Growing Peppers!




Pepper plants make a great addition to any indoor or patio garden. They are easy and fun to grow, and their bounty can add flavor to many different dishes, or can even be eaten raw. This article will primarily focus on growing pepper plants that have already been started, rather than growing from seed. If you are interested in growing from seed, I will link a collection of helpful sites below.


Pots and Containers:

Pepper plants grow very well in pots, which is an important aspect when trying to grow them indoors. Although many pepper plants bought in stores will arrive in a very small pot, please know that this should be temporary. Peppers can grow an extensive root system, and having room to do so will allow them to build a strong stalk, and get quite tall. Ideally, you should aim for a 12x12 pot per pepper plant, but I've been successful while using a 6x6 pot. Also it is important to note that as your pepper plant grows, it will require more space around it - both above and side to side. If you provide it with enough space to grow, you will greatly improve your results.

Sunlight:

Pepper plants love a lot of direct sunlight - The more the better! At least six hours is recommended, but I've had plenty of luck with about 3-4 hours in the morning, and plenty of bright indirect sunlight for the rest of the day. These plants love to be in front of windows, but be careful as this can dry out your plant's soil very quickly - be sure to water accordingly. Also, a pepper plant grown near a window may have a tendency to lean towards that window - This can cause problems when it starts to get tall. Be sure to turn your pepper plant around once and a while so that it grows straight. This will help to ensure a strong stem, which is especially important when the plant starts to produce.

Water:

Peppers require a lot of water to be successful, but they don't enjoy sitting in water all day. Be sure to water when the soil is dry, no more than an inch down. Continue watering until it runs out the bottom of the pot, and be sure to remove any excess water from the tray.

Fertilizer:

A 15-15-15 nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus mix is great for indoors pepper plants. This can be added to their water monthly.

When to Harvest?

This can very depending on the type of pepper you choose to grow, but a pepper is generally ready to pluck when it has nice shiny skin, and is fairly firm. Peppers change color as they ripen, so be sure to pluck only when the desired color is reached, depending on the variety.

May 8, 2016

May 21, 2016


Sources:

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/grow-hot-peppers-pots-indoors-51326.html
http://plantozoid.com/growing-peppers-indoors/
http://www.pepperjoe.com/hot-pepper-varieties/How-to-grow-Peppers.html

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