Today 
Overview
Chilli plants will thrive on a sunny window sill or in a greenhouse. They have a long cropping season, so you could still be harvesting fresh chillies in December. You will need just two small pots to sow your chilli seeds; use a good quality seed compost and keep them in a bright place to ensure they germinate.
Do it:
March - May
At its best:
July - August
Takes just:
ten minutes to sow the seeds
How to do it
-
Fill two small pots with seed compost. Water the compost with tap water and leave it to drain. Don't use rainwater from a butt as it may contain bacteria, which can cause damping-off disease. -
Place approximately five seeds on the surface of the damp compost, spacing them evenly in the pot. Take your time, as this can be a fiddly job. Then sprinkle a thin, even layer of fine compost over the seeds, ensuring they're not disturbed. -
Cover each pot with clingfilm - turning them into mini-propagators, which keeps the compost damp and aids germination. -
Label the pots and place them on a window sill that in plenty of light. Aim to keep the room at
21°-25°C while the seeds germinate. -
Remove the rootball from the pot and gently separate each plant with a pencil. -
In a new pot containing multi-purpose compost, make planting holes with your pencil. Then, holding each seedling by its leaves, gently tease the roots into the planting hole. Firm the soil around each plant and water.
