See Part One: How to grow and feed Chilli plants here
If you’re reading this part of the Chilli blog then you have probably been growing your chilli seedlings for 4-5 weeks; and maybe have some flowers or flower buds appearing.
TO PRUNE, OR NOT TO PRUNE?
Some growers prune their chilli plants at Week 4/5 to increase the size and weight of the final chillies. Others don’t.
I prune everything below the natural 'Y' formation of the chilli plant, doing so, efficiently directs the plant's energy and resources to the fruit-bearing canopy.
Top Tip: Keep the pruned cuttings and clone these using a cloning product. Once they root, you’ll have another chilli plant or two!
I SEE FLOWERS, NOW WHAT?
The moment the chillies start budding/flowering, change the nutrient formula and start week one of flowering nutrients formula.
Top Tip: Keep a plant journal. Note the date, feeding formulas, temperatures, plant’s appearance. Write down everything you go.
RECOMMENDED FEEDING SCHEDULE & DOSAGES:
Week 1: 2.5mL Bloom A/B + 0.5mL CalMag per 1L water (feed every 2 days)
Week 2: 2.5mL Bloom A/B + 0.5mL CalMag per 1L water (feed every 2 days)
Week 3: 2.5mL Bloom A/B + 1mL PK per 1L water (feed every 2 days)
Week 4: 2.5mL Bloom A/B + 2mL PK per 1L water (feed every day)
Week 5: 2.5mL Bloom A/B + 1mL PK per 1L water (feed every day)
Week 6: 2.0mL Bloom A/B + 1mL PK per 1L water (feed every day)
Week 7: Flush generously with plain water (or a flushing product such as CYCO Kleanse) for 2-3 days, before harvesting.
Note: PK nutrient used in this formula is the MILLS Ultimate PK (0-7-6). The CalMag is FLAIRFORM CMX (4-0-0)
Top Tip: For really hot chillies, leave coco to dry out completely before harvesting.
A-Grade Tips:
- Use a silica based product such as MILLS Vitalise in your feeding formula
- Prevention is better than the cure. Implement pest prevention to guard against fungus gnats, white fly, aphids and thrip.
- Nutrient build up is a common issue when growing chillies in coco. Indicators are brown leaf tips. Flush the coco a few times with plain water and measure until the EC is reading around 0.6 or lower, leave to dry for a day and resume feeding as normal.
Happy Chilli growing!
#growwithus
