Growing Chillies

Growing Chillies

Bell Peppers – Growing and Uses

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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.


Growing Pettie Belle Chillies

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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.

Anatomy of a Chili Pepper

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Growing Chillies

Chili is derived from the term chil given by the Arawak Indians who were the ones that first cultivated it. When Columbus first discovered the chili, he brought it back to Spain where they add the ‘e’ to it. Chili is the oldest spice in the world with archaeological specimens being found that dated to as far back to 7,000 B.C. in New Mexico.

Chili Pepper

Today, there are many variety of chili peppers including color, degree of spiciness, and shapes. Chili not only add spiciness to the food but it is also rich in antioxidant and rich in vitamin A and C. The anatomy of a chili pepper is comprises of many parts including peduncle, calyx, capsaicin glands, placenta, exocarp, mesocarp, endocarp, seed and apex.

Peduncle is the short branch on top of the pepper that remains when you harvest it from the plant.

Calyx is the green crown on top of the fruit where the penduncle is attach to. It is the remnant of the flower that has already transformed into the fruit. Preserving the calyx can keep the fruit fresher for a longer time.

Capsaicin glands is the central seed stem inside of the pepper that is joined to the placenta near the top. It is located in between the placenta and endocarp. Many people wrongly presumed that the seeds are responsible for producing the capsaicin glands.

Placenta is the round part on top where the seeds are attached to.

Exocarp is the outermost layer of the pepper which comprises the skin.

Mesocarp is the fleshy part under the skin of the pepper which is also called exocarp.

Endocarp is the inner membrane layer that surrounds the seeds.

The seed inside the pepper has low level of moisture but a high level of lecithin. Chili pepper seeds are edible. However, most people will prefer to discard the seeds as they are hard to chew and do not add any spicy flavor to the cooking.

The seeds are hot but they are not the hottest part. The white pith or rib that hold the seeds and the part that connect to the shoulder are believed to be the hottest part. The white pith is about 100 times hotter that the pepper flesh.

Apex is the bottom tip of the pepper fruit. The apex and peduncle are two areas that have the least capsaicin so biting these areas first will be less hotter.

When preparing chili pepper, you may want to wear a pair of glove to prevent the capsaicin oil from coming in contact to your skin. The capsaicin oil in the pepper can burn your skin and cause blistering.

If your skin get burned, you can apply some white vinegar to sooth it. Skin burn can occur especially when you are preparing a pepper with high Scoville scale such as Habanero.

How to Grow Serrano Chili Pepper

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

How to Grow and Care for Jalapenos

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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.

Gardening Guide on Growing Bell Peppers in Container

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Growing Bell Peppers in Container

Bell pepper, also known as Capsicum anuum, is a must have vegetable crop in your garden if you live in a place with warmer climate. Bell peppers have a crispy sweet flavor which makes it a great addition to a variety of dishes. It does not taste hot like its relatives the chili hot peppers because it does not contain the capsaicin compound.

There are several varieties of bell peppers. The green bell pepper is the most common and cheapest in the supermarket. Next to green peppers on the aisle are the red, yellow, and purple peppers. Green pepper are often cheaper because they are picked early. All colors of peppers keep their colors when cooked except the purple peppers which turned to dark muddy color when cooked. You can buy bell pepper seeds at your local nurseries or online from amazon. You should always look for varieties that can ripen fast. Some of the recommended varieties are lady bell, gypsy, orange sun, and Golden California Wonder.

When to Sow Bell Peppers

Bell peppers like cool temperature in between 21 – 25 degrees. It will not grow well if it is too hot or too cold. Therefore, the best time to plant it is a few weeks before Spring in February or in the Fall time in September.

Sowing the Seed

A good pot of seeding mix will consist of cocopeat, vermicompost, and sand. When you plant the seed, make sure you don’t bury it too deep. You only need to bury the seed about 1 cm deep. If the seed is sown too deep, you will not be able to see the leaf when it germinate. The birds always like to eat new seeds that are just sown so you should cover your pot with a polyethylene cloth.

The pot with the newly sown seeds should be exposed to at least 4 hours of sun in order for germination to take place effectively. Bell peppers is like a small tree and it will produce lots of small branches with leaves when mature. So, if you plant in a big pot, you can at most plant only 2 seeds. The seeds should be planted about 6 – 8 inches apart.

Preparing the Soil for Transplanting Bell Peppers

 

Bell pepper likes loamy soil that is well drained. You can make the soil well drained by lining it with porous landscape fabric or plastic. If you use plastic, makes sure to punch holes on the locations where the drainage holes are. The soil should not be too wet and muddy or else the root will become rotten. It also should not be too dry until it show cracked lines as it will result in blossoms drop.

Prior to transplanting, you can add aged compost into the soil. The aged compost will work as fertilizer and as mulch to assist in the retaining of the water. It is recommended to continue adding other fertilizers for maintaining the bell pepper plant. For example, you can add compost tea or fish emulsion solution every 10 days or so.

High nitrogen fertilizer can prevent the plant from bearing fruits so it should be avoided. Many people also like to add plastic mulch to increase the yields. On the other hand, organic compost mulch can lower the amount of weeds and reduce the need for watering. Organic compost mulch does not help in any way in the fruit yield.

Caring for the Young Bell Pepper Plants

After the young plants are successfully transplanted, you must keep watch for weeds that will spring up every now and then in the planting beds. In addition, you should also don’t forget to water 1 – 2 inches of water every week. You need to keep in mind that pepper is a heat sensitive plant which means you must water daily if you live in an area with warm climate. You can apply a solution that consists of a mixture of detergent and water on your pepper plant to keep away the aphids and whiteflies. It is important to keep the bell pepper plant in a place with the suitable temperature otherwise it will not bear fruits.

Harvesting and Storage

Usually, it takes around 2 months for the bell pepper plant to grow to full size. It is best to harvest the peppers when it has changed to the color you want. For example, if you want to use green pepper in your cooking, then you can pluck it when it is green. However, if you want to use yellow pepper, you should ideally wait until it has changed to yellow color. It will also work if you pluck it green and then keep in place that has sunlight so that it can change to red and then yellow. However, it will not taste as sweet as when you pluck it in yellow color from the plant.

You can store bell peppers in plastic bags in the refrigerator for up to 1 – 2 weeks. You can also store peppers in dried forms. To dry the peppers, you must first remove the seeds and then cut into strips. The strips are to be spread out on a baking sheet and baked for 10 minutes in the oven. After that, you can remove the peppers from the oven and let it cool down. Once cooled, you can put the pepper in bags and store them in the refrigerator.

 

 

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