Gardening Tips: You can easily grow green chillies in your homes, know the easiest way to plant them in the kitchen garden.

Green chilli is a well-known flavor of Indian food, but now it is not limited to just the kitchen. Be it pulses or vegetables, non-veg or chutney, green chillies which add charm to every dish, have now started appearing on the balconies and rooftops of people’s homes. To reduce dependence on the market and to get fresh organic chillies, people are growing it at home. Gardening expert Anil Kumar said that it is easy to grow chilli plant in a pot, especially in winter.

Gardening expert Anil Kumar says that the size of the pot plays the most important role for planting green chilli plant. According to experts, a 10 to 12 inch pot is ideal for this, because it gives enough space for the roots of the plant to spread. By adding cowdung manure or vermicompost to the soil, it can be made rich in nutrients. It is also important to keep in mind that the soil should be light and loose so that water does not accumulate in it. Apart from this, the right pot and soil help the plant to grow quickly.

Apart from this, chilli can also be grown from seeds, but germination of seeds is slow in cold weather. In such a situation, it is more beneficial to buy ready saplings from the nursery and plant them. Apart from this, while planting the plant in a pot, do not press the roots too deeply and press the soil gently. Light watering is sufficient in the beginning, this helps the plant get established well.

There is less sunlight in winter, hence sufficient sunlight is considered the most important factor for the healthy growth of chilli plant. Even in winter, this plant should get at least 4 to 6 hours of sunlight daily. If there is less sunlight, the growth of the plant may stop, so keep the pot in a place where there is plenty of light from morning to afternoon. Also, it is important to protect the plant from strong cold winds, otherwise the leaves may get damaged.

Excessive watering in winter can cause the roots to rot and the plant to wither. In such a situation, water only when the upper surface of the soil looks dry. At the same time, it is beneficial to give vermicompost or mustard cake as fertilizer every 2 to 3 weeks. Balanced water and organic fertilizer keeps the plant green and also increases the yield of chilli.

Expert Anil Kumar says to protect against insects, green chilli plants often have to face pests like aphids and white flies, which damage the leaves and fruits. To prevent these, use of neem oil proves effective. Spraying Neem oil every 10-12 days keeps insects away. Also, dry leaves and twigs should be removed from time to time, so that new growth continues in the plant. With these small steps, you can enjoy fresh and organic green chillies at home even in winter.