Red Chili Pepper

10 Seeds

Red Chili Pepper is one of the most widely grown hot pepper varieties, producing slender green fruits that ripen to bright red. The peppers have a medium to hot spicy flavor, making them ideal for fresh use, drying, sauces, pickling, powders, and cooking. They are rich in vitamins A, C, B6, potassium, capsaicin, and antioxidants. Red Chili Pepper thrives in the Gulf climate when planted during the cooler months and grows successfully in gardens, containers, greenhouses, and hydroponic systems.

Best Planting Time

• August to November (recommended)
• January to February (inside greenhouses or protected growing areas)
• Avoid sowing during the hottest summer months.

Seed Preparation

• Soak seeds in lukewarm water (25–30°C) for 8–12 hours before sowing.
• No cold stratification is required.
• Optional: Soak seeds in seaweed extract or a seed-starting solution to improve germination and seedling vigor.

Soil Preparation

Use fertile, loose, well-drained soil rich in organic matter.

Recommended mix:

• 40% Coco peat
• 30% Compost
• 20% Garden soil
• 10% Perlite

Ideal soil pH:

• 6.0–6.8

Sowing Method

• Sow seeds in seed trays or nursery pots.
• Plant seeds 0.5–1 cm deep.
• Cover lightly with fine soil.
• Keep the growing medium consistently moist until germination.

Temperature & Light

• Ideal germination temperature: 25–30°C
• Ideal growing temperature: 22–32°C
• Requires 6–8 hours of direct sunlight daily.
• Provide light afternoon shade during periods of extreme heat.

Watering

• Keep the soil evenly moist during germination.
• Once established, water deeply when the top 2–3 cm of soil becomes dry.
• Avoid overwatering and waterlogged soil.

Germination Time

• 7–14 days

Transplanting

• Transplant seedlings when they have:
  • 4–6 true leaves
  • Height of 15–20 cm
• Space plants:
  • 40–50 cm apart
• Space rows:
  • 60–75 cm apart

Harvesting

• Harvest green peppers when mature or allow them to ripen fully to a bright red color for maximum sweetness, flavor, and nutritional value.
• Harvest begins 70–90 days after transplanting.
• Pick fruits regularly to encourage continuous production.

Hydroponic Growing

• Performs exceptionally well in hydroponic systems such as Dutch Bucket, drip irrigation, NFT, and coco coir.
• Maintain:
  • pH: 5.8–6.5
  • EC: 2.0–3.0 mS/cm

Gulf Climate Tips

• Plant during the cooler months for best production.
• Apply organic mulch to conserve moisture and reduce soil temperature.
• Fertilize every 2–3 weeks with a balanced fertilizer, then switch to a fertilizer higher in potassium during flowering and fruiting.
• Support heavily loaded plants with stakes if necessary.
• Monitor regularly for aphids, whiteflies, spider mites, thrips, and pepper fruit borers.
• Red Chili Pepper grows exceptionally well in home gardens, raised beds, containers, greenhouses, and hydroponic systems throughout the Gulf.