How to Plant Bird’s Eye Chili for Maximum Harvest

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    Table of Contents
      how to plant bird's eye chili

      Bird’s eye chili is a vegetable that can grow in areas with an altitude of 0-700 meters above sea level, making it suitable for cultivation in both lowland and highland areas. The ideal environment for growing bird’s eye chili includes temperatures of 18-27โ„ƒ, humidity of 50-80%, rainfall of 600-1250 mm per month, and a soil pH of 5-6.

      Bird’s eye chili can be harvested 60-90 days after planting, with productivity reaching 12-20 tons per hectare in a single planting season. Ideally, the cultivation of bird’s eye chili should be done on a wide and open land, so that the plants receive sufficient sunlight, good air circulation, and can easily access water and nutrients in the soil.

      1. Selecting the Variety to Plant

      The first step in planting bird’s eye chili is to select the right variety for planting. Make sure the variety is suitable for the land and is not from a family that has previously grown crops such as eggplant, potatoes, tomatoes, or peppers (Solanaceae family). 

      The most popular varieties of bird’s eye chili in Indonesia are the Bara, Pelita, Rawita, Dewata, and Taruna varieties. These varieties have superior traits such as shape, taste, productivity, and the plant’s ability to adapt to stress and pests.

      2. Soil Preparation

      soil tillage
      soil tillage

      Bird’s eye chili can grow well in both loose and sandy loam soils. Before planting bird’s eye chili, the soil needs to be prepared to ensure the plants grow vigorously and the harvest is maximized. The steps for land preparation include selecting the location, cleaning and loosening the soil, creating planting beds, and checking the soil pH.

      1. Choose a location with loose, sufficiently large land. Avoid land that has been used to grow crops from the same Solanaceae family (eggplant, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers).
      2. Clean the land of weeds and rocks.
      3. Loosen the soil using a hoe or tractor to a depth of 30-40 cm.
      4. Expose the soil to sunlight for 1-2 weeks before planting to kill soil-borne pathogens.
      5. Create raised beds, 40-50 cm high, 60-70 cm wide, with 50 cm between beds.
      6. Check soil pH. If the pH is below 5.5, add 1.5 tons of dolomite lime per hectare and spread it on the bed 2-4 weeks before planting. Allow the bed to rest for 1-2 weeks before planting.

      3. Base Fertilization

      manure organic fertilizer
      manure organic fertilizer

      Before planting bird’s eye chili in the land, perform basal fertilization by adding organic materials to the soil. The purpose of basal fertilization is to ensure that the natural nutrients in the soil meet the plant’s needs and to improve the soil’s fertility.

      Basal fertilization is done by adding 500 kg of manure per 1000 mยฒ, spreading it over the planting beds. If the soil is not loose enough, you can add 43 kg of NPK fertilizer, 60 kg of TSP fertilizer, and 66 kg of KCl fertilizer per 1 ton of manure to increase the nutrient content in the soil.

      4. Silver Mulch Installation

      mulch installation
      mulch installation

      The installation of silver mulch is necessary to increase the yield of bird’s eye chili and improve its quality. The benefits of using mulch include maintaining soil temperature and humidity, ensuring the plants grow well and do not dry out easily, minimizing chemical fertilizer evaporation, preventing weed growth, and protecting against pests and diseases.

      Mulching should be done after the beds are formed and fertilization is completed.ย The mulch should be installed between 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM to make it easier to stretch and cover the bed surface. The technique for installing the mulch is as follows:

      1. Use 100-125 cm long black-silver plastic mulch, with the silver side facing up. Secure both ends of the mulch with bamboo sticks.
      2. Allow the bed to sit for 5-7 days for the soil to absorb nutrients from the fertilizer.
      3. One day before transplanting, make 10 cm holes in the mulch with spacing of 50 x 70 cm (for rainy season) or 40 x 50 cm (for dry season).

      5. Seed Preparation and Treatment

      chili seed treatment and preparation
      chili seed treatment and preparation

      The bird’s eye chili seeds selected for planting must meet several requirements. The seeds must be of high quality to ensure that the chili plants grow healthy and productive.

      The seeds also need to be suitable for the soil and climate conditions of the area where they will be planted. In addition, the seeds should be chosen from good varieties, in healthy condition, and free from diseases. The characteristics of good seeds are intact, clean, and undamaged (not defective).

      Before sowing, the seeds must undergo soaking. The purpose of soaking the seeds in warm water is to break their dormancy, so the seeds can germinate more easily in the soil. To speed up germination, you should soak the bird’s eye chili seeds in warm water at a temperature of 30-40โ„ƒ for 12 hours.

      6. Planting Bird’s Eye Chili

      chili planting
      chili planting

      Planting bird’s eye chili in the land requires seedling preparation in seed trays or polybags. The purpose of seedling preparation is to create optimal conditions for seed germination, allowing the seeds to grow well and quickly. After the seedlings have been prepared, they can be transferred to the planting beds so that the bird’s eye chili plants have enough and optimal space to grow.

      1. Seedling
      • Bird’s eye chili seeds should be pre-germinated for 3-4 weeks in seed trays or polybags (10 cm in diameter), using a mixture of soil and organic compost in a 1:1 ratio
      • Water the soil before planting, make small holes and plant seeds at a depth of 0.5 cm, covering lightly with soil
      • Ensure the seedlings are shaded from heat and rain, and install nets to prevent pest attacks
      • Cover with banana leaves for 2 days to reduce humidity and speed up germination.
      1. Transplanting
      • Transplant seedlings to the beds after 20-25 days, or when they have 4-5 leaves. Choose healthy seedlings, free from pests or diseases. 
      • Transplanting should be done early in the morning (6:00-10:00 AM) or late in the afternoon (3:00-5:00 PM)
      • Water the beds first and make planting holes with spacing of 50 x 70 cm (rainy season) or 40 x 50 cm (dry season), adjusting based on variety and season
      • Carefully transplant the seedlings along with their media (about 3 cm from the seedling tray)
      • Plant the seedling and lightly compact the soil around it
      • Water the seedlings thoroughly
      • After transplanting, install bamboo stakes (1-1.25 meters high, with 10 cm space from the plant stem and 25-30 cm deep in the soil). Secure the plant stems to the bamboo stakes using raffia ties to keep the plants upright.

      7. Thinning

      Thinning is the process of replacing unhealthy (damaged/dwarfed/dead) plant seedlings with healthier ones. The purpose of thinning chili plants is to immediately replace damaged seedlings so that the condition of the bird’s eye chili plants remains good and produces optimal fruit.

      Thinning is done by removing the damaged seedlings and planting new ones. Make sure the new bird’s eye chili seedlings have the same planting age to ensure uniform and simultaneous growth. Thinning should be done 7-14 days after planting (DAP).

      8. Routine Watering

      watering chili
      watering chili

      Chili plants require soil with the right moisture level to allow the roots to absorb water easily and for the plants to grow optimally. Watering should be done regularly in the morning and evening.

      When the plants are still young, watering must be done periodically. Ensure that the amount of water applied is sufficient but not excessive, to prevent the bird’s eye chili plants from rotting.

      9. Weeding

      weed control
      weed control

      Weeding should be done periodically to keep the land clean. Weeds must be removed as they can interfere with the growth of bird’s eye chili plants.

      In addition, weeding is necessary because weeds growing around the bird’s eye chili plants will compete for nutrients in the soil. Weeding can be done at 30 and 60 days after planting (DAP), but if weeds are found during plant monitoring, they should be removed as soon as possible.

      It is recommended to use a garden fork, sickle, or machete to remove weeds, ensuring that the weeds are pulled out by the roots and to avoid scratching your hands. Donโ€™t forget to wear gloves while weeding!

      10. Supplemental Fertilization

      Subsequent fertilization is important because the plants need sufficient nutrients to support the growth of bird’s eye chili plants. Subsequent fertilization for bird’s eye chili is carried out at 15, 28, and 42 days after planting (DAP).

      Fertilization can use urea (NPK) fertilizer with a dosage of 200-300 kg/ha, KCl with a dosage of 250-300 kg/ha, and ZA with a dosage of 300-400 kg/ha, applied three times, with each application being โ…“ of the total dose per week. Perform fertilization by digging around the left and right sides of the bird’s eye chili plants, then immediately cover the fertilizer to prevent it from evaporating.

      11. Pest and Disease Control

      pest control on chili
      pest control on chili

      The growth of bird’s eye chili plants can be disrupted if they are attacked by pests and diseases. Therefore, pest and disease monitoring on bird’s eye chili plants is necessary to ensure that pest and disease control can be carried out quickly and accurately.

      Common pests that often attack bird’s eye chili include thrips (Thrips parvispinus), armyworms (Spodoptera litura), whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci), aphids (Aphis spp.), and mites (Polyphagotarsonemus latus and Tetranychus sp.).

      Common diseases that frequently affect bird’s eye chili include anthracnose (Colletotrichum capsici, Colletotrichum gloeosporides), leaf spots (Cercospora capsici), yellow curl virus (Geminivirus sp.), Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum), bacterial wilt (Ralstonia solanacearum), and mosaic virus (Begomovirus spp.). If pests or diseases are found on the plants, immediate eradication and control should be carried out to ensure that the bird’s eye chili plants continue to grow well.

      12. Harvesting Bird’s Eye Chili

      harvesting chili
      harvesting chili

      Bird’s eye chili can be harvested after about 60-90 days after planting (DAP). The characteristics of bird’s eye chili that is ready for harvest include fully ripe fruits that are bright red, reddish-green, or reddish-black, and appear fresh.

      Harvesting can be done every 3-7 days, with harvesting times in the morning or evening. The harvesting interval lasts for 12-20 times until the plant reaches 1 year old.

      Harvesting bird’s eye chili can be done by picking the fruit along with the stem using scissors or by hand. Make sure to pick the chili with the stem to prevent the fruit from rotting quickly.

      13. Post-Harvest Treatment

      Bird’s eye chili can be harvested after about 60-90 days after planting (DAP). The characteristics of bird’s eye chili that is ready for harvest include fully ripe fruits that are bright red, reddish-green, or reddish-black, and appear fresh.

      Harvesting can be done every 3-7 days, with harvesting times in the morning or evening. The harvesting interval lasts for 12-20 times until the plant reaches 1 year old.

      Harvesting bird’s eye chili can be done by picking the fruit along with the stem using scissors or by hand. Make sure to pick the chili with the stem to prevent the fruit from rotting quickly.

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      Widy Naftani
      I am a writer focused on providing practical information about cultivation, agricultural innovations, and food sustainability with the goal of raising public awareness about the world of agriculture. Know more about her on Linkedin

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