Chilli ‘Paprika’
Botanical name: Capsicum annuum
‘Paprika’ looks a lot like ‘Birdseye Thai,’ but the mild, spicy taste is completely different. It has long, red, narrow fruit up to 7cm long. Use it fresh or dry and ground into powder or string along a line to dry. The hardy bushes continue to fruit over a long period. On the Scoville heat scale, it grows to around 70cm tall and takes a while to start producing 4,000 units.
Plant Type: Warm season, frost-tender annual
Plant Height: 70 cm
Sow When:
- Temperate: Early spring – inside with extra heat; outside after frost danger has passed
- Subtropical: Spring; All year but avoid January – February
- Tropical: Spring; All year but avoid January – February
Germination:
- Depth: 6 mm deep
- Position: Full sun
- Sow Where: Into seedling pots, transplant when soil is warm
- Soil Type: Fertile, well-drained soil, pH 5 – 6
Spacing: 45 cm between plants
Details: Avoid high nitrogen fertilizers as these will promote leaf growth at the expense of fruit; keep moisture constant
Harvest: 100 days; use fresh or dried; continues to bear over a long period
