🌱 Introduction: From Pokok to Sambal
Chillies are the rockstars of the Malaysian kitchen. Whether it’s for nasi lemak sambal, spicy kicap, or fiery ulam dipping sauce, homegrown cili tastes better, fresher, and packs more punch than store-bought. Best part? They’re surprisingly easy to grow.
Whether you’re planting on the ground or in a balcony pot, this guide will help you grow chillies like a true Malaysian pekebun.
🌶️ Popular Types of Chillies You Can Grow in Malaysia
- Cili Padi (Bird’s Eye Chilli)
- Small, spicy, and perfect for sambal belacan
- Grows well in pots
- Cili Merah (Red Chilli)
- Long, moderately spicy, great for stir-fries
- Needs more space, but worth the yield
- Cili Benggala (Capsicum)
- Mild and sweet
- Great for stuffing or salads
- Thai Chillies / Cayenne
- Slim, curved, and HOT
- Thrives in hot, sunny conditions
🏡 Where & How to Plant Chillies
✅ Choose the Right Location
- Needs 6–8 hours of sunlight
- Best in loose, well-drained soil
- Good airflow reduces risk of fungus
✅ Choose the Right Pot (If Planting in Containers)
- Minimum 8–10 inches deep
- Use pots with drainage holes
- Terracotta pots are ideal for airflow
✅ Ideal Soil Mix:
- 60% garden soil
- 30% compost
- 10% sand or cocopeat for drainage
Pro tip: Sprinkle crushed eggshells at the bottom for calcium!
🪴 Step-by-Step: Growing Chillies from Seeds
- Start from seeds or dried chillies
- Use seeds from fresh or dried chillies (non-hybrid)
- Soak seeds overnight for better germination
- Germinate in seed tray or small pot
- Keep moist and shaded
- Germination takes 7–14 days
- Transplant when 4–6 inches tall
- Move to final pot or garden bed
- Water immediately after transplanting
- Stake if needed
- Especially for larger varieties like cili merah
💧 Watering, Feeding & Pest Control
✅ Watering
- Water deeply every 1–2 days (more in dry weather)
- Avoid waterlogging
✅ Fertilising
- Growth stage: Use organic nitrogen-rich fertiliser (e.g. fish emulsion)
- Flowering/fruiting: Switch to potassium-rich feed (banana peel compost, crushed eggshells)
✅ Pests to Watch For:
- Aphids
- Whiteflies
- Spider mites
- Caterpillars
Remedy:
- Spray neem oil or DIY garlic-chili spray
- Use yellow sticky traps
🧑🌾 When & How to Harvest
- Most chilli varieties take 60–90 days from planting to harvest
- Harvest once the chillies turn fully red or the desired size
- Use scissors or snip gently at the stem
Don’t pull! It can damage the plant and reduce future yield.
♻️ Bonus Tip: Save Your Seeds
- Let one chilli over-ripen and dry naturally
- Extract seeds and store in a cool, dry place
- Now you’re ready for round two!
📦 Common Problems (And How to Fix Them)
| Problem | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow leaves | Overwatering / Nutrient loss | Reduce water, feed compost tea |
| No fruit, just flowers | Lack of sunlight or pollination | Move to sunnier spot, shake plant gently |
| Leaves curling | Aphids or mites | Neem oil or soapy water spray |
| Rotting roots | Poor drainage | Repot in well-draining soil |
🧂 Sambal-Ready in No Time
By following these steps, your homegrown chilli plants will be thriving and ready to spice up your meals. Whether you’re aiming for sambal belacan, chili oil, or just showing off your pokok cili to the neighbours — it all starts with planting that first seed.
Tag us @projectharvest.my when your first chilli harvest comes in. We’ll celebrate with sambal!
Good… Terbaik bro.