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Chillies no longer grow

Seedlings and chili plants

Probably your chili seeds germinated after two weeks. They grew rapidly to about 3 to 4 cm, but then stopped?
Even with semi-strong chili plants it can happen that they simply remain in development.

In many cases, it is due to one or more of the following points:

Flower pots too small

Chili plants need a sufficiently large root space. The root system of chilies will never fill the pot as it does with avocado, for example. If the roots reach their limits, the above-ground growth will also stop. A sufficiently large flower pot or repeated repotting during the growth phase can help. You can read more about the optimal flower pot size for chili plants.

Wrong soil

Poor soil does not lead to good growth. Chilies may be a permeable soil in which water can flow off quickly and oxygen can accumulate. In a compact soil, the danger of water logging is simply too great. If the roots die, growth stops. If the substrate has too high a pH value, the plant cannot absorb nutrients easily. For most chili plants, a pH value of 6.5 is considered perfect.

Jalapeño and [Black Pearl(https://chili-plant.com/chilli-varieties/chili-black-pearl/){: class=”chili-link”} Chili also thrive well up to pH 7.5. Measure the value of the soil with a pH knife or strip. If you measure below 6 or above 8, this is probably the reason for slow growth. This makes it more difficult for the plant to absorb fertilizer. This can be remedied by watering the plant with hard or soft water. Faster results can usually be achieved with a more suitable soil.

Water

The correct watering of chili plants must be learned. Not too much water, not too little. With the right water, which must not be too hard. Sounds simple, but what you can consider here is in your contribution to watering chilies.

Cold

Chili plants love warmth. Some chili plants only really start to grow at 32 °C and above. Under 20 °C you should not be surprised if your Capsicum plants remain small. Tomato plants are not so sensitive to light and water.

Light

Chilis don’t feel comfortable under 8 hours of light. Rather the light duration should be 12 - 14 hours. Plant light or a change of location usually help on the spot.

After re potting

If your chilies stop growing after repotting, you don’t need to worry much. As a precaution, check the points again: Earth, water, temperature and light as mentioned above. Usually the chilies have to recover from the stress of repotting. After that, a lot of energy is put into root growth. This is the first time that the green is neglected. Soon it will change again and soon Lucie will go upstairs.

Diseases and pests

Young plants and medium-size plants stop growing up when infested by pests and diseases. This is because, for example, plant sap is diverted or cells are destroyed. We have had good experiences with Neem against pests. Keep other nightshade plants such as tomatoes and tobacco at a distance. Some diseases, such as the tobacco mosaic virus, are otherwise transmitted quickly.

Slow growth

This is usually due to the temperature, little sunshine or lack of nutrients. After the first real leaves have formed, start fertilizing. First with a nitrogen-containing fertilizer, later during the flowering and fruit phase a fertilizer with more potassium and phosphorus content.

Chilli peppers do not grow

Chilies thrive fastest when you do everything you can to make them feel at home in Central and South America. If you want to promote and accelerate the development optimally, you should pay special attention to these points:

  • 12 - 14 hours of light
  • Keep warm
  • loosened earth
  • Nutrients and trace elements
  • soft water
  • keep pests at bay
  • Promote beneficial insects
  • Use soil conditioner
  • high humidity
  • leave enough room