Fiery Capsicums

This is the month for chilli-heads to sow some heat.
Capsicums germinate best in warm soil (minimum temperature 20C) and the varieties available from seed are mind boggling. For newbies in the chilli stakes, a good variety to start with is Hungarian Hot Wax – they won’t burn your mouth to smithereens, or the mild to hot Cubanelle, Chinese 5 Colour or Shishito green chilli pepper. Only the very daring should opt for Trinidad Scorpion or Carolina Reaper. The names are a warning!
To grow: Sow seed into small 10cm pots to allow seedlings to grow into sturdy plants before being transplanted into a bigger pot or into the ground. Sow two to three plants per pot. Seeds will germinate within seven to 20 days (depending on variety) and the soil must be kept moist during germination. When the first true leaves appear and are big enough to handle, transplant the seedlings into bigger pots or into the soil spaced 40cm apart.
Chillies need full sun, well-drained soil and regular watering, especially when flowering so that they don’t drop their flowers (which means no fruit). Most chillies grow 50 to 60cm tall and the fruit should be ready for harvest within 120 to 160 days.Details: kirchoffs.co.za or rawliving.co.za