How You Can Grow Your Own Bell Peppers in Pots

bell peppers in pots

It is really nice if you can harvest your own bell peppers in the backyard.bell peppers in pots

Peppers are not cheap and being able to grow your own means you can cut down your grocery expenses.

If you don’t have spaces, you can choose to grow the peppers in containers.

It will still thrive and produce an abundant of crop as long as you meet the right growing condition.

 

Germination

The seeds of the bell pepper should be planted 6 – 10 weeks before the last spring frost.

You will want to use a premium seed mix instead of the soil from your garden as it can drain more thoroughly.

Quality potting mix can hold moisture and provide proper aeration for the plant. Organic seed mix contains all the necessary nutrients that are required for the plant.

The seeds are to be sown about 1/2 inch depth in the soil. You can sow the seeds in seedling tray with two seeds in each cup.

The peppers will take 2 – 3 weeks to germinate. After 2 – 3 weeks, you can move them to small pots with each seedling occupying one pot. The seedling that has been sprouted should be moved to bigger size pots with the final pot being 10 – 12 inches in size.

The pots you use need to have well draining quality.

 

Transplanting the Pepper

It is time to move the pepper outdoor when you see at least 1 – 2 true leaves. The ideal temperature for growing pepper plant is 65 – 80 degrees Fahrenheit in the daytime.

The blossoms will drop if the temperature is higher than 85 degrees Fahrenheit. This condition called blossom end rot can be fixed by adding calcium granules to the soil.

The young plant is to be transplanted to a container that is filled with well draining potting and have a pH between 5.5 – 6.8. You can add 5 – 10 grams of neem cake to protect your pepper plant from blight disease.

The container where you plant the young bell pepper plant should be placed in an area that gets ample sunlight and sheltered from the strong winds.

Pepper plant can be quite big when it is mature so you will want to prepare a big pot that is at least 12 inches in diameter. It should get at least 6 hours of full sun in the day time.

Plastic or metal pot is preferred because it grows in consistently moist soil. At first, the young pepper plant will look small when transplanted to the large plant. However, it will eventually fill the large container as it mature to an adult plant.

Watering the Plant

It is important to regularly water the pepper plant to keep the soil moist. The frequency of watering will depend on the weather. Tipping the pot slightly allows you to know whether it needs more watering.

Light pot means that the soil has dried out and need watering. To prevent fungal infection, you should water at the foot of the plant and not over the plant.

 

When to Add Fertilizer

Imbalanced soil can cause the plants to be weak. This is why you need to improve the soil by adding different types of fertilizers. Nitrogen rich fertilizer can encourage the growth of foliage.

Tomato fertilizer, compost, and mature tea can also be used. Adding Epsom salt can help to improve the yield of your pepper plant. It is recommended that you add new fertilizer every 2 weeks or so.

 

Controlling the Pests

Aphids is the number one pest of bell pepper plants. Plants that have been attacked by aphids will appear stringy and weak. If you see aphids, you can use a water hose to spray them off.

You will need to continue this for a few days until the aphids don’t come back to the plant.

Another way to control aphid is to use ladybug. Ladybug can lay eggs which will hatch into larvae that devour the aphids. You can get ladybug eggs from your local nursery.

Organic pesticide can also be used to kill caterpillars that are spoiling your pepper plant.

 

Harvesting Bell Peppers

During harvesting, you can use a knife to cut off the fruit from the stem. There should be a bit of stem attach to the pepper plant after you cut the fruit.

When unripe, picking the pepper fruit by hand may cause the whole branch to be torn off. Unripe peppers are green color. From green color, it can change to red color and then to orange color and finally to yellow color.

You can pick the green peppers as they are safe to eat. Purple bell peppers varieties can change color to dark purple and finally to muddy black color when fully ripened.

When the pepper is fully ripened, it is easy to pluck with the hand in a gentle twist.

How to Grow Serrano Chili Pepper

serrano chilli plant

The Serrano Chili Pepper, also known as Capsicum annuum longum, was originally grown in the mountains of Mexico. The name serrano, is derived from Serrano Chili Pepperthe term sierras which refers to the mountains in that region.

Serrano chili pepper is several times hotter than the Japapeno pepper, scoring a Scoville Scale rating in between 10,000 – 25,000.

Because of the spicy taste it gives, it is often used in hot dishes like Pico de Gallo. The serrano pepper size is about 1-2 inches and they come in dark green and red colours.

Planting the Serrano Chili Pepper

The first step is to let the serrano chili pepper seeds sprout and it is done by sowing the seeds ¼ inch deep in a seedling tray. It needs some warmth and sunshine in order to germinate properly.

Since you have to put it indoor, you can place a heat mat under the tray and put the tray near a window with lots of sun exposure. Artificial lighting is a good substitute if not enough sun is entering through the window and growing chilies indoors is possible.

After 2 – 3 weeks, you can transplant the young plant into the garden. There should be a distance of about 12 – 48 inches apart each young plant. Each row should be at least 24 – 36 inches apart.

Peppers like warm temperature so you should plant them in places that get lots of sun. The area of the garden where you plant the peppers should have a fertile soil with a PH between 6.2 – 7. The soil must be well drained otherwise it will cause disease like leaf spot.

If you want it to yield heavy fruit, your soil must be rich in potassium, calcium, and phosphorus. In addition, you must regularly water the plant and make sure the soil is moist all the time. If your soil don’t have enough nutrients, you can put 3 – 5 inches of compost above the soil. Organic fertilizer is best used to fertilize the plant.

When growing them early in spring, you can use a row cover to keep them warm and protect them from the cold. If a surprise spring frost is in the forecast, it is advised that you use a frost blanket to cover and protect the young plants. The plant tend to do poorly and the leaves may turn yellowish when the temperature falls below 55º F or 12º C.

Harvesting the Serrano Chili Pepper

The chili is ready for harvesting in 2.5 months starting from the day you transplant them. It will yield a lot of small waxy green fruits in 60 days. After 80 – 100 days, the green peppers will be big and ripe in red, yellow or orange color.

When harvesting, you simply use a pruning shear or sharp knife to nip off the chili pepper. The fruit can last longer if you keep the stem attached. After harvesting the peppers, you can keep them in a air tight plastic bag or plastic container in the refrigerator.

Growing Chillies Indoors: Easiest Chillies to Grow Indoors

growing chillies indoors

growing chillies indoors

Three Easy to Grow Chillies

Daemon Red chili or Thai Chili is very suitable for growing indoors. These peppers are quite small, approximately five to six centimeters long. They are usually red and thin. You can grow them at your home, greenhouse or anywhere else inside. The time of maturity is four to five months. After that, they can be served together with a meal. Daemon Red peppers are very hot but delicious chilies. Consumers have an interesting and pleasant experience while eating them.

The Bhut Jolokia is an extremely hot pepper that grows very well indoors. This chili is great for those who love dangerous pepper varieties. It is definitely one of the hottest chilis in the world, so the consumers should be highly careful while eating it. The Bhut Jolokia originates from Assam in Northeast India and can be found in different shapes, sizes, and colors. Furthermore, this pepper is even used by the Indian army, and it is an interesting fact worth mentioning. The Indian Ministry of Defense replaced controversial pellet bullets with pepper grenades. And the Bhut Jolokia is the main component.

The Inferno chili is a moderately hot pepper, and it is not as dangerous as these chilies above. Its country of origin is Hungary, and because of that the Inferno is also called “Hungarian Hot Wax.” The pods can be yellow, light green, orange and red. Home breeding is an ideal condition for the variety, however, it should be totally exposed to Sun. The Inferno has a quite usual look with a normal shape and an average size.

The best place for growth is definitely somewhere near a window because they need a daylight and Sun rays. You can even make a small plant on the balcony, and the peppers will grow during summer.

To start, you will need the seeds. Fortunately, you can buy seeds easily and the price is pretty affordable. After that, you should also prepare potting soil, water, and a seed tray. If you do not have them, both can be bought online or in a specialized shop.

Their prices vary, so pay attention while buying. When you have all this, the seeds are ready to be planted. Firstly, put potting soil into the seed tray, and then place the seeds an inch down into the soil.

Now, they are ready to be watered, so you should do that. Pay attention to your chili plants, watch them every day, and repeat watering when the soil becomes dry.

Chilli Plant Care: Caring for Sick Chili Plants

Chilli Pepper Plant Care

Pepper plants are usually a quite resistant, and they only require a minimal care.Chilli Pepper Plant Care

That is one of the reasons why many people love to have them in a garden.

However, they are not fully immune to different infections, and there are some types of plant diseases that can harm them. Peppers need to have appropriate conditions for growing. It is the first requirement for their successful development.

Like other plants, they cannot grow without water and Sun. Regardless of their health conditions, they have to be properly exposed to these elements. If they do not receive enough water or Sun, they would be weaker and therefore more susceptible to various illnesses.

Also, if chilies receive too much water on a daily basis, some disease may occur as an outcome.

For example, excessive watering can attract Aphids, which are a real nightmare for chili plants.

They are hard to spot at the beginning, and when you finally notice them, it is usually too late, and your garden is already partially or totally destroyed.

Also, poor pollination can be dangerous for peppers, and like misuse of water, it may cause different problems and attract various plant diseases.

Some of these are Thrips, Viruses, and Spider Mites. Chemical injury can harm chilies too. It often attracts various illnesses, such as Powdery Mildew, Cercospora Leaf Spot, and Viruses among others.

Temperature is also very important for pepper developing. Chilies may have a slow growth if it is too low. They may also fail to ripen because of the same reason. If you notice any of these symptoms, you would know what a potential cause is.

Eliminating the source will eventually cure your sick chilies. Always follow the basic rules to prevent any of these problems. Protect your pepper plants as good as you can. Use enough water and light. Adjust temperature. Expose your plants to sun rays.

Use good soil and enough pollination. Avoid chemical injuries at all cost.

It is all in your hands. If you create good conditions for your chilies, their illness will pass, and you will have no problems anymore.

How to Make Mulch for Chilies

Mulch for Chilies

Mulching is usually an easy and simple process that prevents weed growth. Healthy chili gardens always preserve more water during hot days andMulch for Chilies also have less weed among plants. Except in a garden, mulch can be used for flower protection as well. You can find out how to make mulch easily in the text below.

There are two types of mulch. The first is organic, and the second one is non-organic. For organic chili mulching, you can use straw, grass, chopped leaves, compost, sawdust, wood shavings, paper, scalloped wood, and pine needles.

Non-organic chili mulch materials are black plastic, stones, gravel, and geo-textile. However, this text clearly explains how to make organic mulch, while non-organic mulching is left for a new one.

With organic mulch, it is important to cover the weed that already exists in your garden, and the cover layer should be thick enough. Remember these two basic rules and always follow them. That way, the weed regeneration is prevented, and your garden is safe.

The layer should be from ten to fifteen centimeters thick, while in parts with insufficient sun rays, it should be from five to eight centimeters thick. The structure of mulch can be different, so you can use various materials to make it.

Stores sell corn shavings and wood as a decoration and you can buy them there. Still, it is the best to use your own corn shavings that you made for yourself. Also, if you know someone who has made it, you may borrow a few packs from him.

Fallen leaves can be found almost everywhere especially during autumn. You can ditch these leaves to make free but quality mulch. The fallen leaves can be minced up with a lawnmower that has a grass catcher in the back.

This mulch is ideal for chilies, but it is not suitable for one-year plants because it takes too much time to decompose and may interfere with your cultivation.

The grass is another organic material that can be used for making chilli mulch. It is particularly good for peppers because it contains a large amount of nitrogen.

Pine needles are also useful material for mulch making. Water can easily pass through them, and they gradually break down.

Compost is good material for mulching too. It will enrich the soil, preserve water, and the plants will get a larger amount of minerals from it. Use a thin layer of compost while mulching and put a thin layer of leaves over it. This way, you will achieve the maximum.

Straw is giving the best results in comparison with other organic materials. It keeps moisture, decomposes quickly, and stops weed growth. So you should definitely consider it. However, keep it away from the chili plants because it may attract snails.

Wilting Chili Plants

wilted chilli plant
If you notice wilting chili plants, you should pay attention as something is wrong!
Sometimes, chili plants wilt because they’re baking in the hot, hot sun. Another cause of wilting chili plants is the amount of water you are providing them, this can range from too little or too much moisture.wilted chili plants

Why do Chili Plants Wilt?

When we get thirsty, our bodies are letting us know that we need more water. It is a feeling we have. Part of the reason for this is that we have a skeleton structure that keeps us standing straight. Green leafy plants don’t have a similar structure, they use water pressure to keep them standing upright. You can think of the plant leaf as being similar to a garden hose.

With the water turned off, the hose is limp–its wilted. When we turn the water on, the water pressure inside the hose increases and the hose becomes stiff. The stiff hose no longer looks wilted. Plants work exactly the same way. In order for a plant to maintain its normal shape, it needs a certain amount of water pressure inside the leaves.

Water pressure is maintained in the leaves by the roots which are absorbing water from the soil and pumping it up into the leaves. Leaves naturally loose water, especially during photosynthesis. Water is constantly flowing from the roots to the leaves. If roots can’t get enough water, they can’t maintain the correct water pressure in the plant and the leaves drop or wilt.

If the plant is overwatered, fungal wilt is probably to blame. Spotted wilted pepper plants, leaves that are dotted with brown or black spots, yellow marking on the leaves or stem are sigs of fungal wilt.

Damaged Roots During Transplanting

When you move a plant, it will damage some of its precious roots. It is quite normal for such a plant to show wilting right after being moved.
It is quite common for people to water far too much after transplanting chilis in order to try and fix the problem. Too much water does not help the problem. One solution is to move chili plants in spring and fall when the temperatures are lower and plants are not requiring full energy. At these times of the year, water evaporation from leaves is less and you get less wilting.

If you do move a plant in summer, it will wilt much less if it is covered for a week or two so that it receives less sunlight.

How to fix wilting Chili Plants?

Take a careful look at the environment and the soil for clues.
If the weather is hot and the soil is dry, considering covering the chili plant or moving it to an alternate location. Water the soil twice daily ensuring that the soil is moistened and water doesn’t pool. If the soil is already moist watering can make things worse. Do not overwater and considering watering the plant less. Ensure the soil is well-draining.

Prevention is the best cure to avoid wilting chilis. Take precautions to ensure that the disease doesn’t spread or reappear if its fungal wilts from overwater these are soil-borne and can live in the soil for many years. it will take time before planting in the old location is safe again. Choose a new garden location and keep it free of fungus by increasing drainage and only watering when the top 2 inches of soil feel dry to the touch.

Growing Pettie Belle Chillies

Pettie Belle Chili

Pettie Belle chillies, as it is called in Africa or Bell Pepper in various other parts of the world, is a necessary addition to various types of cuisine is across the world. It is a great addition to any kind of sauces, main courses as well as salads.

Pettie Belle Chili

There are various types of new varieties that can be found from the various types of seeds and nurseries, which can include mini-bells and colored bells that you might be hard pressed to find in your grocery store. Even the farmers market would not help you to find such wonderful bell peppers.

However, you can easily grow such papers in your backyard, particularly in very little space. For example, you could grow them in your small container, and start harvesting them in order to create the best Pepper for your meals.

Pettie Belle Chili Cultivation

In case you would like to grow bell pepper of an exotic variety like the Pettie Belle, you have to secure the seed from nurseries of your choice. If it is late winter, then start the seeds indoors. You should choose an area that contains plenty of light and warmth, or you could set up halogen lights and add a heat mat under the seeding tray so as to create a small greenhouse.

You can then choose a large pea pot, or large coir which can be planted directly into the ground. The peppers can then be transplanted from the pots made out of plastic to that secure location without having the roots disturbed.

After that, fill up your pot with good and lose potting soil. Plant your seeds according to the depth recommended in the Internet or given in the plastic packet containing the seeds. Always keep the soil moist, but not filled with water.

After the seedlings emerge, always make sure that you can turn them regularly, do not allow the plant to get bent; keep changing the direction of the light.

When the time comes for you to plant the pepper outdoors, always make sure that you take them outside for an hour or so in order to harden them. After a few days, keep increasing the time of keeping the plant outside in the sun, until you feel that the plant has been acclimatized, and there is no chance of any sunburn happening to the plant.

Pettie Belle ChilisMake sure that the place is watered uniformly, do not allow the soil to dry out, and make sure that there is no sitting water. If the soil is excessively dry, particularly in the hot and windy days, then there would be no fruits, and the flowers will not bloom.

After the first batch of flower blooms, release some fertilizer. This will help you to get the best possible outcome from the Pettie Belle plant.

Bell Peppers – Growing and Uses

Bell Peppers

Growing Bell Peppers in your kitchen garden

If you are passionate about growing chillies, then you would be definitely aware of the fact that it is indeed a very challenging process, demanding a

Growing Bell Peppers

chunk of your time, patience and effort. Nevertheless, at the end, it is also a very rewarding one. Nurturing chilli plants is an extremely delicate process. Certainly, you need to bring it up with care, attention and details. You would find the process to be simple with no iota of complications.

About bell peppers

Bell peppers are tender crops especially grown in warm seasons. So, once you crave for the sweet, spicy and hot touch to your meals, think of growing bell peppers. They come in a range of sizes, shapes and colours. To grow this seed, you have to start your garden for summer. Once you grow them in summers, you can freeze them throughout the winter to add them to soups and sizzlers.

Bell peppers are usually red, green orange and yellow. However, you can also try growing the rarely coloured ones like white, brown, dark purple, lavender, etc. They are most versatile veggies making place in your kitchen and garden, no matter where you are in the world.

Also known as sweet pepper, capsicum or pepper in various corners of the world, bell pepper is a cultivator group of Capsicum annuum species. Besides being a veggie, it is a botanical fruit that has a plethora of culinary and health benefits.

Germinating your chilli seeds

Let’s look into how you can grow bell peppers, a common and spicy chili variety.

  1. You can start seeding it indoors almost 10 weeks prior to previous spring frost date.
  2. For germination, maintain temperature of 70 degrees F and keep in warm place for quicker and better results.
  3. Start with 3 seeds to one pot and thin out the most fragile seedling. Meanwhile, the remaining two will grow as single plant.
  4. Commence hardening off almost 10 days prior to transplanting.
  5. Introduce aged compost and fertiliser to the soil a week ahead of transplanting.
  6. Now, transplant the seeds outdoors with 24 inches in between.
  7. Maintain 65 degrees F within the soil
  8. Carefully place match sticks (2-3) in the hole with the plants along with spoonful of fertilisers.
  9. Drain the soil well and maintain sufficient moisture.
  10. Fertilise following the initial fruit set.
  11. Weed carefully.
  12. Water two inches every week, depending on your regional climate.

Uses of bell pepper

You can spice up your daily and boring meals with such bell peppers grown in your garden. More so, they also add perky crunch and zest to pizzas, wraps, tacos, etc. When roasted, they taste peppy. So, are you already craving to have them? Well, then it’s time to grow them in your garden. Here are some amazing uses of bell pepper.

Bell peppers are known to contain ample of vitamin C that fortifies your immunity and brings glow to your skin. You would find concentration of vitamin C in red bells. They are known to be low in calories and hence bring good news to the health conscious ones. No wonder, it is a great addition to the platter of obese. On gulping down a full cup of bells, you will gain just 45calories.

stuffed bell peppersRed bell peppers are a jackpot of carotenoids and phytochemicals. The beta-carotene can furnish you with anti-inflammatory benefits and antioxidants. The sulphur content protects certain kinds of cancer. These chillies also contain enzymes like lutein that works wonder in protecting macular degeneration and cataracts.

They are rich in vitamin B6 that lavishes you with a healthy nervous system and renewed cells. The capsaicin content in bell peppers can reduce diabetes, bad cholesterol, inflammation and pain. Bell peppers make great salads and addition to casseroles and soups. Also, they can be grilled, stuffed and placed on sandwiches for crunchy snacks.

Pop some bright coloured bell peppers into your veggie basket and start reaping the amazing benefits.


Expert Guide to Growing Chillies

Growing Chillies

Growing chillies is a very rewarding process, but often it’s the simplest things that get in the way of a great chili harvest, follow the advice below, andGrowing Chillies with a little care and attention you could be enjoying juicy, great tasting chillies in no time.

 

Germinating your chili seeds

Many of us struggle with germinating chili seeds and getting them out of the ground!

First of all, make sure that you select a good compost or seed mix, and gently work out any hard lumps from the soil.

Then place your chili seeds on top of the soil, planting them roughly 1-2 inches apart if planting multiple chili seeds. Then loosely sprinkle some soil over the seeds, but do not compact.

There are 2 main points that you will need to keep in mind to maximise your chances of germination.

The first one is moisture – you can soak your pot(s) from the bottom using a tray filled with water the first time you water them to saturate the soil and activate your chili seeds.

For maintaining the moisture in the soil it is best to use a fine mist plant sprayer to water from the top. Aim to keep the soil moist but not soggy as this may cause your seeds to rot before them come up – just use your finger to test the surface of the soil.

Watering your seed trays or pots with a plant sprayer causes less disturbance to your germinating seeds.

The second important point to note is temperature. Chili seeds require a constant temperature range of between 27-32 degrees C (80-90 degrees F).

This is easily achieved using a heated propagator, however an airing cupboard works extremely well for this purpose also.

Remember to keep checking your pots to see if any seedlings have emerged, as you will then need to move them to a well lit area such as a sunny window sill, otherwise you will end up with thin and wispy plants.

 

Re-potting your chili plants into larger pots

When your seedlings get 3 sets of leaves and are strong enough to handle, now is the time to pot them on into a bigger pot. Chillies need to be potted on as they grow, otherwise their growth will slow and you may well miss the fruiting season because of this.

Be careful not to damage the delicate roots when moving your seedlings and make sure you take as much soil as you can from the original pot to protect the root ball.

When potting on your chili plant seedlings, it is better to increase the pot size gradually to allow the plant to adapt to the increased space and grow strong roots.

A good way to tell if your chili plant needs replanting into a larger pot is by checking the drainage holes on the bottom of your pot – if you can see any root tips emerging from these holes, then now is a good time to transplant to a bigger pot.

In addition, if your chili plant suddenly droops for no reason and it has enough water, then this could also be a sign that it requires more space.

You can also plant your chili plant outdoors once the danger of last frost has gone, although chili plants usually grow quicker in warmer areas such as a sunny window sill or greenhouse.

 

When to water your chili plants and how much

Often overlooked is the importance of watering. One of the most common situations is over-watering. Chili plants like their soil to dry out before watering them again – they don’t like wet feet!

You can tell if your chili plant needs water by its leaves – if they are drooping, give it a drink. The best way is to use your finger to test the top of the soil.

Again, moist but not soggy is the goal here and if your plant looks well, then it probably is.

What to do when your chili plant flowers

Once your chili plant starts to produce flowers, you are doing well! Soon you will be enjoying the fruits of your labour, but now is a good time to highlight the importance of plant nutrition.

A lot is going when your chili plant is in the flowering and fruiting stage and you will need to make sure that your plant has the correct nutrients it requires in order to produce big juicy chillies.

You can feed your chili plant with a general tomato fertiliser as chili and tomato plants are very similar, however it is much better to feed your chili plants with a special chili fertiliser, as they do have specific nutritional requirements – Chili Focus fertiliser produces very tasty and juicy chillies and is organic based.

Remember to feed your chili plant twice a week when it is fruiting and once a week at all other times to make sure it has all the nutrients it needs throughout the different stages of growth. This also makes your plants strong when it comes to “overwinter” them for next season.

 

Pollinating the flowers on your chili plant

Unless your plants are outside where they are naturally pollinated by insects and the wind, then you will need to pollinate the flowers yourself as they open on your plant.

You can do this with a small soft brush by gently dusting each flower. You will then notice over the next week or so that the flowers start to fall off and the fruits will begin to grow.

Chili plants can also easily cross-pollinate with one another by insects or by air if the plants are close to each other, so if you are growing several different varieties, you may want to keep them apart as you will probably end up with some hybrids chillies.

Finally, make sure your plant gets lots of sunlight during this period and you will have some great tasting chillies at the end of the season!

 

Overwintering your chili plants for next season’s crop

A common misconception is that chillies are annuals, but they can and will come back year after year, producing more and more chillies each season.

Overwintering, as it is called, is the process of making sure your plant is ready to “sleep” for the winter. Feeding your plant well throughout the year can help make it’s roots and stem strong enough for the cold months ahead.

With a little care, a properly over-wintered chili plant can bring a larger harvest, which will also arrive a little earlier in the season compared to growing from seed again.

This is because when your plant “wakes up” in the spring, it already has an established root ball, so has a head start in the growing cycle.

The first thing to do when overwintering your chili plants is to pick all of the chillies from the plant when the growing season is over – this tells the plant to produce more in future.

Next you can prune back the plant to approximately 1/3 of its original height. This may sound harsh, but it allows the plant to conserve its energy for the next growing season by not having to maintain all that extra foliage, a bit like when you prune back a rose.

You will also need to keep your plants somewhere with a warm average temperature, where it doesn’t get too chilly in the night.

Remember that you plant will also require a lot less water while it is dormant – once every 2 weeks is enough. Again, you can use your finger to test this.

Your plant will slow its growth as it goes into hibernation, so don’t worry if you don’t see any new shoots for a while.

Come spring time, give it a few weeks and your plant will start to shoot and burst into life, read for the new years growing season with more chillies than you ever imagined!

So, what are you waiting for, plant your chili seeds now and soon you could be enjoying plentiful fresh chillies that you can cook and entertain with.

How to Grow and Care for Jalapenos

Jalapenos

Jalapeno is a type of hot pepper that comes from the same family of plants as cayenne and cherry. This popular pepper originally comes from a place called Xalapa, in the capital of Velacruz, in Mexico. It is often served stuffed with seafood, and cheese and also used as a spice for tacos in Mexican dishes. Jalapeno has a rating in between 2,500 – 8000 Scoville heat units, which is a medium range of chili intensity. Jalapeno looks like a hard plant to grow but you can actually grow it easily by providing adequate sunlight and water.

Planting and Germinating the Seeds

Firstly, you must decide how many jalapenos plants you want to grow. Then, you can prepare the containers for sowing the seeds accordingly. The container should have holes at the bottom so that the water can drain away when you water it. You can use seedling pots or soda bottle as the container. In each container, you can plant 2 – 3 seeds. The seeds are to be sowed at a depth of 1/4 inch. Not all seeds will sprout so you may want to sow extra seeds.

Jalapenos don’t like cold temperatures so you must wait for the temperature to warm up to 75 – 85 before sowing the seeds. It takes 2 – 3 weeks for jalapenos seeds to sprout. After 3 weeks, you can move each seedling that has sprouted to a 3 inch diameter pot. It is to be placed on a sunny spot indoor, for example, the window sill or under the grow lights.

The potting mix of the sprouted seedlings must be kept moist but not too wet so as to damage the roots. You only need to water the seedlings 1 – 2 times per week to maintain the moisture level. You will have to gradually move the seedlings to a few more bigger pots until it grow a young plant. This should take about 8 – 12 weeks. The final container size will be about 2 gallons. Terra cotta container is the best option for the final container. They offer better result compared to plastic containers.

Transplanting the Young Chili Plant Outside

The young chili plant cannot be moved outside immediately. Instead, you will need to slowly expose it to outdoor conditions to allow it to adapt to the new environment. When it is time to move the plant outside, be sure to plant it in a place that get at least 8 – 10 hours of direct sunlight. The transplanted plants should be about 14 – 16 inches apart to ensure that there is enough air circulation.

Caring for the Jalapeno Plant

The best potting soil for jalapenos is organic, rich in nutrition with good drainage quality. Fertilizer should be added about 1 month after you have transplanted the young plant outdoor. You will want to choose a fertilizer with a NPK of 10-10-10. The addition of fertilizer ensures that the chili plant will receive an adequate amount of nutrition after all the existing nutrients in the soil has been used up. New fertilizer can be added on the third watering. There is no need to add any fertilizer if you are using a high quality potting soil. Diluted fertilizer is easier for the plant to absorb compared to solid fertilizer.

Jalapenos are night shade plants just like tomatoes and potatoes so make sure you don’t plant them close to each other. This is because the pests from your tomato and potato plant can go to the jalapeno plant. Some of the common pests are cutworms, aphids, and flea beetles. You can spray neem oil keep it away from these pests. Additionally, you should hand pick the caterpillar, snails, and worms on your jalapeno plant.

Harvesting the Peppers

It takes at least 90 – 120 days for you to see the first crop of your pepper plant. When the pepper plant is mature, it will grow to 2 – 3 feet tall. You may see 30 – 40 pepper pods hanging from the plant. The pods will grow to 2 – 3 inches long before it is ready for harvesting. If it yield too much peppers, you can use a plant cage as support. You can harvest pods from a jalapeno plant for a few times. You can harvest the jalapenos green or red. Or, you can wait until the full time at the end of 120 days to pick the jalapenos when it is ripened to red color.

Picking the peppers early can force more new blossoms. Green jalapenos are not yet ripened so they have milder taste. When it is red, it will have a medium intensity heat flavor. Some people have also picked jalapenos with a mix of red and green color. They make a nice presentation for their dishes. To harvest, you simply pinch the pepper off the vine gently. You can store the pepper fresh in your refrigerator for up to 2 – 3 weeks.