How to Grow Peppers at Home: Growing, Care & Varieties

Chili peppers are no problem in the summer, but in the winter, it can be difficult to find quality peppers. That's why so many amateurs grow peppers at home. In this article, we will examine how to grow peppers at home planting, care and varieties with the website bubgo.com.

Planting Young Pepper Seedlings

To speed up the ripening of peppers, it is best to plant seedlings.

A. Preparing the soil

For sowing peppers, I recommend preparing your own soil. Take river sand, humus and dry clay in the ratio of 1:2:1. Mix everything well, wet it and leave it in the living room for a few days. Plant the seeds in a container that is about 20 inches (50 cm) wide and not too deep - about 4 inches (10 cm). Sow the seeds 2 inches (5 cm) apart in rows, leaving 1 inch (2.5 cm) between seeds.

B. Seed preparation

The seeds should first be prepared and treated with 1-2% manganese. Soak the seeds in the solution for a quarter of an hour, then remove them, rinse them with water, and place them in a pre-moistened cloth. Leave the cloth with the seeds in a dark place for 6-7 days, sprinkling a little water every day to prevent the cloth from drying out. After a week, the seeds usually germinate and are ready to be sown.

C. Sowing

To make sowing pepper seeds easy and simple, I usually loosen the soil and scatter the seeds on the surface according to a pattern. Then I put a layer of 0.4 inches (1 cm) of nutrient soil on top and moisten the whole thing with a sprayer.

D. Temperature and light

After sowing the seeds, it is best to cover the box with aluminum foil or glass. It is recommended to keep the room at a temperature of at least 71 °F (22°C). Under these conditions, peppers will usually germinate in a few weeks. As soon as germination is detected, remove the aluminum foil and lower the room temperature to 68 °F (20 °C).

The plants will then need 12 hours of light to grow well. Try to place the seed box in a well-lit area, but not in direct sunlight. A fluorescent light can be a good place for supplemental light.

E. Germination Harvesting

Once a few true leaves have formed, proceed with picking. I strongly recommend pulling off about a quarter of the main rhizome and planting the plant, leaving 5 inches (12.5 cm) in between. It is very important not to submerge the sprouts when pricking, they should remain at the same level.

F. Planting seedlings in containers

When the seedlings reach the height of a standard pencil, they should be permanently potted up. By the way, I have tried potting seedlings directly without any further cultivation with good results, so keep that in mind.

Plastic pots with a diameter of 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) and a depth of 4-5 inches (10-12.5 cm) are best for growing peppers. Ceramic pots should not be used, as the soil dries out quickly in the winter. Make sure to place a 1 inches (2.5 cm) layer of drainage in the bottom of the pot. The pots can then be filled with the same mixture you used to grow the seedlings. When replanting, again pay attention to the planting depth - the seedlings should not be submerged and be at the same level as before.

Seedlings should be transplanted with a root ball - I dig it out with a spoon. The bush with the root system can be placed in the prepared grooves in the potting soil. After transplanting, make sure to compact the soil around it and water it. Then water slowly - let the roots grow and water again after a week.

After 2-3 weeks, the bush will begin to grow vigorously and form young shoots.

Caring for Peppers at Home

After picking, place the seedlings in a southeast or southwest facing window and observe the color of the leaves.

I don't go into the growth and development of peppers at home - the plant will decide for itself how much fruit it can grow.
1. Tap the shoots during flowering - this will improve pollination.
2. Turn the shrub to a different direction of light every day or every other day. The light will help the peppers develop properly and evenly. If the leaves begin to fade, lighten or fall off, there is not enough light. Replace the auxiliary light so that the light is about 12 inches (30 cm) from the top of the plant.
3. Use room temperature water for moistening. Water pepper shoots only when the soil becomes dry, never over-water the soil.
4. It is not unreasonable to spray extra with a sprayer, also with warm water, in units where the air is usually very dry.
5. It is best to fertilize regularly. With any vegetable fertilizer, water the soil about every 15-20 days, paying attention to the dosage on the package. Do not use a nitrogen-rich fertilizer, as it will produce lots of buds and leaves, but not many peppers.
6. During the fruiting period, pepper bushes also become very decorative. I often let them bear and bloom at the same time.
7. By the way, don't forget the seeds, which can be separated from the fruit and reseeded.
8. And be careful when handling the pepper fruit - wash your hands and avoid contact with your eyes, or you could get burned.

Suitable Varieties of Peppers for Growing at Home

1. Habanero Pepper (Capsicum spp)
2. Jalapeno Pepper (Capsicum annuum 'Jalapeno')
3. Serrano Pepper (Capsicum annuum 'Serrano')
4. Scotch Bonnet Pepper (Capsicum spp)
5. Anaheim Pepper (Capsicum annuum 'Anaheim')
6. Datil Pepper (Capsicum chinense 'Datil')
7. Cayenne Pepper (Capsicum spp)
8. Poblano Pepper (Capsicum annuum var. annuum 'Poblano')
9. Tabasco pepper (Capsicum frutescens 'Tabasco')
10. Thai Chili Pepper (Capsicum annuum 'Bird's Eye')
11. Chiltepin Pepper (Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum)
12. Siling Labuyo (Capsicum frutescens 'Siling labuyo')
13. Bhut Jolokia (Capsicum spp)
14. Carolina Reaper (Capsicum chinense 'Carolina Reaper')
15. Sweet Peppers (Capsicum spp)
16. Ornamental Peppers (Capsicum spp)

Conclusion

You have just seen the various types of pepper plants in the garden. Some of them, for example, Carolina Reaper are very spicy, while others like bell peppers are sweet.

In addition to that, you have seen decorative peppers like Masquerade, Purple Glitter, Medusa, Black Pearl, etc. They add dazzling colors from red, purple, yellow, orange, black to white to the charming garden.

Do you know of other types of pepper plants not mentioned in this article? Let us know in the comments.

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