Chili is a very popular vegetable that not only enhances the taste of food but also has many nutritional and health benefits. If you want to grow your chili at home, then you need to have some basic techniques and methods to grow your chili from seed to a rich tree. In this article, i will describe to you how to plant chili indoors, including the selection of suitable varieties, preparation of seeds, seeding, transplantation, management and harvesting。
Select the appropriate species
There are many different varieties of chili, with different shapes, colours, spicyness and growth habits. If you want to plant chili indoors, then you need to choose some varieties that are suitable for potting, which are usually relatively small, compact, premature and high-yielding. Some of the more suitable varieties of peppers for indoor cultivation are:
- havana (habanero): this is a very hot chili, with fruit in cone colours of yellow, orange, red, etc. They can be 2-3 inches (5-7. 5 cm) long and each plant can yield 20-30 fruit. They love warm and wet environments, which require enough sunlight for six to eight hours。
- lantern: this is a medium spicy chili with fruit in the form of a lantern, colours of red, purple, black, etc. They can be as long as 1-2 inches (2. 5-5 cm) and each plant can produce 10-15 fruits. They are adaptable and can withstand cold and drought。
- pequin: this is a very small and hot chili, with a round or egg shape of fruit, green, red, etc. They are only 0. 25-0. 5 inches (0. 6-1. 3 cm) long and each plant yields more than 100 fruit. They grow fast and can harvest within two to three months。
- red sweet: this is a sweet, non-spicy chili, with fruit in cone or bell shape, red, yellow, purple, etc. They can be 3-4 inches (7. 5-10 cm) long, and each plant can produce 10-20 fruits. They are adapted to various soil and climatic conditions。
Prepare torrents
If you want to start planting peppers from the seeds, then you need to prepare the seeds in advance. You can buy suitable varieties of pepper seeds from online or local horticultural stores, or you can collect fresh pepper seeds from yourself or friends. Either way, you need to pay attention to the following:
- choosing a healthy, mature, pest-free chili fruit, cutting open with a knife, digging seeds with spoons or fingers and drying them on a paper towel. If you collect fresh pepper seeds, you need to wash the fruit and glue before drying out, to prevent mold or infection。
- placing dry pepper seeds in a sealed plastic bag or glass bottle, marked with varieties and dates, in a dry, cool and ventilated place. In general, pepper seeds can be preserved for two to three years, but over time the gestation rate is decreasing。
- in the week before planting, the pepper seed is removed from the storage container, placed on a wet paper towel, folded up and placed in a plastic bag, sealed. Plastic bags are placed in a warm place (approximately 25-30°c) and are checked once a day to keep the paper towel wet. This can accelerate the growth of pepper seeds and increase their incidence。
Seeding
When you see little white dots on the pepper seed or crack the shell, it means they're sprouts and they can start planting. You need to prepare the following materials and tools:
- seed seedlings or small flower pots
- seedling soil or general plant land
- a kettle or a sprayer
- plastic film or glass mask
- label or marker
The planting is carried out in accordance with the following steps:
- cleaning up of seedlings or small flower basins, filling them with seedlings or general potted soil, crushing the surface and watering them。
- spreading of two to three pepper seeds on each of the grids or flower basins, with a light push into the soil, not to be buried too deep, but to cover a thin layer of soil。
- watering or spraying again to keep the soil wet but not too wet。
- covering the nursery with plastic sheeting or glass masks, maintaining temperature and humidity。
- the labeling of each grid or flower pot or the marking of the pen, indicating the variety and date。
- placing a nursery plate or a small flower pot in a warm (about 25-30°c) and bright (but not tan) area, with a daily check to keep the soil wet and properly ventilated。
Port
When you see the first pair of paprika seedlings growing, it means they're growing up and they can start transplanting. You need to prepare the following materials and tools:
- bigger flower pots
- general pelvis
- a kettle or a sprayer
- little shovels or chopsticks
- label or marker
The following steps were taken:
- the extraction, with small shovels or chopsticks, of paprika seedlings from seedlings or flower pots, and the preservation of the soil of the roots to the extent possible, so as to avoid damage to the root system。
- filling larger flower basins with general-purpose plant soil, crushing surfaces and pouring water。
- to dig a suitable pit in the flower basin, so that the paprika seedlings can be put in, buried in the ground, softly pressed。
- watering or spraying again to keep the soil wet but not too wet。
- placing a label on the flower basin or writing a marker, indicating the variety and date。
- placing the flower basin in a warm (about 25-30°c) and bright (but not tan) area, once a day, to keep the soil wet and properly ventilated。
Management
Paprika is an easy-growing vegetable that thrives as long as you give them enough light, moisture, temperature and nutrition. You need to pay attention to the following:
- light: paprika likes plenty of sunlight and generally requires direct or indirect light for 6-8 hours per day. If you have insufficient indoor light, you can use artificial lights, such as fluorescent lamps or led lamps. You can take the light at about 30 cm from the pepper plant, 12-14 hours a day。
- humidity: chili needs to keep the soil wet, but not overwet. Over-drying can lead to slow growth of chili, atrophy of fruit and leaf curls; over-moisture can lead to rotting root of chili, yellowing of leaves and fissure of fruit. You can insert two to three centimetres deep in the soil with your finger. Generally, one or two times a week is sufficient. Water should be watered in such a way as to prevent disease from spilling over leaves and fruits。
- temperature: chili is a tropical and subtropical crop that likes warm environments. In general, the best growth temperature for peppers is 25-30°c, with a minimum of 15°c and a maximum of 35°c. If your indoor temperature is too low or too high, you can use heaters or fans to regulate it。
Nutrition: chili needs adequate nutrition to support their growth and outcomes. You can start fertilizing in the second week after the transplant and do it every two weeks. You can use some organic or composite fertilizers, dilute them and water them to the soil in proportion to the instructions. Fertilizers are applied in such a way as to avoid exposure to roots, leaves and fruits in order to prevent burns。
The harvest
And when you see the paprika fruit reach its ripe colour and size, it means they're already harvestable. You can decide the timing of the harvest according to your preferences and needs, and generally, the more chili matures, the more spicy and the less sweet. You need to prepare the following materials and tools:
- scissors or knives
- a basket or a plate
The following steps are taken:
- cutting off with scissors or small knives along the link between the paprika fruit and the tubing, keeping as much as possible a stem and avoiding damage to the fruit。
- placing the harvested peppers in a basket or plate to avoid overcolding in order to prevent crushing or friction。
- put the harvested peppers in a dry, ventilated, cold place to eat or preserve them as soon as possible. You can keep chili, dry, pickle, make sauce, etc。
That's what i wrote about home-planted peppers. I hope it'll help you. If you have any questions or suggestions, you're welcome to keep me informed. Thank you for reading
