CHILLI-BANANA
It was developed into the bananas chilli of today in America in 1940 by the Corneli Seed Company. Similar in looks to Hungarian Yellow Hot Wax but is very different in heat content. I changes colour as it matures and is generally harvested when it has just turned yellow to get the sweetest fruit. Think flesh with a waxy skin, it grows to roughly 20cm long with a curve at the end resembling a banana – hence the name.
Banana chilli can be eaten raw, pickled, baked or stuffed. Add it to salads, pizza, sandwiches or whatever takes your fancy to spice up dish with a bit of tang without overdoing the heat. Nutritionally the banana tree chilli contains many vitamins and minerals but is particularly high in Vitamin C.
Raise seedling indoor before the end of winter and plant out in early Spring after the last frost if you live in a cool climate. Warmer climates are not so restrictive in time to plant and can be grown as a perennial from seed if winters are mild. Trim off first flowers and fruit to increase production. Freezing chilli seeds for a few days before planting tricks the seed into thinking it has just come through winter and needs to sprout. Or soak seed for 12 to 48 hours if the seed is difficult to germinate.
Prepare you soil with well matured manure before planting out. Water deeply and often. Fertilise with a nitrogen rich foliar spray in the first few weeks. Harden off before planting out.
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http://era.daf.qld.gov.au/id/eprint/1651/5/4keycap.pdf
There is a huge amount of information on this link.
Just scroll through the stuff that does not interest you.
But well worth the read if you are into growing chillies.
Scoville Heat Units (SHU)
0- 500
Plant Height
30 - 60
Season of Interest
warm to hot
Temperature Range
22 - 30°C (72 - 86°F)
Determine / Indeterminate
Annual / Perennial / Biennial
Perenial/Annual
Frost Hardy / Tender
Tender
Full Sun / Part Sun / Shade
Full sun
Sow Direct / Raise Seedlings
Either
Soil
Sandy Loam, Rich in nutrients. added compost to the soil for fertility, and dolomite or crushed egg shells to help fend off blossom end rot
pH
6 - 7
Soil Temperature
16 - 25°C (61 - 77°F)
Seed Preparation
Soak seeds overnight in lukewarm water or freeze for a few days before planting
Sowing Depth
5
Plant Spacing
30 - 40cm (1⅛" - 1'4")
Row spacing
45 - 70cm (1'6" - 2'4")
Watering
regular, keep moist NOT wet
Germination Time (Days)
4 - 20
Harvest Time (Days)
60 - 75
Good Companion Plants
Carrots, cucumber, squash, members of the Allum family, Basil, Dill, Fennel
Bad Companion Plants
Pests
Diseases
blossom end rot
More About Us
When I started this journey in 2009, I found nothing existed commercially, that was reasonably priced and easy to use. There was a homemade system which I also found was not that user-friendly.
Then a friend of mine told me about a homemade method she used. However, when I tried her method, I found this also didn’t suit my needs, as it too had flaws that I considered where important. It did not keep vermin out, did not have a lockable lid and (to me) looked unsightly in the garden