How to Grow Peppers

Peppers are an essential ingredient of most western cuisines, undoubtedly for the irresistible flavor they add to the food. These vegetables are rich in vitamin C and antioxidant lycopene. These fruits were discovered in Mexico and are readily cultivated in North and Central America. You can easily grow these plants at home, as they do not require much maintenance. Though peppers cannot grow in cold areas, they need humidity and ample sunlight. You can grow them easily in your own garden or even choose to grow them in containers indoors.

Grow Peppers from Seed
You may purchase the pepper seeds from a local nursery, provided you plant them only once winter has passed. The slightest bit of frost can wreak havoc for these plants, therefore ensure that you plant them soon after all signs of frost have disappeared. Once the weather is relatively warmer, you may begin by preparing the soil. The soil must be porous and should have a good soil pH level, also do not forget to add plenty of organic soil mix so that extra nutrients can be supplemented. In case of growing bell peppers, the seeds must be planted about 2 feet away from each other. The seeds will take about 2-3 weeks in order to completely germinate.

One of the ways of growing peppers indoors, is to plant them into pots or containers. Though they will need to be placed near the windows so that they receive their sunlight. You will have to make sure that the seeds are planted about 45-50 cm apart from each other. In order to germinate and survive, these seedlings require constant sunlight for at least 10 hours if not more. Once the seedlings are about 4 inches, you would need to transplant them to your garden bed, so that their roots can spread out evenly and they can grow better. Or you could continue to grow peppers inside, though you would need to have bigger pots and more sunlight. An indoor greenhouse would be appropriate for such an endeavor.

You will need to harvest the pepper as soon as they are big enough, if you want them to be riper, then let them grow for a few more days. You have the option of growing different types of pepper so that you get a variety of colors and tastes. Remember that peppers require a lot of water and grow in soil that retains water well. If the water is lesser than average, the peppers may taste more bitter than usual. You should also treat the plants with liquid fertilizers every once in a while, preferably once in a week. These liquid fertilizers can be made at home using natural ingredients. If suppose you wish to use fertilizers, do not use them while the plants are bearing fruits, as that may hamper the plant's potential to bear further peppers. You may use the fertilizers during other periods of the plant's growth.

The advantage of growing vegetables, such as peppers, eggplants and tomatoes in your own backyard or garden is that you end up saving a lot of unnecessary expenses. Think about it, why would you want to purchase vegetables at double the cost, when you can grow them for free! These vegetables continue to survive for several months, if looked after well. They also continue to bear fruits in ample and you wouldn't have to worry about running short of peppers. So go ahead and plant these exotic veggies, and fill your garden with some more color.