, be careful not to abuse this technique, it would be a shame to let your chili plant die).

How do I properly prepare for my harvest?

Once your chili plant is in place, here are our tips to optimize your future harvest:

When your chili plant reaches 15 to 20 cm in height, you can pinch the top of the stem (without breaking it) which should allow the plant to grow bushier and produce a little more.

If flowering is early for one of your plants, remove the first flowers to prevent them from demanding too much energy from the plant.

If your chili plant is outdoors, insects will take care of pollinating the plant which will then produce chilies. If your plant is indoors, you'll need to do this manually: take your clean finger and rub it lightly against each flower, from one to another.

Don't hesitate to use a bamboo stake or rod to support your plant.

When should I harvest my Numex Continental Chili?

To harvest your Numex Continental chili, as with others, you'll need to look at its color! This chili is harvested once red, although it grows purple in color. Don't be surprised!