Bell peppers (Capsicum annuum) make a delicious addition to any dish. If you or your family eat a lot of peppers, consider growing your own. You can grow peppers from seed or buy seedlings. Either way, you'll have some delicious, hand-grown peppers to be proud of.
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Part 1 of 3: Growing Peppers from Seed
Step 1. Grow peppers from seed
Although many plant stores sell specimens ready for planting, peppers are actually relatively easy to grow from seed. While green, red, yellow, and orange peppers are the most common colors, gardeners also have the option of growing dark brown and purple varieties.
Some varieties that ripen quickly can produce fruit as quickly as 2 months, while others can take up to 3 months before starting to flower
Step 2. Choose the start time of planting, depending on the local climate
In subtropical climates, most peppers should be grown indoors about 2 months before their frost-free date arrives. As for planters in southern America and in places with warmer climates with longer growing seasons, they can wait and start growing peppers directly outdoors. However, this will naturally affect how quickly the plant starts producing fruit.
Step 3. Plant the pepper seeds in a thin layer of soil
Pepper seeds should be covered with a thin layer of soil, then watered. Tillers will appear within 1 or 2 weeks.
Step 4. Make sure the peppercorns are warm enough
Pepper seeds need a warm period of time to germinate. For good results, the ambient air temperature should be around 27 °C and the soil temperature should be slightly warmer.
- Pepper seeds that are slow to germinate can be helped by using a heating mat.
- You need to know, plants will not germinate at all if the temperature is below 13 °C.
Step 5. Don't let the bell peppers grow too tall and skinny
Saplings grown indoors need lots of light so they don't grow tall and thin. Poor growth in the early stages can affect the overall health of the plant and cause it to droop weakly as it matures.
If this happens after you have tried your best, the slender saplings can be pulled down using a bamboo or wooden pole, and then tie the plant together with string
Step 6. Before transplanting, adapt seedlings grown indoors to outside conditions
In areas where peppers cannot be planted directly in the garden, get used to the conditions outside once the temperature has stabilized at more than 15 °C at night. To do this, move the plant outside for half a day to gradually introduce it to direct sunlight, dry air, and cool nights.
Step 7. Transfer the saplings to the container after the first mature leaves have sprouted
Peppers grow well in containers. Height and width can reach 1 meter. So, planters should choose a pot that has a depth of about 25 cm so that the plant is not cramped.
Step 8. Make sure the saplings are planted in the right growing conditions
Bell peppers require growing conditions with full sun exposure and well-drained fertile soil. This plant is relatively dry if not planted in a pot that is too small.
Part 2 of 3: Caring for Peppers
Step 1. Use black plastic or mulch to control weeds
Black plastic is also a great tool for accelerating the growth of peppers in cold climates.
Planters in warm climates prefer mulch as it can help retain moisture and protect plant roots from the heat
Step 2. Fertilize the peppers
Plants will benefit from the addition of a slow-release grain fertilizer such as Osmocote, or its organic varieties, such as those made from fish feed or alfalfa.
If the pepper leaves grow thick, but do not bear fruit, reduce the application of nitrogen fertilizer. Nitrogen is a chemical known to stimulate leaf growth, but not fruit
Step 3. Wait for the peppers to ripen before picking
Most peppers are initially green and finally ripen to their true color after two weeks. However, some varieties can take up to a month to change color to maturity.
Tall varieties should be given turf to support the fruit and keep the plant from collapsing as the fruit develops and ripens
Step 4. Protect the pepper plants from sudden drops in temperature
Wire cages wrapped in plastic were cited in a Mother Earth News magazine article as a great tool for protecting tomato seedlings from sudden drops in temperature. You could try using it for peppers. Another way to protect saplings from getting too cold is to cover them with a container such as a gallon or jerry can.
Covers like this were originally made of glass, but are now made more from plastic bottles used for milk or soda
Step 5. Save the pepper seeds for planting at a later date
Pepper seeds can be stored for up to 2 years under ideal conditions. This means that you don't need to buy paprika seeds every year if you have stored the remaining seeds in a dark, dry environment to prevent them from germinating prematurely.
Step 6. Remove unproductive plants
Once all the fruit has been harvested, you can dig up the plant. Diseased plants are great materials for composting.
Diseased plants can be bagged and thrown in the trash to prevent the spread of disease
Part 3 of 3: Coping With Pepper Pests and Problems
Step 1. Use Epsom salt to stimulate the plant to bear fruit
Peppers that are hard to bear in warm weather can benefit from a mixture of 1 L of water with 1 teaspoon of Epsom salt sprayed on the plants.
Another way is to place 1 tablespoon of Epsom salt on top of the soil near the base of the plant, then cover it with soil to absorb it
Step 2. Use calcium to treat flower tip rot
If the tips of the peppers turn black-a condition known as “flower tip rot”-add more calcium to the soil. The easiest way to do this is to water the affected plant with expired milk in the refrigerator.
Sour milk in small quantities can be mixed with water if it is not enough to be used for the whole plant
Step 3. Spray the plant with water or an insecticide to kill aphids
Aphids are common garden pests that can be temporarily removed with a heavy spray of water. Organic gardeners can try to get rid of these insects with neem or pyrethrum-based sprays.
You may have to use it over and over again because this garden pest is difficult to get rid of
Step 4. Protect the plant from hot or cold temperatures
Temperatures below 18 or above 35°C can prevent peppers from fruiting. If there is only a slight cold gust or heat wave, fruit production will return to normal once these conditions have passed.
