Capsicums and chillies are easy to grow and a healthy bush can produce bountiful harvests every year! Enjoy this guide and our top tips for growing abundant capsicums and chillies.

Types of capsicums

• Capsicum annuum: most common types including jalapenos, bell peppers, paprika, cayenne and chilli peppers
• Capsicum chinense: hotter species of chillies
• Capsicum frutescens: smaller fruits including tabasco and Thai peppers

How to grow abundant chillies and capsicums

• Grow during warm weather (January is the last month for sowing capsicum seeds in Perth).
• Plant in a sunny but sheltered position (they don't like the wind!) This can be in the ground or in a pot.
• If you choose a good spot, you can grow as a perennial year-round! Just make sure the plant doesn't get cold or wind/rain/frost battered in Winter.
• Use high-quality free-draining garden soil or potting mix.
• Keep the growing plant moist but not wet. Avoid saucers on pots.
• Feed with organic liquid fertiliser once per week (or slow release fertiliser).
• Prune the bush back after fruiting is finished.

Avoiding pests and disease

• Sprinkle dried and crushed egg shells on the soil surface to deter slugs and snails, or use slug tape if you're growing in pots.
• Use a home-made soapy garlic spray to deter aphids.
• Use an organic fruit fly trap to get rid of fruit flies.
• Avoid blossom end rot by watering regularly and evenly.