Tips for Growing Peppers
The process of pepper growing requires some strategy to be adopted in order to yield maximum chilli peppers in their growing season. The pepper plants require ample time to produce and ripen up the fruits. Hence the pepper growing indoors is to be started in the winter.
The seeds after being sown are kept in plastic covers and are heated from the bottom keeping the moisture level normal. After germination the seedlings are placed in a place where they can get plenty of bright light and air.
Another strategy for pepper growing is to prevent them from getting rootbound by sowing them into large pots. So that when these pepper seedlings are planted outside, the roots will be spread out, vigorous and not cramped. This will help in growing peppers in good quality and quantity.
The Harmful Pests
There are certain pests that may cause harm to the Peppers Plants and thus damaging the pepper growing process. Young pepper plants are often affected by aphids. Certain precautionary measures have to be taken to control these pests. A spray mixture of soapy water and chile powder can be used to destroy these pests.
To prepare this mixture one-half to one teaspoon of the hottest, most finely ground chile powder is mixed with ready-made insecticidal soap and sprayed on the Pepper plants. The other pest that is to be taken care of is the cat. Thus the seedlings have to be kept in a safe place and well protected.
Transplanting Process
For the purpose of Pepper growing, the seedlings are best transplanted in a spring environment of high winds, low temperatures and bright light for growing peppers. 3 to 7 days before plantation, the pepper seedlings from the greenhouse are kept in front of a fan all day and night to get accustomed with the outside breeze when transplanted. Then they are placed outside for an increasing period of time before they are finally transplanted on the field.
Preparing the Plot
While preparing the seedlings, the plot for transplantation is also to be prepared. In some regions, peppers grow well in raised beds but in dry climates they grow better in sunken beds.
The pepper growing should take place in a field where peppers have not grown for several years in order to protect the plants from diseases.
Only the healthiest and the most vigorous seedlings should be planted to maximize the yield. The seedlings are to be placed at least about 6 to 12 inches apart for proper growth.
The Growing Season
There are a few more attributes on how to grow peppers in a large scale. The pepper field needs to be kept free from weeds that can harm the pepper growing plants by harboring pests like leafhoppers.
In the warmer zones a protective covering has to be put on the plants to protect them from intense sunlight, which may cause sunscald. Otherwise, the total yield of fruits will be decreased.
When in the hottest season of July and August the pepper plants start losing water through their leaves, the water loss is to be reduced by boosting the humidity around the plants with a thick covering of dried glass. This way the leaf wilt and the dropping of flowers and fruits can be avoided.
Another way to maximize the yield especially in hot pepper like jalapenos, is to pick the fruit when they are at their largest mature green size. This is because if a pepper plant reaches its fruit load, it stops producing the flowers and the fruits resulting in poor yield.
The Harvesting Time
Generally the peppers are not harvested during the first frost. To protect the plants from the frost, the plants are covered with plastic or nylon covering. The small plants in the pots are kept inside rooms since early evening to save them from the excessive cold till the spring arrives.
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