Watering and Feeding Chillies
Getting watering and feeding right is the difference between a plant that just survives and one that thrives and produces heavily.
How often to water
The best method is the finger test: push your finger about 2 cm into the compost. If it feels dry at that depth, water thoroughly until water drains from the bottom of the pot. If it still feels moist, wait another day.
Summer (active growth)
Every 2–3 days is typical in warm weather, but always check before watering — pots dry out at different rates depending on size, material, and temperature.
Winter (dormant or overwintering)
Once a week or less. Overwintering plants with little or no foliage need very little water — once a month is enough during cold storage.
Terracotta vs plastic pots
Terracotta is porous and dries out significantly faster than plastic. Plants in terracotta may need watering every day in hot weather. Check daily.
Feeding schedule
Seedling to first flower buds
Nitrogen-heavy feed
A general purpose liquid feed or one with a higher N ratio supports leafy growth and strong stems. Feed weekly at half the recommended strength, or fortnightly at full strength.
Flowering and fruiting
High-potassium tomato feed
Switch once the first flower buds appear. Potassium promotes flowering, fruit set, and flavour development. A standard tomato fertiliser is ideal — feed weekly throughout the fruiting season.
Feeding products
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Calcium deficiency — blossom end rot
Blossom end rot appears as a dark, sunken patch at the bottom of the fruit. It is not a disease — it is a calcium deficiency, often caused by irregular watering preventing the plant from absorbing calcium that is already present in the compost.
- •Water consistently — avoid letting the compost dry out completely between waterings
- •Apply a calcium foliar spray directly to leaves and developing fruits every 2 weeks
- •Avoid overfeeding with nitrogen, which can interfere with calcium uptake
Magnesium deficiency — yellowing leaves
If leaves are yellowing between the veins while the veins themselves stay green (interveinal chlorosis), the plant is likely magnesium deficient. This is common in container-grown chillies, especially after heavy feeding or watering.
Fix: dissolve 1 teaspoon of Epsom salt (magnesium sulphate) per litre of water. Apply as a foliar spray or water directly onto the compost. Repeat every 2 weeks until the new growth is healthy green.
If your plant still looks off after adjusting watering and feeding, scan it for an AI diagnosis.
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