Best time to plant chilli in Australia
Capsicum species
Also called chili, chile, chili pepper
Prized for their heat, chillies are the fruit of Capsicum plants in the nightshade family, used as a spice across many cuisines. Capsaicin and related compounds create the burn, and both heat and flavour differ widely between types. These plants trace back to Central or South America.
On a shared plot: suits a plot
Finishes in a season and stays within its space, so it suits most plots.
When to sow
| Zone | Months | How well checked |
|---|---|---|
| Cool | Sep to Nov | Broadly matches local guides, with some differences |
| Temperate | Aug to Dec | Matches local guides |
| Subtropical | Jul to Mar | Matches local guides |
| Tropical | All year | Broadly matches local guides, with some differences |
| Arid | Aug to Dec | Broadly matches local guides, with some differences |
Your local conditions can shift any months shown here, so treat them as a guide.
Growing details
- How to start
- Raise seedlings, then transplant
- Sowing depth
- 6mm
- Plant spacing
- 38-45cm
- Row spacing
- 100cm
- Germination
- 5-21 days
- Time to harvest
- 70 days from planting out
- Frost
- Frost tender
- Sun
- Full sun
- Life cycle
- perennial, grown as an annual in cool climates
These are typical figures, and varieties differ. Your seed packet takes priority.