Chiles
Height: 6– 3 6"Width: 2 4"Depth: 8–48"Annual/Perennial (in tropical climates)
Wat e r : Moderate, but less when fruited; by restricting
water, you can increase spice/heat
Sun : Full
Companion Planting :
pro: Basil, eggplant, onions, tomatoes
con: Fennel, kohlrabi
Pests : Aphids, snails, slugs, weevils
Diseases : Rot, mildew, leaf spot
Soil: Light, well-drained soil
Fertilizer: Magnesium needed (1 teaspoon Epsom
salts around each plant base); medium to heavy feeder;
fish emulsion at flowering and 2–3 times during the
plant’s life
pH: 5.5–6.8
Varieties : Anaheim (green to read, very mild), cay
enne, sweet cayenne, Jimmy Nardello (hot: 10,000
SU), chiltepin, chile piquin (very hot: 50,000+ SU),
jalapeño, Mucho Nacho (green to red, 5,000–10,000
SU), habanero, Jamaican Hot Chocolate (extremely
hot: 100,000–500,000 SU)
Planting : Indoors, seed ¼–½ inch deep, 8 weeks be
fore last frost; outdoors, transplant when soil is 55ºF,
space 15 inches apart
Germination: 7–10 days
Harvest: From seed, 60–90 days
Rotation: Do not follow eggplant, tomato, or potato
Edible: Pod and seedsCHILES • 125