Growing peppers indoors is difficult, especially for beginners. Peppers require a very specific growing environment and following these guidelines should help you get some good results. In this gardening article, we will focus on growing sweet peppers.

Information to get started growing peppers indoors in your home

Choosing & Planting the seeds

What you need to know about which seeds you should pick for the best crop.

With pepper plants, you should focus on choosing a more compact plant variety. This is mainly due to the size restrictions with growing indoors and usually, you can find a variety that will still produce full-size fruits too. You will still need a container about 15 inches in diameter and around 12 inches deep for each plant that you plan to grow.

Also, when planting pepper, try to plan a position for the plant to grow through its full growth period as any interruption could be damaging to the production on the plant.

You should aim to plant quite a few seeds about 1/2 inch deep for each container as you will find that the success rate of each seed that you sow to be quite low and not all seeds will germinate. If you get more than 1 plant in each container, thin out the weaker seedlings to help the stronger ones.

Tip – When the pepper plants grow a few inches tall, you can build the soil up against the main stem to act as a support for the plant and help it build its strength.

Peppers prefer very handy soil. The recommended pH is around 7.0.

Light & Temperature

How to provide the correct environment for your plants to ensure growth.

It is important to provide peppers with plenty of ventilation in the early stages of life so that they do not get overheated.

Pepper plants will only produce peppers at high temperatures, which is the main challenge for the indoor gardener and will require the utilization of a grow lighting system if you do not live in a hot climate. Be prepared and aim to provide temperatures of 20-25 degrees Celsius as the plants begin to blossom.

As Pepper plants are sun-loving plants, you may find that you will need to provide a lot of light as well to ensure that the plants will fruit – especially in the early stages of the plant’s life.

You should provide as much strong light for as long as possible. Some studies suggest that shorter lengths of light may have some benefit, but this can differ between varieties and is by no means a proven method.

Watering

Watering techniques specifically for peppers.

For plants in the early stages of life, you will need to provide a lot of water and you should ensure that the soil always remains relatively moist until the plants around 5-7 inches high.

The plants will require much less watering as they grow in size and you should be able to let the soil become drier between waterings.

Feeding & Nutrition

How to make sure that your plants get all the nutrients that they need to survive and produce juicy fruits!

Pepper plants like soil that has been enriched with plenty of potash and this will cause better growth and production.

As pepper plants are delicate in the early stages of life, you will not need to feed them as they should take all the necessary nutrients from the soil.

Once they have grown their first few leaves, you should give them their first feeding. To do this simply dissolve some plant food into water and water the plants as normal. Repeat this monthly.

Pollination

How to ensure that your plants are productive in their indoor environment.

You should not find a need to pollinate pepper plants, depending on variety, but you will most likely benefit from giving the plants a helping hand, especially if you cannot provide air circulation. To do so, just brush the center of the flowers gently with a cotton bud.

Harvesting

How to collect your fruit safely and how to maximize crop growth for the future.

Green peppers are ready to pick when they feel firm to the touch and they have become heavy.

Before picking, Red Peppers should be rich in color

Check your variety and do not pick the pepper until the color is correct to that variety.

Harvest peppers by trimming the stems 1-2 inches away from the cap of the pepper.

Although it is very difficult – growing peppers indoors can be achieved by following these guidelines and providing the appropriate environment for your plants.





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