How to grow peppers at home. Growing and caring for hot peppers at home
Bulgarian pepper is the result of selection by Bulgarian botanists. Therefore, it received such a name. The birthplace of culture is South America. It was from there that it was brought to neighboring continents, where varieties suitable for the local climate were already being bred.
Bulgarian pepper - description
There are many types of pepper and it is valued as a spice, as a vegetable, and even as ornamental plant. Due to its excellent taste and pleasant aroma, sweet bell pepper is widely used in cooking. Main value is the content in the pulp of the fruit of ascorbic acid, which is even more than in lemons and black currants. Vitamin C improves immunity, strengthens blood vessels, fights excess cholesterol, putting the blood in order. Peppers contain carbohydrates, proteins, fats, there are vitamins that regulate metabolism and are involved in various chemical processes organism. By eating a medium-sized peppercorn a day, you can satisfy daily requirement organism in vitamin C. Agricultural technology bell pepper does not deliver big problems vegetable growers and is successfully carried out not only on garden plots, but also at home on the windowsills.
Varieties of bell peppers for growing at home
Many gardeners even plant peppers at home in cold weather to enjoy all year round its taste and beautiful flowering bushes on the window. There are many varieties recommended for cultivation in room conditions. Below we consider the most popular of them.
Treasure Island
Belongs to the category early ripe varieties. The term of technical maturity is 90-100 days. The fruits are juicy, smooth and shiny orange-red in color, heart-shaped. Average weight 60 g. Seedling height does not exceed 50 cm, is included in undersized species. Is different high ability adapt to breeding conditions, repeated flowering and fruiting, great for cultivation in an apartment on windowsills or balconies.
Firstborn of Siberia
Early maturing variety of universal purpose. The fruits are large, cone-shaped, very fragrant, fleshy and tasty, weighing up to 100 g. The ripening period is 110-120 days. The bush is standard, slightly sprawling, up to 90 cm high. By following the rules of agricultural technology, you can get an excellent harvest both in open soil and in greenhouses.
Dwarf
Undersized compact type of pepper, up to 50 cm, ideal for breeding in an apartment. The fruits are small, juicy, cone-shaped, weighing up to 80 g. Harvest is taken on the 110th day from the appearance of the first shoots. During the growing season, constant fertilizing with minerals is required.
Watercolor
room early variety: blooms on 60-65 days, reaches technical maturity on 85-95 days, and biological - on the 110th day from germination. Bush 45-65 cm high with foliage and fruits of a bouquet type, very decorative. Inflorescences are white with purple edging. Peppers are cone-shaped, thin-skinned, glossy, weighing 20-30 g. The color changes from bright lilac to red. This species is characterized by high and abundant yield, shade-tolerant, resistant to phytodiseases.
Gift from Moldova
Time-tested, requires a minimum of effort to grow, endures weather surprises. Mid-season variety, matures at 115 - 135 days. Small semi-stem plant, with a maximum height of up to 50 cm, with a massive, well-developed root system. The fruits are elastic cones lowered downwards, large, juicy and sweet, weighing 70-90 g. In technical ripeness they are light green, and in removable ripeness they are beautiful bright red. Consumed in fresh and for conservation. Fusarium resistant. Bred both without shelter and in greenhouses.
Martin
Standard semi-spreading bush, 50 - 65 cm high, with cone-shaped thick-walled fruits of light green color, in biological ripeness - red. The weight of the vegetable reaches 80 -100 g. From the first shoots to removable maturity, 120 - 135 days pass. Cultivated on open beds and in greenhouses. Due to the high content of ascorbic acid, it is widely used in the canning industry.
Growing seedlings
All varieties of bell pepper are very popular for high yield and year-round fruiting so beautiful and beneficial fruits. The key to a good harvest of representatives of the nightshade family is properly prepared seeds and high-quality seedlings.
Seed preparation
First of all, viable seeds are selected. To test seeds for germination, gardeners use folk method. pour out planting material in saline solution(0.5 l water + 1 tsp salt) and mix well. Seeds that have settled to the bottom of the glass can be safely prepared for sowing. After selection, the seeds are immersed in a dark solution of manganese and washed after 20 minutes.
The next step is hardening: the raw material is first kept in warm water several hours, and then for 6 hours placed in the refrigerator (under the freezer). You can make an extract from the ashes: mix 0.5 l of water and 2 tsp wood ash, let it brew for a day and soak the seeds for 5 hours. After that, the seeds can not be washed, but immediately proceed to sowing.
Soil preparation
To grow bell pepper from seeds at home, you need to properly prepare a mixture of soil, which consists of peat or humus, sod or garden soil with mixing river sand. The soil used is disinfected by incandescence or spilled with a solution of manganese. These techniques will help protect plants from disease. It is also very useful to add mineral fertilizers.
Planting seeds and picking
Seeds are sown at a distance of 2 - 3 cm from each other, sprinkle thin layer soil and carefully watered warm water. The containers are transferred to a warm place and covered with glass or film, creating a kind of greenhouse. When all the seeds hatch, the film is removed and the seedlings are rearranged in a bright place. It is very important at this time to maintain the temperature in the room up to 25 degrees during the day and 14-16 at night.
When 2-3 true leaves appear, the seedlings dive into separate pots. Having a vulnerable root system, pepper is hard to transplant and takes a long time to recover. In the case of indoor pepper, seeds can be planted immediately in individual pots or glasses. Drainage holes are made in the pots to drain excess water. When picking, the sprout is carefully removed and, without deepening below the root growth point, they compress and compact the soil, and then moisten it. Until the seedlings take root, they protect it from direct sunlight for 10 days.
Care rules
An important step in cultivation is proper care and timely feeding. If the plants are protected from drafts, sufficiently illuminated and fertilized, they will please with a good vitamin harvest. To increase the yield, you can pollinate the peppers by hand, gently shaking the flowering bushes or walking through the inflorescences with a soft brush or feather. Watering is carried out in the morning with warm water. Be sure to observe the thermal and light conditions. If lighting is not enough, use fluorescent lamps. decorative pepper needs regular loosening of the earth and an annual transplant to renew the soil.
top dressing
The first feeding after picking can be done after 10 days. To do this, dilute 5 grams per 5 liters of water. ammonium nitrate, 20 gr. superphosphate and 15 gr. potassium sulfate. Plants should be watered before and after feeding. clean water. Top dressing is carried out every 2 weeks.
Sometimes when breeding room pepper there are cases of yellowing of plants and falling leaves. There may be several factors behind this problem.
- Poor watering. Peppers love water, but it is important not to overdo it so as not to provoke root rot.
- Sharp temperature changes. Pepper is a thermophilic crop.
- Insufficient nutrition of young seedlings due to root interlacing. To avoid this problem, seedlings are planted at a distance from each other.
- Micronutrient deficiency:
- the absence of calcium is determined by the curvature of young leaves and yellow spots on them;
- from a lack of iron, the leaf plates turn yellow completely. First, the center of the young leaf seems to rust, and then the yellowness spreads to the entire leaf;
- when the seedlings lack nitrogen, the lower leaves begin to wilt and turn yellow. This problem is solved by feeding vegetables with nitrogenous fertilizers (mullein, chicken manure, ammonium nitrate);
- lack of potassium is manifested by yellowing of the lower row of leaves, they dry out at the edges, while remaining green in the center sheet plate. In this case, peppers are fed with potassium sulfate.
Growing bell peppers on a windowsill is very easy. Go for it and the result will certainly please you.
It is a pleasure to watch indoor hot pepper: it grows and blooms quickly, forming small white flower stars. Then the fruits are tied: at first they are green, and when they turn red or turn yellow, they resemble lighted candles on a Christmas tree!
Hot pepper: biological description
FAMILY: Solanaceae
BUSH: Lush, compact, height from 20 cm
FORM: Depending on the variety, the fruits are blunt, pointed, even or slightly curved, directed upwards, like a candle, or downwards.
SIZE: Peppers from 2 to 9 cm
The pods taste very bitter, so I use them as a seasoning for preserving vegetables or dry them and grind them. Indoor pepper bears fruit better on fatty soils with regular watering in warm room at good lighting He doesn't like shading.
FACT: summer flower pot with indoor pepper YOU CAN TAKE OUT OUTDOORS OR ON A BALCONY.
Sowing hot pepper
I sow the seeds that have hatched into a box filled with a mixture of garden soil, humus and peat 2: 1: 1. On a bucket of this mixture I add 1 tbsp. wood ash and a few pinches of complex mineral fertilizer. After sowing, I cover the box with glass.
For indoor pepper, the air temperature is at least + 15 degrees, in winter and up to + 20 ... + 25 degrees. spring-summer.
If condensate collects on it, it means that the necessary microclimate for seed germination has been obtained, but nevertheless I periodically open the container for a short time to ventilate. When the first true leaves appear, I dive into separate pots, while pinching the central stem. After this procedure, there side shoots, which I also pinch. Thus, it is possible to form a lush plant crown, increase productivity.
TIP: I periodically pollinate indoor capsicum: I touch the stamens of flowers with a brush and thus transfer pollen from one flower to another. This not only increases the number of ovaries, but also makes the fruits larger, they become "angrier", more fragrant and tastier.
Hot pepper care at home
I water the pepper moderately, not allowing the soil to dry out. Moreover, I keep a jar of water a day before watering by the battery so that the liquid is infused and slightly warmed up.
I feed the pepper once every 2 weeks according to the season. In autumn-winter - any water-soluble complex mineral fertilizers (from the editors: Rastvorin, Kemira Lux, Kemira Universal, nitrophoska - at the rate of 1 tsp per 5 liters of water). In spring and early summer, I feed with phosphorus-nitrogen fertilizers.
In the summer, when I keep pots of plants outside, I can feed them with a weak solution of mullein (1:15).
Hot pepper - benefits and harms
Benefit
- Hot peppers lower blood sugar and "bad" cholesterol levels.
- Where indoor pepper grows, the air is cleaner - thanks to its bactericidal properties, it inhibits the development of harmful microbes.
Harm
Hot peppers should not be eaten during exacerbation:
- stomach ulcers;
- gastritis;
- angina. By the way, a glass of milk or yogurt will help put out the "fire" in the stomach if you overdo it with spicy food.
Diseases and pests of indoor pepper and their control
Black leg on hot pepper
The most common disease. It mainly affects seedlings. To combat it, it is enough to adjust the temperature and humidity in the room (do not overfill the soil; for prevention, spill it with a pink solution of potassium permanganate).
Aphids and spider mites
To fight insects, spray the plants with a proven folk remedy - infusion of ash (0.5 tbsp. Ash pour 5 l hot water, mix, leave overnight, mix again in the morning and strain). You can wash the leaves with a sponge soapy water or spray with any insecticide.
Manana KASTRITSKAYA, Ph.D. agricultural sciences
Note: Hot peppers at home: personal growing experience
Hot pepper is a perennial culture, which I use with pleasure. Having grown bushes from seeds, then for five years I rejuvenate them with pruning.
To do this, in the fall I dig up the plants still with fruits, transplant them into pots, continue to care for them: water, feed, remove ripe peppers. I transfer the fruiting bushes to a cooler and brighter room (I have a glazed unheated loggia).
I maintain the temperature on the loggia from +14 to + 18 degrees. - This comfortable conditions for overwintering hot peppers. I rarely water, but I do not allow the soil to dry out in a pot, I spray it with settled water from above. Already in February, I put peppers on a bright window sill in the room (where + 22 ... + 24 degrees). I cut the bushes, leaving hemp about 5 cm long in place of the lateral branches. I water it, feed it according to the instructions with a complex mineral fertilizer. After a while, twigs, leaves begin to grow, and then the bushes bloom.
In April-May (I look at the weather) I transplant peppers to the garden, covering under the arcs with lu-trasil. With the onset of stable heat, I remove the shelter. AT further care normal, as for other peppers. And I leave some specimens in pots and decorate the gazebo, the entrance to the house with them.
In autumn, the bushes from the garden are again transplanted into pots, and so on for five years in a row. In the fifth year, I sow hot peppers with seeds, and in the fall I replant the plants in pots and transfer them to the loggia for wintering.
Valentina TIKHONOVA, Krasnodar Territory
Such a useful and priceless vegetable as pepper is planted in greenhouses, but under certain conditions it ripens in the open field. This plant is quite difficult for beginners. Get good harvest knowledge of the agricultural technology of this crop, as well as compliance with the rules for its cultivation, will allow. Great importance has high-quality seedlings of peppers, which are obtained at home.
Peppers from seeds can be grown with the right understanding of its agricultural technology.
Where to begin
Peppers do not tolerate cold weather and its sudden changes. For this crop, the temperature should not be below 18 degrees Celsius. Therefore, it is often grown in greenhouses. If there is no greenhouse, the seeds begin to be sown as early as February, so that they can be planted in open ground in May. If you plant pepper at the end of March, then the plants will begin to bloom only in August.
To get a crop of this vegetable, you must:
- choose the right type of pepper;
- prepare the soil and plant the seeds;
- grow seedlings at home;
- transplant seedlings into a greenhouse;
- maintain the conditions necessary for fruit ripening.
To plant seedlings in May, the seeds need to be planted in February
Which variety to choose
Pepper is hot, semi-sharp and sweet. There are no special differences between the cultivation of sweet bell pepper and its other types. All these plants are demanding on light, warmth and proper watering.
There are many varieties of pepper on the market today. Gardeners choose the desired color and shape of the vegetable, and also take into account the purpose of its consumption. If the pepper is planned to be used fresh, sometimes one variety is enough.
In the greenhouse, you can grow almost any variety, subject to the possibility of heating. They will not disappoint with their harvest "Big Papa", "Bogatyr", "Bugai", "California Miracle". For unheated greenhouses, "Ilya Muromets", "Player", " orange wonder”, “Karapuz”. AT early dates ripen "Pinocchio", "Tenderness", "Winnie the Pooh", in the later "Alyonushka", "Swallow", "Night".
Pepper Ilya Muromets is suitable for greenhouses without heating
Soil and seed preparation
Fertile soil is one of important criteria for cultivation quality seedlings. Some gardeners purchase ready-made soil mixture. It should be loose, moisture-absorbing and light. You can also compose it yourself. To do this, mix the earth with turf and sand, in a ratio of 2: 1: 1. For ten liters of such soil, add one tablespoon of wood ash with superphosphate.
It is advisable to disinfect the resulting mixture with a solution of potassium permanganate. Garden soil is not suitable for preparing the substrate. If the soil is left from last year or taken from suburban area, it is necessary to warm it up in order to destroy possible pests. This is done on a baking sheet in the oven. You can boil the earth in a colander over a pot of water for an hour.
It is better for beginner gardeners to purchase special soil in order to avoid failures. The substrate "Biogrunt" is quite common and popular, and " living earth» already contains all the necessary fertilizers.
The strength and health of future sprouts depends on the seed, the preparation of which must be taken seriously. Before you start planting, you need to process the seeds. To increase germination, the following methods are used:
- First of all, the seed material is inspected and sorted out.
- Bell pepper seeds are kept in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for about 15 minutes, and then washed and dried. You can use solutions "Maxim", "Epin", "Fitosporin-M".
- To enrich them with useful trace elements, apply water solution potassium humate. You can put the seeds in a cloth and leave for three hours in a mixture of two grams of wood ash and a liter of water.
- To see the sprouts faster, the seeds are placed in wet gauze and left in a warm place. When a young stem appeared, they begin sowing in the prepared soil.
Substrate Biogrunt is suitable for growing pepper seedlings
Sowing seeds
Usually, the fruits ripen 100–150 days after the appearance of the first leaves, and the seedlings are planted after 60–80 days. But it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of each variety in order to accurately calculate the time for sowing.
Containers or pots are prepared in advance for planting by washing them in a solution of potassium permanganate or with laundry soap. It can be peat pots, and plastic cassettes. The best option there will be dishes that decay in the ground. Then it will be possible to plant sprouts in open ground without taking out the plants. Paper cups or peat pots are suitable.
The substrate is compacted into a container so that about two centimeters remain to its edge. Plant seeds no deeper than ten millimeters. The distance between them will be about three centimeters.
When using cassettes, one grain is placed in each cell. Then they are pressed down with a hand, sprinkled with soil mixture and watered abundantly.
The containers are covered with glass or film and left in a warm place. If several varieties were used, it is advised to designate them with notes with the appropriate names.
Pots with seedlings of pepper should be marked depending on the variety
seedling care
During the first week, the root system of plants is formed. Favorable temperature at this time is 14-16 degrees Celsius. Then it is raised to 25 degrees during the day and 17 at night.
After about a month, the first true leaves appear. During these days, it is necessary to water the seedlings once a week and fertilize with special fertilizers. A solution of one tablespoon of calcium nitrate in a bucket of water will do. A popular store drug is Kemira Combi.
Do not get carried away with watering. This can lead to the development of infection and death of the mouths. If the seedlings are rarely and unevenly moistened, they will shed their leaves and weaken. The water temperature should be about thirty degrees. Do not water peppers with cold water.
To grow a quality crop, sunlight is needed. At home, you need to make sure that the seedlings stand on the window where there is more light. It is desirable that it be the south side. Sometimes you have to use additional lighting. If the crops are late, the illumination duration is three or four weeks, the rest of the seeds have two or three. Illumination should be uniform throughout the growing period.
Sometimes they appear on seedlings small bugs- aphid. They feed on leaf sap and damage plants. Many chemicals for pest control can not be used at home. Then come folk remedies. For example, five grams of ground soap are dissolved in one liter of water. The leaves of plants are washed with this composition. effective means, which will help get rid of insects, are also decoctions of yarrow or garlic.
With a lack of sun, peppers, like other vegetables, need to be illuminated.
Picking and hardening
Picking technique allows you to grow strong seedlings which is able to provide high yield. It is a pinch of the final part of the main root. This is done for the growth of lateral and adventitious roots, stimulating the branching of the root system. When the seedlings have the first two leaves, you can start picking. If the seeds were planted in a common box, now they should be planted separately.
Pepper dive as follows:
- Seedlings are carefully taken and placed in the hole so that the roots do not bend and are freely located in the ground. Plastic cups or cassettes with a diameter of 8-10 centimeters are used as a container. Their bottom should have small holes to prevent stagnant water.
- You can take the same soil as for sowing. The plant is placed in a hole, the root neck is advised to be deepened by 5 mm.
- The seedlings are then carefully watered and a nutrient solution for watering is applied, which consists of one teaspoon of potassium sulfate and ten liters of water.
- The containers are placed in a place protected from direct sunlight. Temperature fluctuations should not go beyond the norm. 13-15 degrees of heat are considered acceptable.
- After two weeks, you need to feed the plants. Can be used already ready-made fertilizers: "Fortress", "Agricola", "Mortar". The second procedure is carried out after 14 days.
- After picking, it is advised to sprinkle with calcined sand around the stem. It contributes the best passage moisture to the root. Such a measure will protect the seedlings from the "black leg".
- Seedlings are watered once every 5 or 6 days using settled water. room temperature. Top dressing and watering is carried out in the morning.
Young plants must be hardened by the sun. They are accustomed to the conditions environment a month before planting in the ground. Pepper is taken out Fresh air, gradually increasing the time spent in open areas. You can take it out to the balcony or just open the window. But drafts should not be allowed, which can adversely affect the growth and development of seedlings. If the air temperature is below 12 degrees, they are not taken out into fresh air. Hardening will help grow fruits two weeks earlier.
Seedlings with two leaves can already dive
Landing in the ground
Seedlings are transplanted into the ground when the first buds have already formed and there are at least 8 leaves. The length of the stem usually reaches about 2.5 centimeters by this time. You can not miss the time of planting plants in the ground.
Peppers are planted at the end of May and until mid-June, and in the greenhouse this is done already in the first days of April. The soil should be warm enough, and the temperature should be 15-17 degrees Celsius.
Peppers take root better in the ground where cucumbers, pumpkin, carrots, cabbage or zucchini grew before. Before planting, it is necessary to water the seedlings with water to preserve the soil clod. The procedure is best done in the evening on a warm day. The plant is carefully removed from the container and placed in the hole until the first true leaves. They are very delicate and fragile, so they need to be tied to a support immediately after transplanting into the ground. Shallow loosening will help plants quickly adapt to new conditions.
To protect pepper from low night temperatures and possible frosts, you should provide extra cover from film. It is removed after the desired temperature is established, from about mid-July.
For future seedlings, it is necessary to extract the grains from the fruits of the vegetable. Peppers are cut along the edge around the stem. Then it is removed, and the seeds are shaken out and scraped out with a knife. They are dried under the sun, ground and cleaned of pulp and litter. In the case of spicy and semi-sharp varieties, protect the nose, eyes and mouth, and wear gloves. Seed material is stored for up to three years.
Despite some difficulties in growing seedlings, pepper remains one of the most popular and beloved vegetable crops. Experienced gardeners manages to get excellent fruits every year, whether it is hot, cold or rainy. Pledge of a rich harvest - good mood and desire to engage in this process. Then grow this bright and healthy vegetable anyone can do it.
not many horticultural crops can be grown on the windowsill with such a high degree of decorativeness, like small-fruited peppers. It is not only original as a decor, but also useful in the household. Since pepper belongs to perennial crops, planting it once, you can enjoy it for several years in a row. It is not difficult to grow pepper on the windowsill, the main thing is to choose the right planting material, properly prepare the substrate and regularly care for the plantings.
Hot pepper on the windowsill
Small-fruited hot peppers are especially loved by housewives. It is a compact bush with fruits of the highest decorative value. Even the favorite greenery on the windowsill is inferior to this vegetable culture. For planting choose seeds of hybrids that self-pollinate. Stock up on nutritious soil based on biohumus and a special lamp for highlighting in the autumn-winter period. Everything else will depend only on proper care.
how to grow hot peppers on the windowsill in the apartment. A photo
disembarkation
Before sowing the seeds of bitter pepper, they must be kept in solution. potassium permanganate 2 hours. This procedure is not carried out if the seeds are processed by the manufacturer. Among the processed seeds, you need to choose those that have sunk to the bottom of the tank during this time. The rest have dubious germination, so you should not waste time on them.
pepper on the windowsill growing from seeds. A photo
- 1 part coconut substrate;
- 1 piece of land;
- handfuls of vermiculite;
- 1 part biohumus
The more nutritious and lighter the earth in a pot, the better the bush will grow, bloom and bear fruit and grow old later. All the ingredients of the substrate are poured into a basin, thoroughly mixed and filled with a mixture of small containers. These can be special trays for seedlings or regular yogurt cups. The earth is poured into them, not reaching the top by 2 cm.
Substrate good shed warm water and put 2-3 peppercorns on top. Sprinkle with a layer of earth no more than 1 cm. From above, the cups are covered with glass or polyethylene with holes made in them for air exchange. Containers with seeds are placed in a dark, warm place, for example, near a battery and occasionally watered.
growing hot peppers on the windowsill. step by step photos
Shoots will appear in about 10-14 days. They are immediately put on windowsill to prevent excessive stretching without lack of light. If shoots appeared late autumn or at the height of winter, they must be additionally illuminated with the help of special lamps. It is enough to highlight for 2 hours in the morning and in the evening. To avoid the appearance of a black leg, seedlings are watered as needed, avoiding waterlogging.
How to grow hot peppers on a windowsill. A photo
How to grow hot peppers on the windowsill and wait for abundant fruits? To do this, the strongest seedlings are selected from the total number and transplanted into permanent pots with a capacity of 2-3 liters. The earth is not poured to the top, it will be filled up as the bush grows.
Pepper Care
Any greenery on the windowsill requires care, which comes down to regular watering and top dressing. Water for watering peppers must be defended, and the dived seedlings should be fed after 2-3 weeks. For this, special dressings are used, for example, Agrolife. The bushes of bitter pepper are turned daily so that they grow even and do not lean too much towards the sun. Small-fruited hot peppers do not stepchild. If the bush seems rare, you can pinch the top.
When the pepper on the windowsill blooms, several times a day the bush will need to shake for pollination. Fruits appear 2.5 - 3 months after planting. If there are too many of them, the plant will independently shed the extra ones, a person does not need to do this, only if sick and underdeveloped ones are found. Fruits can crumble even with a lack of moisture on hot days. Then the bush is sprayed 2-3 times a day with water at room temperature.
After about 1.5-2 years, the bush begins to grow old, loses its decorative effect, sheds foliage, ceases to bloom and bear fruit. It is thrown away or cut. How to grow hot peppers on a windowsill from a cutting? To do this, the juiciest side branches are cut off from the bush and placed in the water. cuttings give roots in 21-28 days. They are planted in a permanent container and after 1.5 months they get an adult flowering bush. Usually 50% of the cuttings are rooted. Caring for them is similar to bushes obtained from seeds.
Frequently asked questions about growing hot peppers
In the process of growing small-fruited bitter pepper on the windowsill, novice lovers may have questions, the answers to which can be obtained here.
When is the best time to sow peppers for growing on a windowsill? Experts recommend doing this in the period from April to July, then the seedlings will not have to be illuminated. Although it is realistic to grow peppers in any season of the year.
Is it possible to leave ripe peppers on the bush? Not desirable. If the pepper is left on the plant for a long time, it does not receive an incentive to continue to bloom and bear fruit.
How to care for a pepper winter in conditions central heating? If the battery is located under the windowsill, it must be covered with a towel to avoid drying out the roots of the bush. In addition, daily baths under a cool shower are carried out.
Is it possible to eat the fruits of pepper grown on the windowsill? Available both fresh and dried. It is even ground in a coffee grinder to get paprika.
Will the adult pepper bush be harmed by repeated transfer? It is undesirable to disturb adult bushes of pepper grown on the windowsill. This will affect the abundance of flowering and fruiting. Stress in the form of discarded leaves is also possible.
What if the flowers fall off in in large numbers? It is necessary to increase the volume of daily lighting for the bush, water it well and shake it 2-3 times a day. Flowers may fall off due to lack of pollination and the inability to form a fruit.
Sweet pepper on the windowsill in winter and summer
In an apartment, you can grow and Bell pepper, which will produce crispy vitamin fruits all year round. There are no particular difficulties in growing it, but some recommendations will help not only grow strong greens on the windowsill, but also taste healthy fruits. 
Growing seedlings of sweet pepper
The first stage of work is seed selection. Dwarf compact plants are suitable for growing at home, the height of which does not exceed 50 cm, and the weight of the fruit varies from 30 to 80 grams. The smaller the hybrid, the more compact and decorative it looks on the windowsill. Seeds of self-pollinated hybrids are suitable for this.
The second stage - preparation substrate and seed treatment. For pepper on the windowsill you can buy ready mixes, or you can make them yourself from an equal amount of biohumus, coconut fiber and earth. Perlite or vermiculite can be added to increase soil aeration. All components are mixed in the pelvis.
For seed treatment prepare a 2% solution potassium permanganate, in which the seeds are kept for 2 hours, then they are washed in cold water. There are producers who carry out the processing themselves and sell seeds that are ready for planting. In this case, there is no need to carry out such a procedure at home.
how to grow sweet peppers on a windowsill. A photo
Third stage - sowing seeds. The substrate is filled with small containers from plastic cups to greenhouses peat tablets. Substrates or tablets are well shed with water and seeds are placed in them, 2-3 pieces each. You can sow the seeds immediately in large permanent containers, while the substrate is not filled up to the edge of the pot. This procedure will be carried out later as the bush grows. After sowing, the containers are closed with polyethylene, in which small holes are made for air exchange. The containers are placed in a dark, warm place, periodically watering and looking through them.
Planting sweet peppers. A photo
Fourth stage - seedling care or how to grow sweet peppers on a windowsill from seedlings. The first sprouts appear after 10-14 days. As soon as the seeds hatch and sprouts appear, they are exposed to light and, if necessary, illuminated for several hours a day if it is the autumn-winter period. If necessary, after 2 weeks, the seedlings are thinned out, leaving the strongest specimens. It is important not to overmoisten the seedlings so that they do not become vulnerable to the black leg, which can destroy all seedlings.
Fifth stage - pick. It is produced 4 weeks after germination. To carry out picking, containers with seedlings are well watered, a large 3-liter pot is prepared and filled with a nutrient substrate. A glass of seedlings is turned over and a clod of earth is carefully pulled out along with pepper. They put the ego in a partially filled pot and pour the earth on top to the cotyledon (first) leaves. Watered, lightly tamped the ground near the bush. Put the pepper on the windowsill, preferably on the south side.
Adult plant care
Adult seedlings are not stepchildren and are not corrected by pruning. The bush is given freedom to grow and form flowers. Daily potty needed turn to form an even bush. Watering is carried out as the soil dries up. AT hot weather, it can be additionally sprayed with warm water; in winter, watering is reduced to the required minimum.
Bonsai-like bushes, neat and pretty pods of incredible colors and shades, this is what chili peppers look like on the windowsill. The genus that unites all peppers is called capsicum, because of the content of the substance capsacin, which gives the fruits and seeds a sharp, burning taste.
These fruits can be used as a seasoning, made from them medicinal tinctures. The plant itself is also sometimes called capsicum.
Did you know? Capsacin, which is found in fruits, is added to ship paints to reduce the fouling of shellfish on the bottoms of boats and ships.
Choosing a variety of chili peppers for growing on a windowsill
You will be surprised how easy it is to grow a plant at home if you choose the right variety. Exotic names: Aladdin, Dwarf, Poinsettia, Variegated Troll, as well as more familiar ones: Bell, Swallow - varieties have different shape and fruit color, foliage color, ripening time.
The fruits of early-ripening varieties ripen in 90-120 days, mid-ripening - 120-140 days from the moment of planting.
- "Tabasco": the burning pulp of its fruits is the basis for the popular sauce "Tabasco". It is grown on the window, and in industrial quantities - on plantations. The variety is valued for its precocity.
- Salyut is one of the most undersized varieties, its rounded compact bush grows up to 20 cm. Large, up to 5 cm fruits in the form of red and orange cones are directed upwards and have a strong aroma.
- "Aladdin" - suitable for the windowsill and open ground. Its numerous fruits in the process of ripening change green coloring cream, purple and red. Another advantage of this variety is precocity and a long period of fruiting.
- "Bell" - red fruits unusual shape, ripen in 150 days. The sharpness in the fruits is unevenly distributed.
Important! There are inedible varieties of pepper that are grown only in decorative purposes: "Clown", "Goldfinger", "Filius Blue", "Orangena", "Red Rocket", "Pepperoni".
Capacity selection
Before planting at home, prepare the container. Pressed peat pots are ideal for seedlings. For each adult bush you will need a separate container. 
It can be a wide flower pot of medium depth, wooden box, lined with foil, plastic container. A layer of drainage, 3-4 cm, made of expanded clay, gravel or charcoal, must be placed at the bottom.
soil mix
For breeding seedlings, a ready-made earthen mixture from the store is suitable. The optimal composition of the soil when growing in a pot:
- sod land, vegetable humus - 2 parts,
- peat - 2 parts,
- vermiculite - 1 part,
Did you know? Pepper got its name from the bright red pod, "chili" in the language of the Aztecs - "red". Archaeologists find traces of this plant during excavations of ancient cities in Peru.
Grows best in loose, light soils with good air circulation. In winter, to maintain the water balance of the soil and increase the illumination of the bush in the dim sun, it is recommended to cover the surface of the soil with perlite.
Preparing seeds for planting
When growing chili peppers for the first time, it is best to purchase seeds from a specialty store. Seeds from fruits bought in the supermarket are not suitable. Stores sell fruits of industrial varieties bred for growing on plantations and in. You can plant them in the country, but they are not suitable for breeding at home.
Important! Inspect the seeds before planting. They should be large enough for their variety, light, without damage, deformation, spots and darkening.
To speed up germination, the seeds are soaked for 3-4 days between two cloths soaked in water and left in a warm, but not hot place. When the swollen seeds begin to germinate, they are sown in the ground. 
Sowing seeds in a pot
A layer of drainage is placed in a peat pot, or other temporary container, with an earth mixture on top. 0.5 cm indentations are made in the ground with a finger, where two prepared seeds are placed. If the container is wide, you can make several such holes, retreating 5-6 cm from each other. Wells with seeds are covered with earth, watered, the container is covered with a transparent film.
After 7-15 days, shoots appear from the ground. The film can be pierced in several places and removed completely when 3-4 leaves appear. Seedlings can be thinned out by removing weak shoots.
Did you know? Transplanting seedlings to permanent place called picking, because to stimulate the growth of roots during transplantation, they remove lower part plant root.
The container in which the seedlings will be transplanted is prepared the day before picking. A thick layer of drainage is placed in a suitable pot, an earthen mixture is placed on top, watered abundantly.
A recess is formed in which the roots of the seedling should fit with earthy clod. Leave for a day. On the day of picking, the sprout is watered, after 1-1.5 hours it is carefully removed from the temporary container, without disturbing the clod of earth around the roots. Remove the lower third of the central root. 
An earthen ball with roots is placed in a recess in the ground, the central root should be straightened. Add soil to the pot so that the leaves are 2 cm above the soil level.
Conditions and care for chili peppers at home
Sudden temperature changes, drafts have a bad effect on the plant. Optimal conditions for growing a plant on a windowsill:
- temperature + 25 °С,
- long, about 18 hours, daylight hours,
- loose, moist, but not wet soil.
Important! Pepper is a self-pollinating plant, so during the flowering period, different varieties should be kept at a distance from each other. It is recommended to shake flowering peppers for maximum ovary formation.
In summer, the plant can be taken out to the balcony or loggia. In winter, put it on the windowsill in the apartment with sunny side. To extend the daylight hours, the plant is illuminated with lamps. Water the pepper under the root, as the soil dries up.
When watering, use clean, settled water at room temperature. The foliage is also sprayed from a spray bottle. 