Temperature regime

Pepper is a heat-loving crop. It will not develop and grow properly when low temperatures. Optimal are considered indicators from 20 ° C to 25 ° C.

At temperatures below 14°C, plants stop growing. In cool weather (13 ° C), the bushes cover plastic wrap. Education on fruit plots lilac color indicates an unsuitable temperature regime.

Watering

After planting on permanent place the earth is moistened every 2-3 days, adding 1-2 liters of water. This contributes to their good survival. Further watering is carried out in this way:

• before flowering - once in 7 days, in the heat - 2 times;
• during flowering and fruiting - 2-3 times in 7 days.

In the first case, the water consumption should be 12 liters per 1 sq. m., in the second - 14 liters per 1 sq. m. After the mass ripening of the fruits take a break. When flowers appear again, watering is resumed. The amount of water is adjusted, depending on the type of soil: for heavy soil, less consumption is required, for light soil, more. The culture needs soil moisture when all parts of the plant darken.

Water is brought only under the root so that it does not fall on the leaves and stems. The temperature of the liquid must match the temperature of the soil. They also monitor its amount. Bell pepper does not like excess or lack of water, therefore, in rainy weather, watering is reduced or stopped altogether. On hot days, the leaves of the bushes wither, but this is not a sign of a need for water.

Do not allow prolonged drying of the earth.

When the nights are cold, the plants are only watered in the morning. If they are warm, you can make water in the morning and evening. Watering is carried out from different sides of the row, alternating.

Loosening and hilling

After landing in a permanent place, bell pepper stops growth for 2 weeks. Culture adapts to new conditions and increases root system. At this time, do not loosen, so as not to damage the weakened plants.

loosening

Loosening is recommended after 2 weeks after transplantation. The depth of embedding the earth should not exceed 5-10 cm in order to avoid damage to the surface root system of the crop. For soil with a heavy structure, loosening can be done to a great depth, this will help to ventilate and warm the ground well.

The soil is loosened after each watering and rain. At the same time, they wait until it dries a little. Do not allow the formation of a dry crust.

Weeding

Plant care includes regularly removing weeds so they don't overwhelm the peppers. Bushes spud until woody stem. The procedure helps to activate the growth of the culture, increase the access of oxygen to the root system, and prevents the development of pathologies. Such actions ensure a good harvest.

Mulching

Mulching helps retain moisture in the soil. Weeds do not grow under mulch. But this can only be done after the soil has warmed up.

Pasynkovanie and the formation of a bush

At bell pepper remove the lower shoots (with the exception of non-stepping varieties). The procedure is performed throughout the summer, using scissors. It is better to cut stepchildren in hot weather for fast wound healing. You can grease them with charcoal.

When most of the fruits have set, pinch the top of the plant and remove the inflorescences. Vegetables from them will no longer have time to ripen, they will only take on part of the nutrition.

Compact sotra peppers do not require shaping. It is necessary to carefully monitor the growth of strongly branching varieties. They remove excess shoots and those that grow inside the bush. Pruning is done for the purpose additional lighting, since thickening does not contribute high yield. Large varieties require garters to pegs to prevent damage to plants.

top dressing

Compliance with the rules for caring for sweet pepper when grown in open ground provides for its stimulation. During the growing season, the culture is fed 3 times:

• The first fertilization is carried out 2 weeks after planting in open ground. For this purpose, a solution of slurry is used, which is prepared in a ratio of 1:5. Instead, you can use a solution bird droppings in a ratio of 1:10. The following fertilizer is also used: 1 tbsp. l. carbamide, 1 tbsp. l. superphosphate, 10 liters of water. Under each bush pour 1 liter of funds.
• The second time is fed during mass flowering. Apply this fertilizer: 40-60 g of superphosphate, 150-200 g wood ash, 10 liters of water. Consumption - 1 liter per 1 plant.
• The third time top dressing is applied during the period of mass formation of fruits. To do this, use a solution of mullein or bird droppings. You can prepare mineral fertilizer: 2 tsp. potassium salt, 2 tsp. superphosphate, 10 liters of water. Pour 1 liter of liquid under 1 bush.

Diseases and pests

The process of caring for sweet peppers includes the prevention and control of diseases. Most often culture is affected by:

• blackleg;
• bacterial, verticillium, fusarium wilt.

To warn them, it is necessary to observe crop rotation, buy high-quality seeds, and do weeding in time. When infected, diseased plants are removed.

Capsicum belongs to the Solanaceae family, its varieties are divided into hot and sweet. The bitter taste comes from the alkaloid capsaicin.

Decorative indoor pepper effectively stands out on the windowsill and serves as a source of spices for cooking a wide variety of dishes. In everyday life, it is called "light", although in fact several dozen species and varieties of plants are found in culture. It is not only the burning taste that makes it popular. attractive appearance but also easy to grow at home.

Variety and Seed Selection for Successful Growing

It is easiest to propagate decorative indoor peppers by seeds. Key to success in right choice planting material.

How to choose seeds for planting at home

Seeds taken from the dried fruit are excellent. Can be purchased planting material in gardening stores - or online stores offering seeds of exotic and ornamental plants. If you start planting in February-March, you can easily get fruits in September-October of the same year.

First you need to decide what kind of pepper you want to end up with - high or low, spicy or not, with berries or a classic “pepper” shape. As a rule, this information is on the package. However, when purchasing, it is necessary to pay attention to how long ago the seeds were collected?

Hot pepper seeds proper storage can remain viable for up to 5 years, but every year the percentage of germinating drops. It is better to grow indoor peppers from seeds harvested last season if you plan to harvest this year.

The most important thing! The selected seeds should not have flaws - dark specks, strong twisting, damage, traces of rot. Quality seeds are pale yellow, almost White color.

How to choose the best variety

Distinguish early-ripening, mid-ripening, late-ripening. fruits early ripe varieties you will be able to feast in 65-100 days from the moment of emergence. Fruits from mid-ripening plants can be obtained in 100-120 days. And here late-ripening varieties will be able to please you with a harvest only after 120-150 days.

bush height. As a rule, lovers of indoor hot peppers prefer abundantly fruiting bushes up to 30 cm high - this optimal height bush for home pepper production. There are also very miniature bushes 15 cm, and real giants up to a meter high.

fruit shape. Most fans prefer classic conical or elongated peppers. Fruit round shape, berries, are often mistaken for a close and poisonous relative - nightshade, and are considered inedible. This is not so - such a pepper can also be eaten, but if you are not sure that it is not a nightshade, then it is better not to risk it. There are fruits and exotic shape, for example, Aji orchid.

Fruit and leaf color. This is especially important if you plan to grow the plant as an ornamental. There are very decorative varieties room pepper, for example, bolivian rainbow, fish, which change their color several times as they ripen, and in the final stage of ripening can be yellow, orange or red.

The foliage of some varieties may also be interspersed. different colors- white spots and dashes, lilac stripes that become brighter, the more sunny the plant's location.

sharpness- if you plan to eat a crop of hot room pepper for food, it is important to make sure that you can do this - there are absolutely no sharp species, but sometimes they are so bitter that it is not safe for an unprepared person to eat them. Especially appreciated among gourmets habanero- fruits, depending on the variety, are pungent, but have an incomparable citrus-floral aroma and taste!

If you want to have a hot pepper at home just for the sake of beauty, then the sharpness is not important, but on decorative properties(bush height, shape and color, ripening characteristics) should be paid Special attention.

Seed germination technology

For planting five seeds of hot indoor pepper, a 300 ml plastic or ceramic flower pot is quite suitable. If you plan to plant in separate containers, you can choose smaller pots or use yogurt cups.

Step-by-step instructions for growing peppers from seeds at home:

1. Pour drainage at the bottom of the container - expanded clay is best.
2. Place soil on top. Usually choose a ph-neutral soil for houseplants or a mixture for peppers and tomatoes. garden soil not suitable, as it may contain insect larvae, fungal spores that adversely affect seed germination.
3. Seeds are recommended to be soaked in warm water for a few hours for swelling and faster germination. Sometimes a stimulant is added to the soaking water, in particular - Appin, to improve germination. The use of a stimulant will not affect the plant in the future, but if the seeds are collected 2-3 years ago, then the probability of successful germination will be higher. Can be planted without soaking.
4. Spread the planting material evenly over the surface of the soil at a certain distance from each other. This is necessary so that as they grow, young plants do not interfere with each other.
5. Sprinkle the seeds on top with soil - approximately 0.5 mm, so that they are completely covered. If the surface of the soil is dry, moisten it with water, preferably from a spray bottle for flowers. It is important that the soil surface is slightly damp, but not wet - otherwise the seeds may rot.
6. As the top layer of the soil dries, it must be moistened regularly.
7. It is desirable to put on top of the pot plastic cup, thereby constructing a greenhouse. This is especially true if the landing takes place in February-March, and the air temperature in the room can be below 25 degrees.

At a temperature of 22-25 degrees shoots appear through 10-14 days if the seeds were collected 2-3 years ago, then the germination process may be delayed for another 1-2 weeks.

Seedlings need to be ventilated periodically - briefly raise the greenhouse so that young plants get used to environment. Gradually, the periods “without a greenhouse” should be increased, and eventually completely removed.

Transplanting young plants to a permanent place

When two pairs of true leaves appear on the seedlings, it is necessary to plant them if the seeds were planted in one container. If the seedlings were planted in individual pots, then the plants can be transplanted into a larger pot when roots appear at the bottom of the water hole.

Leaving all the plants in one pot is not worth it. Decorative bitter indoor pepper is grown according to the principle one pot - one plant. The fact is that, being planted together, weaker specimens are “muffled” by stronger ones. The weak ones will lag far behind in growth and development, flowering will be late and poor, and fruiting may not occur at all.

When planting, it is better to use small deep pots of 100 ml. Transplanting a young specimen immediately into a very large pot is not useful - the “extra” land will begin to turn sour from watering. It is better, as the plant grows, to gradually transfer it into containers, slightly larger than the previous one. main feature the fact that it is time to transplant the plant - the roots peeking out of the bottom of the pot. During the season, as a rule, the bush is transshipped 2-3 times.

Features of care and creation of conditions

The goal of every home grower is to see his plant blooming, in the case of decorative pepper, the finish is beautiful fruits that decorate.

Stimulation of flowering and fruiting

Young seedlings of the "light" on the windowsill begin to bloom about a month after germination. The first flowers will most likely be empty and fall off, but as they grow and develop, ovaries will appear and fruits will develop.

Special pollination is not required, but to increase the number of ovaries, you can periodically shake the pot with a bush slightly or “pollinate” the flowers with a soft brush.

Depending on what kind of indoor hot pepper you have (early, mid-ripening or late-ripening), the first fruits may appear in summer, when the sun is at its most active, or in early to mid-autumn.

Important to remember, spicy pepper at home does not require pinching and intensive formation of a bush in the first year of growth, cutting off flowers and the first ovaries. Indoor pepper itself “knows” to what height it needs to grow, when to start flowering and how many fruits to set. Your task is to provide him comfortable conditions growth.

What conditions are necessary for pepper

sunny location. It is advisable to keep the pot on the windowsill indoors. For a very sunny balconies"Lights" suffer greatly from the rays, the leaves can be damaged, the flowers fall off, and the fruits can be severely deformed and have no seeds.

In the shade, seedlings bloom reluctantly, set few fruits, and may suffer from flooding. Extremely uncomfortable bushes of burning indoor decorative pepper feel on the shelves, refrigerator and closet - away from the sun and fresh air.

Regular watering and spraying- the main components in the care of pepper at home. "Spark" loves water very much. Summer in sunny days The plant needs to be watered every day. Spray with water room temperature preferably twice a day.

Fertilizer. From March to September (and for late-ripening - until October), it is advisable to feed indoor peppers with specialized fertilizer for fruit plants. There is also a special fertilizer for peppers and tomatoes, it is found in shops for gardeners and florists.

Formation. In addition to the sun, water and a pot of sufficient volume, indoor hot pepper can be formed as the branches grow - this is true in late summer and autumn for plants of the first year of life and in early spring period when it comes out of rest.

They form, that is, cut too long branches - this gives a neater look, allows the plant to save energy. But the main trunk should not be shortened - the bush may die from this.

Rules for harvesting and collecting seeds

As the fruits ripen, you can and should harvest. There are varieties of indoor peppers, the sharpness of which decreases in full maturity. Therefore, such fruits are harvested at the stage of technical ripeness. Such unripe peppers often turn out to be much tastier than ripe ones.

For example, the fruits of the decorative hot room pepper of the Jalapeno variety (Jalapeño) are most often harvested when they are still green, but characteristic “scars” have already appeared on them, but having become red, this species already loses its taste value.

If you are interested in seeds for planting in the future, then you need to wait until the fruits are fully ripe, that is, they will acquire the final color (yellow, orange or red). The fruits must be removed from the bush and allowed to dry for several days.

If the pepper is thin-walled, then it dries quickly enough, if it is thick-walled, then when the fruit is wrinkled, it must be carefully cut and allowed to dry again for several days.

Then the seeds are carefully removed and laid out on a napkin to dry. Well-dried seeds can be put in a bag and stored in a dry, dark place, storage in the refrigerator is allowed. The main thing is that moisture does not get in, in which case they can rot.

Caring for potted peppers in winter

Contrary to popular belief, hot indoor peppers - perennials. On average, 5 years the bush can actively bear fruit. The main thing is to transfer the plant as it grows and renew the soil every spring. However, not all flower growers are ready to provide a homely handsome man with comfortable conditions for wintering. Therefore, three options are possible.

First. If you do not want to save this copy, at the end of the season after the end of fruiting, the bush can be thrown away, and in February-March, a new plant can be grown from the seeds obtained.

Gradually, the leaves will partially fall off. Sometimes pepper sheds leaves completely. Branches that are too long can be shortened slightly. In winter, new leaves and even flowers may appear on the branches, especially if the thaw lasts for a long time and the heating works intensively.

In February-March, indoor pepper will start growing again, at this moment it is necessary to transplant it into a pot a little larger than the previous one, to replace the main part of the soil. Gradually increase watering.

The third. If you not only want to save the plant, but also get a crop in winter, then you need additional lighting. In this case, special lamps are installed, watering is not reduced, and top dressing is continued.

As you can see, growing ornamental peppers at home does not require special knowledge and skills. "Spark" in a pot is perfect for those who do not like to wait too long for the planted plant to finally bloom - only 3-4 months pass from seed to beautiful and fragrant fruits.

If you love, learn how to grow an avocado from a stone, and from seeds,. Watching how a miracle is born is much more interesting than buying finished flower in the shop.

Hot pepper is added to confectionery, chocolate, tea - very unusual and effective remedy in the fight against colds and flu!

After planting pepper seedlings in the ground, the next milestone for growing this vegetable crop. Pepper care in greenhouses and outdoors differs in some respects. Many people think that good harvest pepper, as it is a heat-loving crop, can only be grown in a greenhouse or in the southern regions, where long summer, but years of experience showed that in the open field it is also possible to obtain high yields of pepper. It is important to know all the pros and cons different ways cultivation of pepper in the open field and in the greenhouse, as well as differences in care.

Planting peppers in open ground.

For growing peppers outdoors buy pepper seeds of early ripening varieties, in which the period from germination to the first harvest is no more than 120 days. The time for planting pepper in open ground without shelter falls on the first days of June, usually by this time stable warm weather is already established with an average daily temperature of about +18 degrees. For planting in open ground, pepper seedlings should reach the age of 55-60 days by the beginning of May, the plants have 8-12 leaves, the first buds and flowers.

When growing seedlings in open ground, it is important to take the most favorable place for this garden culture. Pepper loves heat and sun, so best site for the beds will be on the south side of the buildings. If the bed is located in an open area, then on the north side it is desirable to create protection from cold winds, for this you need to plant a number of tall vegetables on the windward side - corn, beans, peas.

You can not grow pepper in the garden, where last season vegetables related to it grew - tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes. It is good to grow pepper after root crops - carrots, beets or cabbage, pumpkins, beans.

Pepper planting should be carried out carefully so that the seedlings do not experience stress, it should be planted in cloudy weather or in the evening when the sun's activity is reduced. When planting pepper on a sunny day, the plants need to be shaded and the holes should be shed abundantly so that the seedlings do not fade.

Pepper seedlings quickly adapt and grow when transplanted by transshipment from pots, when the earth clod does not collapse and the roots are not damaged.

Pepper care in the open field.

Pepper grows well if, after planting, the surface of the soil in the garden is mulched with peat, humus, or when the earth is covered with dark plastic wrap. To do this, before planting seedlings, the bed is covered with a dark film, cuts are made in the places of the holes, and then seedlings are planted in these holes and the plants are watered. With this method of covering the earth with a film in the care of pepper, there is no need to weed and loosen the ridges, since weeds do not germinate through the film, moisture is retained in the soil longer, a crust does not form on the surface, and the temperature in the soil will be a couple of degrees higher, which is very fond of pepper.

Without mulching, the soil must be regularly weeded, loosened so that the roots vegetable plants get enough air. Loosening the ridges of pepper is done superficially, by about 5 cm, using a tool similar to a fork, since the numerous roots of the pepper are shallow.

In open ground, they mainly grow low varieties of pepper that do not require a garter, and the crown of plants is formed according to the rules of a fork. The top of the peppers is pinched when the plants reach a height of 20-25 cm, when it gives side shoots, leave only the two strongest, they, in turn, also leave two shoots each, in the end you should get 8-10 branches. Pepper shoots growing inside the bush are recommended to be removed.

When forming pepper, it is planted according to the scheme 45 x 50 cm, i.e. rows are made every 50 cm, and in a row, holes for planting seedlings are dug every 45 cm.

How to properly water peppers:

The quantity and quality of the crop depends on the watering of the pepper. If there is not enough moisture for plants, their stems become stiff, buds and leaves fall off, and the set fruits form thin-walled and hard. Before flowering, pepper should be watered abundantly once a week so that the soil in the beds gets wet to a depth of at least 20 cm. After flowering, during the period of growth of pepper fruits in dry weather, abundant watering is required every 3-4 days.

Peppers should not be watered cold tap water from a hose by sprinkling over the leaves, while you make two mistakes at once. Peppers need to be watered only with warm water settled in the tank under the root.

Additional top dressing of pepper when grown in open ground and in a greenhouse is done in the same way. The first time the pepper is fertilized 2 weeks after planting. When the plants are still actively growing green mass, it is good to feed them organic fertilizer- infusion of mullein or chicken manure, diluted in a ratio of 1:10 and 1:15. The following top dressing is carried out every 2-3 weeks, using a complex mineral fertilizer. It is better to exclude organic matter so that the forces of the plant are directed to flowering and the formation of fruits.

Pepper care in the greenhouse.

In greenhouses, you can grow all varieties of pepper from early ripening to late ripening, in which the first crop of fruits ripens 135 days after germination.

Pepper seedlings can be planted in the greenhouse in the first decade of May, as the plants are protected from short-term frosts and cold nights. By this time, pepper seedlings should have reached the age of 60 days, so pepper seeds for greenhouses are sown almost a month earlier than those intended for open ground.

The land in the greenhouse must be renewed or fertilized annually, for this 1 sq.m. bring up to two buckets of humus and about 50 grams of complex mineral fertilizer. Peppers do not like acidic soil, therefore, it is limed in advance or, when planted, 1-2 tablespoons of wood ash are poured into each hole.

Planting pepper in a greenhouse is usually carried out more densely, trying to fit as much as possible more plants, for this, a 30x40 cm scheme is used. With this planting, the plants are formed into one stem and tall varieties are used that need to be tied up, like tomatoes.

Temperature regime when growing pepper in a greenhouse.

Pepper can be planted in a greenhouse when it average daily temperature will be 20 degrees, and at night it will not fall below +12 degrees. A thermometer in the greenhouse must be hung up, since temperature control is needed not only in spring, but also in summer to prevent overheating.

In a greenhouse there is a danger of an excessive increase in temperature and humidity, in such an atmosphere, as in a bathhouse, pepper will grow and bloom, but not set fruits, since high humidity causes sticking of pollen, and air temperatures above +28 degrees make pollen sterile.

Pepper is well pollinated in the open ground with the help of wind and insects, but bees rarely fly into the greenhouse and the plants are reliably protected from the wind, so they need to be helped to pollinate by shaking the flowering bushes every 3-4 days or brushing the flowers with a brush.

Peppers do not like sudden changes in temperature in the greenhouse, so it must be regulated by airing on hot days and closing on cool nights.

In the greenhouse, the first pepper crop ripens a month earlier than in the open field, and due to the longer growth period in the warmth, the crop will grow more.

Watering peppers in the greenhouse

Peppers are watered in the greenhouse regularly 1-2 times a week, since atmospheric precipitation is not available to the plants, the time between waterings can only change due to changes in temperature in the greenhouse. On hot days, the soil dries out faster and the plants need to be watered more often. Violation of the rules of watering - prolonged overdrying, followed by abundant watering of the soil, leads to cracking of the fruit.

In order for peppers to ripen sweet, with a high content of vitamins, plants need to be fed with phosphorus-potassium fertilizer, but not more than 1 time in two weeks.

Mistakes in the care of peppers lead to a decrease in the quality of the crop. If the peppercorns grow small and ugly, then the soil is too acidic or the plants are over-fertilized with nitrogen, there is not enough sunlight, it also causes over-watering and fruit set in high humidity conditions.

Sweet pepper is one of the most beloved crops grown by vegetable growers. True, this vegetable is very demanding, without receiving something, it can seriously punish its owners with a decrease or complete absence of a crop. requires a lot of attention, knowledge and experience. Especially do not be upset for those who only the first year took up this business. Gradually, if there is a desire, everything will be able to learn.

Growing seedlings of pepper

In most areas, even in the most southern, the cultivation of sweet pepper begins in (end of February, beginning of March). This can be done both in greenhouses and at room conditions. It is best to grow seedlings on the windowsill in special earthen cups, which are then easily transferred to open ground. And all because, like any other species, it takes root very poorly. For normal growth, seedlings need moisture, warmth and light.

When seedlings reach 60-65 days of growth, they can be transplanted either outdoors or into a greenhouse. The last option, of course, is the most suitable, but if this is not possible, then you can try to harvest from the pepper that will grow on the street.

in open ground

If you decide to use this method to save money on film, then you will not succeed. In any case, outdoor pepper cultivation needs a temporary building small greenhouse, which will warm the plants until about the end of June. In May and even June, the weather is not entirely stable, which can lead to poor growth of sweet peppers and a lack of harvest.

So, the first step is to prepare the ground. Since autumn it is necessary to dig it up, make rotted manure. Before planting, you need to dig again, to make it in open ground is best done in the place where legumes, cucumbers, green crops and root crops grew before. sweet pepper love fertile soil, but if there is none on the site, then peat and rotted sawdust must be added to the ground at the rate of 1 bucket per 1 sq.m. The beds should have a height of about 30 cm, while the width is about 1 meter, but the length is at your own discretion. It is also necessary to think in advance how the greenhouse will be built. The easiest way is to stretch the film over plastic or metal arcs inserted into the ground.

When everything is ready, you can start planting seedlings. This is best done in the evening when the solar Activity. To do this, at a distance of 40-45 cm from each other, it is necessary to dig holes, taking into account the row spacing - 55-60 cm. You need to pour water into each hole and wait until it is absorbed. Seedlings or an earthen cup with a plant are lowered into a hole and carefully covered with earth. When the planting of seedlings is completed, you can stretch the film. If it is very warm during the day, then the film can be removed, not forgetting to pull it on at night.

It should be noted that the cultivation of pepper in the open ground in the first two weeks is unfavorable: the plants begin to hurt, grow slowly. This indicates that it is starting to take root. To help her, the earth can be slightly loosened, and watering can also be reduced. When the peppers are well strengthened and begin to grow, watering should be increased to about 10-12 liters per 1 sq.m. Water for this is used only warm, the temperature of which is about 25 0C. Cold and cool water significantly inhibits growth and fruit set.

During flowering, it is necessary to fertilize sweet peppers with diluted dry Fertility fertilizer (per 100 l 1 kg) at the rate of 1 liter per 1 bush. Another top dressing is carried out during the fruiting period (for 100 liters of water, one bucket of bird droppings and 2 cups of nitrophoska).

In order for the pepper bushes to bear fruit well, it is necessary to remove the tops of the main stem, and also to carry out the seeding, leaving only 4-5 upper stepsons.

Housewives always try to arrange rationally kitchen space. This also applies to those located in this room.

It is advisable to choose one that is both beautiful and necessary.

The best option for the kitchen - decorative. It looks very aesthetically pleasing, especially when the fruits appear. The same fruits are applicable in cooking as a very spicy seasoning.

In addition, in winter it will serve as a pleasant reminder of the warm green summer.

Botanical description

The plant, which is commonly called, does not belong to the pepper family. This culture belongs to the nightshade family and has a second name "capsicum".

The culture is spread on all continents. Can grow outdoors and in flower pot in room conditions.

Pepper decorative room- a plant that can grow and bear fruit in an apartment for up to 4-5 years. Propagated by seeds and. Height - 20-55 cm. The crown is branched. The leaves are sharp, long or elongated oval, ovate. The color varies from light to dark green. It can bloom singly or in bunches, the flowers are often white.

Did you know? Capsicum means "bag" in Latin. Obviously, the pepper is so named after the shape of the fruit.

The fruits may have different colour: yellow, orange, red, purple. Moreover, different colors in fruits can occur even if they appeared on the same plant, depending on ripening. Also, peppers are different in shape (with a sharp or blunt end, spherical, oval) and size (small, medium, large - a maximum of 5 cm). It all depends on the variety.

Flowering and fruiting are not separated in time. On a bush there can be flowers, unripe fruits, ripe peppers at the same time. bears fruit, as a rule, very plentifully.

Bitterness, pungency and spiciness are imparted to the fruits by the alkaloid capsaicin.

Important! The stems and leaves of ornamental peppers are poisonous.

Popular types

There are many types of home decorations. They differ in crown, leaves, color and shape of fruits, fruiting time, care features, etc.

Annual

Annuals varieties are also called room paprika, vegetable pepper, sweet (although some varieties are quite sharp). They differ in that after shedding or picking fruits, the plant can dry out. Not all peers meet such a fate. In room conditions certain types may bear fruit for more than one year.
The bushes are low, compact, 35-55 cm high. The fruits are varied in shape and color, depending on the variety.

Common varieties:

• "Tepin";
• "Redskin";
• "Siberian prince";
• "Cherry Bomb";
• "Golden Baby", etc.

shrubby

shrubby varieties are very suitable for room conditions: window sill, loggia, balcony, etc. These are perennial plants. They successfully grow and bear fruit for 5-6 years.

The variety is interesting in shape, but its yield is average. In the apartment you can collect only about 20 peppercorns. More often grown "Lemon Lollipop" and "White Crystal", they are traditionally productive.
The taste of pepper is sweetish, there is very little sharpness in it.

This is a fairly tall species. It grows up to 80 cm, so more often in the apartment it is placed not on the windowsill, but on the floor on the loggia or balcony.

Chinese

Chinese variety is less common. This plant is up to 50 cm high, like other species. Its leaves are ovate, light green, slightly wrinkled. The flowers are white with a greenish tint.

The fruits are varied in shape, sometimes even take the form of a flashlight. Chinese pepper is probably the sharpest and most burning fruits.

The disadvantage is that this species has a relatively slow growth.
Common varieties:

• "Santa Lucia";
• "The language of the devil";
• "Devil's Yellow"

pubescent

Pepper pubescent(or fluffy) is grown more in open ground, because it is very tall (up to 3-4 m). Only certain varieties are suitable for growing in an apartment, for example, "Rokoto" (it is not so tall).

In this species, the entire bush is densely covered with pubescence. And not only stems and leaves, but even.

It has a pungent taste and is eaten raw.

The best conditions for pepper

Regarding the capriciousness and unpretentiousness of pepper and caring for it at home, the opinions of lovers of ornamental fruit plants were divided. Some believe that it is easy to care for the culture, others note that the plant is capricious and difficult to care for.

Important! During the flowering period, the pepper should be shaken periodically to increase the yield.

Let's take a closer look at the conditions of detention and the features of care.

Humidity and temperature

Indoor pepper is a heat-loving plant. It will grow well in spring and summer at about 25°C. In winter, the temperature should be lower: 15-18 ° C will be normal for him. In addition, he loves differences in night and day temperatures, so in summer it is better to keep him on a loggia or balcony.
Humidity is required moderate. Perchik loves to swim (more on that later).

Lighting

In the care of decorative peppers in a pot, lighting is a must. For good development and fruiting, you need to place the plant on the southern, southwestern or western windowsill.

The culture is very photophilous, in spring and autumn it needs up to 3-4 hours of open sunlight. Only no more than 4 hours, otherwise burns may appear on the fruits and leaves. In the summer, you need to shade, because the sun is very active. If the lighting is not enough, then you need to apply artificial.

With a lack of lighting, it is rare, there are few leaves on it; besides, there will be no good harvest.

growing substrate

For cultivation, a light neutral type is used. You can buy ready-made in a specialized store, you can make the mixture yourself.

Suitable for pepper mixture sod land, leaf humus and sand in the ratio 2:2:1.

Did you know? In botany, capsicum fruits are defined as berries.

Planting seeds and cuttings

Most often, the plant is grown from seeds, but cuttings are also possible.

Growing from seed

To grow peppers from seeds, you need to purchase seeds, prepare a container and soil, plant seeds, wait for seedlings and provide them with proper care.

Peppers should be planted in February.

There are two approaches to growing peppers from seeds. They differ in that one uses a non-seedling and non-transplanting method, in the second - with the cultivation of seedlings and subsequent transplantation.

1st way:

1. Indoor pepper is not grown by seedlings and is not transplanted from one pot to another as it grows. Immediately you need to choose a container in which it will grow mature plant. Its volume should be 4-6 liters.
2. Before planting seeds in a pot, pour the soil, providing a good one.
3. Soak the seeds for 1 hour in water and place in a damp cloth for a day.
4. Plant the seeds and sprinkle with soil 2-4 mm. Moisten well with a spray bottle and cover with a film until germination.
5. Be sure to place the pot in a warm place. After germination, with the appearance of four leaves, pinch to form a crown.

2nd way:

1. Prepare a small container, about 200 ml, for planting seeds.
2. Make drainage and pour the earthen mixture into the pot. After placing the prepared seeds, cover them with soil by 2-4 mm.
3. To prepare the seeds, they must be soaked in water for 1 hour and left in damp gauze for one day.
4. Moisten the soil well, cover with cling film and place in a warm place for seedlings.
5. Shoots of pepper appear in 2-3 weeks.
6. With the appearance of two pairs of leaves, pepper requires transplanting, diving and pinching.
7. capacity for further cultivation should be about 4-6 liters, with good drainage.
8. A sprout with a large earthy clod, abundantly watered.
9. The top pinches.

Whatever method of seed germination - 1st or 2nd - you choose, then pepper care is the same.

How to propagate a plant from cuttings

Peppers can be propagated by cuttings in spring and summer. To do this, cut off the side shoots and place them in a container with a sand-earth mixture for rooting.

Water abundantly at first, then - as the soil dries out.

The container must have good drainage. This is necessary both for the cutting and for the rooted plant, because it will continue to grow here. It is not necessary to transplant a rooted cutting.

In order for the cutting to take root faster, it must be pinned.

culture care

Care for the pepper type "Spark", which grows on your windowsill, is special.

Before that, we did not mention the Ogonyok variety. But the fact is that ordinary housewives call any kind of indoor decorative pepper that.

How to water

Water pepper in spring and summer should be plentiful as the earth dries up. In addition, be sure to "bath" the plant, spraying it 1-2 times a week, on hot days - every other day.

Watering should be carried out with water at room temperature.

Important! Plants placed on window sills, under which there are batteries, need more frequent watering.

Decrease in autumn, minimize in winter, water sparingly.