Bird's eye chillies in Melbourne

 Any tips for growing bird's eye chilli plants in Melbourne?

We were recently given one and told to keep it indoors.  We've previously
had one in the garden.  Once I built a wire cage over it to keep critters
(rats or possums) from eating the chillies, it didn't really do very well
(no new chillies and it died eventually).

The new one we kept inside for a couple of weeks (sunny spot on kitchen
bench) but it seems to not like the ducted heating.  Leaves are drying out
and curling up and chillies are drying out too.  Which sounds like lack of
water but it is kept moist, so maybe the air is too dry?

It's had some Seasol and one dose of Aquasol.  It's in an 8" approx plastic
pot straight from the nursery.

It looked great when we got it, but now if it was in the shop, it'd be half
price.

It has been kept moist.  We've been growing one of those supermarket
hyrdoponic basil plants (in perlite or similar) in the same spot in the
same way for about 3 months and it is still going strong.

The last couple of days it is outside in a recycling crate facing north
covered in clear plastic.

What is ideal?  What is the ideal temperature?  Cool nights ok?  Does it
like humidity?  Full sun or shade?  Does it need the leaves to be sprayed
with water?  Any particular likes or dislikes for fertiliser?  Should it be
kept moist or allowed to dry out?

 Tom N wrote:

It is not an indoor plant.  It needs full sun and not ducted heating which
is too dry.


I doubt it will last the winter, save some seeds from a ripe fruit now.


Careful of the plastic it can cause condensation which encourages fungus.
Outdoors in Melbourne winter will be too cold.


Grow in full sun outdoors as an annual during summer, in that case it will
be growing strongly so you should keep it damp (as long as the pot drains)
and feed fairly liberally with a balanced fertiliser.  It likes warm to hot
weather neither particularly humid nor dry but moderately damp.

David

 
<SNIP>

While Capsicum anuum is an annual in Melbourne, I find Capsicum frutescens
varieties like Birds Eye survive Melbourne winters well (temps down
to -2oC). They can lose most of their leaves during the winter but they
reshoot in spring and last for several years.

 Thanks for all the replies.

I am keeping the plant outside in a pot sitting in a recycling crate, in
the sunniest sheltered spot, keeping moist,  Covered with plastic at night,
uncovered during the day.

Looks like it is going to lose some or all leaves.

I note that on the James Cook Uni website Capsicum frutescens can be a weed
in north QLD so I suppose that indicates its preferred climate is
substantially warmer than Melb.

 

Wait till Spring.  Now is not the time to be trying to grow any of that
family of plants.