Whoever thinks sweet pepper and chilli are two different plants is almost wrong: botanically most varieties are the same species, Capsicum annuum. The mild sweet pepper and the fiery chilli differ above all in a single substance, capsaicin, which provides the heat.
For the garden that means both need exactly the same care, namely lots of warmth, a very early start and a sunny, sheltered spot. Whoever heeds that harvests from high summer until the frost. This article shows you how to master the raising of the young plants and which type suits your kitchen.
Warmth is everything
Sweet pepper and chilli come from the warm regions of Central and South America, and you can tell. They only germinate reliably at around 25 degrees, grow slowly and react sensitively to cold. If the plant stands too cool, it stops and sets no fruit.
The best spot is therefore the warmest and sunniest in the garden: a greenhouse, a polytunnel, a balcony on the south wall or a sheltered bed. A pepper harvested green, by the way, is simply unripe. If you let the fruit hang, it turns red, yellow or orange depending on the variety, grows sweeter and richer in vitamins.
From mild to fiery: the heat
The big difference between the varieties is the heat, and it can be measured. The unit is called Scoville. It ranges from zero for the sweet pepper up into the millions for the hottest breeds in the world.
Which type for which kitchen?
- Sweet pepper (0 Scoville)
The mild, thick-fleshed block pepper for salad, pan and stuffing. Zero heat, plenty of sweetness when ripe. The classic for beginners.
- Pointed pepper (0 to mild)
Elongated, thin-walled and often especially sweet and aromatic. Ideal for grilling and pickling. Usually more productive than the thick block pepper.
- Peperoni and pepperoncini (100 to 8,000)
The mild to medium-hot bridge. From the mild grilling peperoni to the jalapeno, everything is here that brings warmth without pain.
- Hot chilli (30,000 upwards)
Cayenne, habanero and the like. From clearly hot to extremely fiery. Small amounts are enough, and the plants often crop especially heavily and long.
How the raising succeeds
Because the culture is so long, the early start decides the harvest. Whoever sows only in May will hardly see ripe fruit.
Sow early
Sow as early as late February to late March in seed compost, hot chillies rather even earlier. How that succeeds on the windowsill is in Sowing on the windowsill.
Let them germinate warm
The seeds need around 25 degrees to germinate briskly. A spot on the heater or a mini greenhouse helps. Standing cool they germinate only sluggishly or not at all.
Prick out and give light
As soon as the first true leaves are there, plant the seedlings singly into pots. Now plenty of light counts, so they stay compact and do not grow leggy.
Harden off and plant out
From mid May, after the Ice Saints, the plants may go outside or into the greenhouse. Accustom them beforehand step by step to sun and wind, see Hardening off young plants.
Peppers and chillies forgive much, but no cold and no late start. Whoever sows early and keeps them warm harvests until the frost.
The core rule for peppers and chillies
Frequently asked questions
When do I have to sow peppers and chillies?
Early, from late February to late March, hot chillies gladly a little earlier still. The culture is long and the plants grow slowly. Whoever sows only in May gets hardly any ripe fruit before the frost.
Why does my pepper not turn red?
Green is just the unripe stage. If you let the fruit hang on the plant, it turns red, yellow or orange depending on the variety and grows sweeter. That needs time and above all warmth and sun, so in a cool late summer it ripens more slowly.
Are peppers and chillies the same plant?
Botanically most belong to the same species, Capsicum annuum. The main difference is the heat from the substance capsaicin. Growing and care are practically identical, only the hot varieties often need an even longer and warmer season.
What does Scoville mean for chillies?
Scoville is the measure of heat. Sweet pepper has zero, a jalapeno sits at a few thousand, a habanero at several hundred thousand. The higher the value, the more capsaicin and the hotter the fruit.
Where does the brown patch at the tip of my pepper come from?
That is blossom end rot, triggered by a calcium shortage in the fruit under an uneven water supply. It is not a fungus and not contagious. Even watering and mulching prevents it, and affected fruit you simply cut off.
