Habanero
Capsicum chinense
Start habanero indoors 6 weeks before your last spring frost, then plant out 2 weeks after your last spring frost. Space plants 18 in (46 cm) apart.
Photo: Stephen Ausmus, Public domain · source
When to plant
Timed from your frost dates, so it holds wherever you garden. Give yours and every step below becomes a date.
Optimal Indoor Start
From seedRecommended- Start indoors6 weeks before your last spring frost
- Begin hardening off1 week after your last spring frost
- Plant out2 weeks after your last spring frost
- First harvestabout 90 days after planting out
Optimal Transplant
From seed- Plant out2 weeks after your last spring frost
- First harvestabout 90 days after planting out
Growing habanero
- Spacing in the row
- 18 in (46 cm)
- Between rows
- 30 in (76 cm)
- Planting depth
- 1/4 inch
- Sun
- Full Sun
- Soil
- Well-drained, fertile
- Germination
- 7-21 days at 75-90°F
- Harvest season
- Late Summer, Early Fall
- Mature height
- 24-48 inches
- Support
- Stake
- Life cycle
- Annual
Sow seeds shallowly in warm, moist, well-drained medium for optimal germination.
Watering. Maintain consistent soil moisture; avoid waterlogging. Crucial during flowering and fruiting.
Neighbours
The companion chart →Grows well beside
Carrot
Onion
Basil
GeraniumKeep apart from
Fennel
Kohlrabi
CabbageFeeding
- Seedlings
- Apply half-strength balanced liquid fertilizer after true leaves emerge.
- Growing
- Utilize a balanced NPK fertilizer (e.g., 5-10-10) until flowering.
- Flowering and fruiting
- Shift to a higher phosphorus/potassium formulation (e.g., 2-5-3) to support fruit set.
- How often
- Every 2-4 weeks during active growth, adjusted for plant vigor and container size.
- Note
- Excessive nitrogen intake can delay fruiting and promote vegetative growth.
Your habanero, planned to the day.
Canopy turns these timings into dates from your own frost data, places every plant at its spacing on your garden map, and tracks it all the way to harvest.