Chillies and peppers (such as bell peppers) are used in all home cooking. It can be easily grown at home in pots or garden beds. There are a few things to keep in mind while growing it. With good sunlight and care, you can easily enjoy a fresh supply of spicy or sweet peppers. Let’s see how to grow it –
Scientific Name of Tomato: Capsicum annum L.
Follow these steps to grow Chillies and Peppers at Home-
- Sunlight: 6-8 hours of full sunlight per day
- Temperature: 20-35°C (it grows well in summer)
- Soil: Well-drained, fertile, and slightly acidic (pH 6.0-6.8)
- Watering: Keep the soil evenly moist, but do not allow waterlogging
Harvesting time: 60-90 days (varies according to variety)
Detailed step-by-step guide to growing Chillies and Peppers at home-
Choose the right variety
To grow them at home, it is very important to choose the right variety –
- Chilli: Green chilli, Bird’s eye, Jalapeno, Cayenne
- Peppers: Bell pepper (Capsicum), Banana pepper, Sweet pepper
You can grow it from seeds or buy small plants from the nursery.
Choose the right place to grow
- It is very important to choose the right place to grow it. For this, use pots at least 10-12 inches deep. Which has holes for good drainage.
Prepare the soil
- Mix garden soil + compost + cocopeat or sand (for drainage) in the soil in which it is to be grown. It is suitable for growing in it.
- Add a small amount of wood ash or bone powder to it for the plant to fruit well.
Sow seeds or plant the plants
- It can also be grown directly from seed. For this, sow the seeds half an inch deep and keep warm for germination. After this, keep it in the sun so that it can grow well.
- You can buy its plants from the nursery and sow them directly in the pots.
- If you are sowing the plants directly in the ground, then keep a little distance between each plant so that there is no problem when the plants grow.
Watering routine
- Water the plants deeply, but only when the topsoil feels dry. Overwatering can lead to fungal diseases and root rot.
Giving proper sunlight and heat
- Chilli plants thrive in full sun so keep them in a spot with direct sunlight for most of the day.
Support and pruning
- The plant has weak stems. As the plants grow taller, use stakes to support them so that the plant can grow easily.
- Pinch off the first few flowers to make the plant sturdier and prune excess side shoots to encourage bushy growth so that the plant does not take too much weight.
Fertilizing at the right time
- Add compost tea or liquid organic fertilizer every 2-3 weeks. After flowering, switch to a low nitrogen, high-potassium food.
Right time to harvest Chillies and Peppers
- Chilli and capsicum are ready in about 60-90 days. You can harvest the fruits green or wait for the red/yellow fruits to ripen, depending on the variety you have.
- Use scissors or pruning shears to harvest the fruits. Avoid pulling or breaking them, as this damages the stem.
