How to grow ornamental chilli peppers

Ornamental chilli peppers with brightly coloured fruits are a beautiful addition to gardens and interiors, but growing them can be quite a challenge for beginners. That is why we have prepared a guide to growing ornamental peppers, in which you will learn everything about germination, planting, and caring for these beautiful plants.

Ornamental peppers belong to the same genus as other chilli varieties, but they are cultivars bred for dwarf growth and colourful fruits. Because breeders’ main goal was not heat, flavour, or aroma, but appearance, they often have bitter and not very hot fruits. Another important feature of ornamental peppers is that the fruits usually grow at the tops of the plants, rather than between the leaves, as is the case with most edible varieties. Popular ornamental chilli varieties include:

• Chilli pepper CANCUN is an ornamental variety with brightly red, orange to dark purple round fruits and small leaves. The plants are bushy with trailing branches and reach a maximum height of 50 centimetres. The CANCUN variety is suitable for growing in beds, greenhouses, and pots.

• Chilli pepper AZTECO is an ornamental chilli with elongated triangular fruits that are green at first and turn bright red to burgundy-black as they ripen. An ornamental pepper variety suitable for growing in growing containers, greenhouses, beds, or indoors. Although it is an ornamental variety, AZTECO has fruits that reach a heat level of up to 450,000 SHU.

When and how to plant ornamental peppers

One of the most common mistakes made by beginner growers of ornamental peppers is planting too early. Garden centres often sell seedlings much earlier than the weather is suitable for planting them outside. Start moving seedlings to an outdoor location only after the last frosts have passed. It is also important that the night-time air temperature does not fall below 15 °C.

Seeds of ornamental pepper varieties need a temperature of at least 21 °C to germinate, and if you want to sow them directly into a bed or greenhouse, wait until the soil has warmed up sufficiently. In our climate, this can take quite a long time, which is why many growers of ornamental peppers prefer to pre-grow seedlings from seed indoors. You can find out how to do this on our blog.

Read also: Chilli peppers: How to germinate and pre-grow them

Plant ornamental pepper seedlings with three to four true leaves into the soil, 12-24 centimetres apart, in holes approximately 5 centimetres deep. Ornamental chilli plants tend to be small and branched and usually do not require support.

Choosing a site for planting chilli

Ornamental peppers need at least 6-8 hours of sunlight a day, so look for a sunny spot in the garden. The advantage of ornamental chilli varieties is that the plants are relatively low and do not shade other plants in beds. You can also grow the plants in medium-sized fabric or plastic pots.

Make sure that the soil for growing chilli has adequate drainage and retains water well. Ornamental peppers are relatively sensitive to drought, and the growing medium should never dry out completely. If the soil at your chosen site does not seem entirely suitable, you can improve it with compost, worm humus or a quality horticultural substrate.

How to care for ornamental peppers

• Light

Ornamental peppers thrive best in full sun, which gives them the energy to produce flowers and fruits. If you decide to grow the plants indoors and want to achieve a plentiful harvest of chilli peppers, it is advisable to supplement the plants with artificial lighting for indoor plant cultivation.

• Soil

Ornamental peppers will grow best in slightly acidic soil (pH 6.0 to 6.8) rich in nutrients. If you are growing outdoors, remember to enrich the soil in beds in spring with compost, vermicompost, or a quality horticultural substrate. When growing chilli in pots, use a medium to heavily pre-fertilised light substrate with perlite.

Read also: How to choose a horticultural substrate

• Watering

Ornamental peppers do not tolerate drought, but be careful not to overwater the substrate. Water whenever the surface of the soil has dried out, but there is still enough moisture in the root zone. Check plants grown in pots more often, as the soil in them dries out faster.

• Temperature and humidity

Peppers like hot weather, so they thrive best in full sun and grow faster at temperatures above 24 °C. Be careful when planting seedlings into cold soil, as this can cause the plants to remain stunted throughout the growing season.

• Fertiliser and nutrition

Ornamental peppers are somewhat less demanding in terms of nutrition than varieties intended for consumption, but they still need a steady supply of nutrients. During the vegetative growth period before flowering begins, the plants need more nitrogen for rapid development of leaves and the root system. During flowering, ornamental peppers need more phosphorus and potassium, which support flowering. Fertilisers for growth are usually labelled “grow”, and fertilisers for the flowering phase as “flower”. A simple solution is special fertilisers for growing chilli.

• Pollination

Like other pepper varieties, ornamental ones have perfect flowers, which means that each plant is equipped with male and female reproductive organs and can reproduce without pollinating insects.

Would you like to start growing chilli peppers, but are missing the equipment? In our e-shop you will find everything you need for growing chilli indoors and outdoors.