Chilli / Capsicum
Technical data
| pH range | 6.0–6.5 (typical for capsicum) |
|---|---|
| In-row spacing | 40–50 cm |
| Row spacing | 60–90 cm |
| Days to first harvest | 80–100 |
| Harvest frequency | Pick capsicum green from ~12 weeks or leave to colour; pick chillies as they colour; harvest over many weeks. |
| Expected yield | Varies with type, variety, season and staking; capsicum (large fruit) vs chilli (many small fruit) differ a lot. |
| Key nutrients | Nitrogen (early growth), potassium (fruit sizing/colour), calcium (fruit quality/blossom-end rot); plus magnesium and boron. |
| Common deficiencies | Calcium (blossom-end rot — often a watering problem), boron, magnesium, potassium. |
| Chemical-finder crop slug | chilli_capsicum_eggplant |
| Data confidence | medium |
| Review status | needs review |
| Last researched | 9 Jul 2026 |
| Next review due | 5 Jan 2027 |
Nutrient targets
Build from soil + leaf tests. General pattern: nitrogen for early growth → potassium for fruit sizing/colour; calcium central to fruit quality (blossom-end rot is mostly a WATER-management issue — keep moisture even; gypsum raises soil Ca without changing pH); boron and magnesium around flowering/set. Exact NT rates are needs_review.
Growth stages
| Stage | Timing | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Establishment | 0–3 weeks | Transplant establishment (most capsicum is transplanted); keep even moisture. |
| Vegetative | 3–6 weeks | Bush builds; nitrogen-led feeding; stake as needed; scout thrips early. |
| Flowering & fruit set | 6–9 weeks | Calcium/boron and even water; watch flower drop in heat. |
| Fruit sizing (green) | 9–12 weeks | Potassium for size; first green pick from ~12 weeks. |
| Colouring / ripening | 12+ weeks | Red/yellow colour develops; higher anthracnose risk — pick promptly. |
Spacing and plant numbers
Plant spacing: 40–50 cm Row spacing: 60–90 cm
At 45 cm spacing that is about 222 plants per 100 m row.
Plant count calculator
Task calendar Sample — no tasks are created until you confirm a trial plan
| When | Task | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 14 days before planting | Bed preparation (beds, mulch, drip, calcium) | Raised free-draining beds; gypsum for calcium; plastic mulch + drip. |
| 3 days before planting | Irrigation setup | Drip lines; avoid overhead watering. |
| Planting day | Planting (transplant or direct seed) | Transplant clean, healthy seedlings; use resistant varieties if available. |
| 10 days after planting | Establishment & first fertigation | Nitrogen-led early feed; keep moisture even. |
| 21 days after planting | Scouting — thrips (TSWV) | Start thrips monitoring EARLY; check flowers/tips. |
| 35 days after planting | Staking / support | Support heavy-fruiting capsicum before branches snap. |
| 45 days after planting | Flowering — fruit set (calcium/boron) | Even water + calcium to prevent blossom-end rot. |
| 60 days after planting | Fruit sizing — potassium | Shift to potassium for size and colour. |
| 78 days after planting | Pest & disease scouting (peak) | Thrips, bacterial spot, anthracnose on colouring fruit. |
| 90 days after planting | First green harvest | Pick capsicum green from ~12 weeks, or leave to colour. |
| 115 days after planting | Coloured harvest & sanitation | Pick red/coloured fruit promptly; remove old/diseased plants. |
Labour notes
Transplant raising (or buying seedlings), staking, repeated hand-harvest over many weeks, and grading. Thrips monitoring is an ongoing job because of the TSWV risk.
Chemical options (APVMA only)
Live from the APVMA PubCRIS finder — registration, WHP, rate and the source badge come from the finder API at view time, never stored here. Always confirm the current APVMA label before use. Pests/diseases without a finder filter (and biosecurity diseases) are not shown here — check the label or a permit directly.
Chilli / Capsicum × Thrips (TSWV vector)
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Chilli / Capsicum × Aphids
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Chilli / Capsicum × Whitefly
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Chilli / Capsicum × Two-spotted mites
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Chilli / Capsicum × Caterpillars / heliothis
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Chilli / Capsicum × Fruit fly
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Chilli / Capsicum × Root-knot nematodes
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Chilli / Capsicum × Bacterial spot
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Chilli / Capsicum × Anthracnose
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Chilli / Capsicum × Powdery mildew
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Fertiliser options by goal
Shortcuts into your Fertilizer Library. These filter by nutrient or use method — they are not prescriptions, and fertilisers are never pest/disease treatments unless APVMA-registered.
Calcium low
Products containing calcium
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Potassium low
Products containing potassium
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Magnesium low
Products containing magnesium
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Boron low
Products containing boron
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Manganese low
Products containing manganese
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Flowering
Boron + phosphorus filters — commonly used around flowering; confirm rates with your agronomist
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Fruit set
Boron + calcium filters
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Fruit quality
Potassium + calcium filters
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Stress recovery
Seaweed/amino biostimulants — check the APVMA-review badge
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Root growth
Phosphorus + humic filters
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General fertigation
Fertigation-suitable products
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Foliar feed
Foliar-suitable products
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Sources
| Topic | Source | Type | Confidence | Status | Fetched |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NT suitability, season, harvest, storage | NT Government — Capsicum and chilli | government | medium | needs review (blocked_fetch) | 9 Jul 2026 |
| Spacing, transplanting, staking, blossom-end rot/calcium | QLD DAF — Capsicum and chilli information kit + Australian extension | government | medium | needs review | 9 Jul 2026 |
| Thrips & tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) | NSW DPI / Business QLD / AUSVEG — WFT & TSWV in capsicum | government | high | verified | 9 Jul 2026 |
| Secondary pests | Biological Services / AUSVEG — capsicum pests | other | medium | needs review | 9 Jul 2026 |
| Chilli vs capsicum, species & ripening | Botanical/horticultural references (Capsicum annuum / frutescens) | other | medium | needs review | 9 Jul 2026 |
| APVMA chemical group | farmOS PubCRIS finder (crop = capsicum/chilli/pepper) | APVMA | high | verified | 9 Jul 2026 |