Indoor hot pepper: the best varieties, the secrets of growing and caring. Decorative pepper care and cultivation in the apartment Decorative pepper in a pot pinching

What is pinching for?

Pinching is carried out not only in order to form a beautiful bush. This procedure increases productivity, promotes the development of the root system and improves the process of water supply.

Thanks to pinching, upward growth is suspended and the development of stepchildren is activated, which give the bush a spherical appearance. The pinching of peppers must be carried out correctly, otherwise the sprout will not only stop developing, but will die altogether.

Pinching is carried out with clean scissors or gently break off the stalk with your fingers.

What varieties need to be formed

Of course, all varieties need to remove extra branches and leaves, but for varieties characterized by tall bushes, this procedure is mandatory. Medium bushes should be rid only of barren shoots, which improves lighting and activates air flow.

Low-growing and dwarf varieties give fruit well even without shaping, if a certain distance is observed during planting (about 50 cm), however, in order to plant more space, gardeners plant bushes close. In this case, shaping is essential so that development does not stop due to lack of light and air. In large gardens, pinching pepper is not relevant.

Pinch the pepper correctly

Pinching is a lengthy process that requires attention. In order not to harm the plant, it is necessary to adhere to certain rules. Consider a step-by-step description of the process.

1. Remove the root bud. At first, only one shoot develops. Upon reaching a height of 25-30 cm, several branches are formed. At the branching site, a root bud is born, which is recommended to be removed for better development. To remove, it is necessary to cut off the tops with scissors, stepping back from the bud 3-4 cm. It is necessary to pinch in time, otherwise the bush will continue to grow upwards.
2. Get rid of extra branches. Usually, 2-3 main shoots are isolated from a plant, which fully develop and set the shape. It is necessary to leave the strongest branches, and pinch the rest. This stimulates the development of lateral processes that form the bush.
3. We get rid of barren shoots and lower leaves. Barren sprouts and excessive foliage take away the strength of the plant. Instead of directing forces to the formation of fruits and their development, the plant spends energy on maintaining the life of completely unnecessary leaves.
4. Pinching skeletal branches. Over time, enough fruit is formed on the bush. To accelerate growth in this case, pinching growth points on the main branches is carried out. Thanks to this action, forces are concentrated on already existing ovaries.
5. Pinch the pepper as new stems grow. In the zone of active growth, you can pinch the tops of the pepper once every 2 weeks. In the stage of calm, once a month is enough.

seedling formation

Do seedlings need pinching? The top of young seedlings does not require tweezing, but if the moment of planting is missed and lateral shoots and root buds begin to form, it is necessary to plant as soon as possible in order to proceed to the design of the bush.

It is strictly forbidden to remove excess shoots from seedlings, because the plant has not yet gained strength and can easily catch diseases, and this often ends in the death of plantings. Such seedlings are more difficult to take root and require constant care. If the pinching was done before planting, before planting, the sprouts must be treated with a solution of copper sulfate.

Having a fruit-bearing plant at home is very beneficial. In addition to the lemon tree, you can often see indoor pepper on the kitchen windowsill. To grow this plant at home, you need to know some of the nuances, as well as the features of caring for it. Our today's article will tell you about this and much more.

cultivation

Such a houseplant as pepper is a shrub descended from species growing in the undergrowth. Despite the fact that these varieties grow in shading conditions, there are certain nuances of growing them in an apartment.

When growing ornamental peppers, it must be remembered that they come from the south. Therefore, for him, the combination of conditions such as cloudy weather and short daylight hours is a real test. The plant tolerates a lack of light especially hard in the period from November to January. If there is little light, then the pepper stops growing and blooming. At the same time, the answer to the question “why pepper flowers fall” will be a lack of light. With a short light day, the plant begins to shed not only flowers, but also leaves. In connection with such a need, in winter, pepper grown at home must be additionally illuminated. To do this, use phytolamps (the light source can be anything). Remember, this culture needs 12 hours of daylight.

As a perennial plant, pepper, with proper care, can live in a house for up to 10 years. Care for it begins at the stage of soil preparation.

For growing seedlings, it is recommended to use purchased soil mixtures, but for a pot (permanent container), you should prepare the soil with your own hands.

When preparing the soil, remember that pepper loves slightly acidic soil (pH 6.5-7). Therefore, for the manufacture of the soil mixture, it is necessary to use the following ingredients:

• leaf or compost humus (4 parts);
• neutralized peat (4 parts);
• agroperlite or vermiculite (2 parts). This ingredient allows the earth to retain moisture well, and also prevents it from being strongly compacted.

When the soil mixture is ready, it must be poured into the selected container. However, before that, clean gravel or garden expanded clay must be placed on the bottom of the pot. The layer thickness is 2-3 cm. This will create good drainage. Some flower growers advise adding humus and compost, as well as river sand, to the nutrient soil.

Planting seeds is carried out randomly. After that, they must be sprinkled with a small layer of soil that has been sifted. Usually the first shoots appear on the 15th day after sowing the seed. After their appearance, you need to pinch the top to prevent the shoot from stretching. Picking is usually carried out a month after sowing the seeds.

Peppers grown in an apartment or house should have the following care:

If the care of the plant is correct, then it will bloom with small white flowers. During this period, indoor pepper acquires a particularly spectacular and decorative appearance.

It should be noted that the formation of fruits does not require artificial pollination. When the crop has been harvested, it is necessary to rejuvenate the pepper. To do this, it is transplanted into a new land. Transplantation should be carried out carefully so as not to damage the root system.

It is recommended to transplant the plant into new soil and into a pot every three years. During transplantation, it is necessary to remove too powerful and old shoots. Pruning will make decorative pepper not only fruitful, but also beautiful.

If the care of the bush was wrong, then various diseases may appear on it. Especially often diseases develop due to improper watering or insufficient lighting.

As you can see, pepper is an easy crop to grow at home. The main thing is to create the right conditions for it.

Video “Description”

From the video you will learn a lot of interesting things about this indoor vegetable.

Varieties of varieties

It must be understood that pepper in a pot is a purely conditional thing. Since any hot pepper can grow in such conditions, which has suitable bush sizes and simple care. Therefore, hot pepper for growing at home can be of any kind. You can choose from varieties designed for growing in open or closed ground.

When choosing a variety, it is necessary to remember the existence of Nightshade or "Jerusalem Cherry". The fruits of this plant are poisonous.

In addition to the above species at home, you can grow the following varieties:

• Poinsettia. On the bush, the fruits form peculiar bunches at the ends of the branches. Thanks to this, they resemble unusual flowers. The length of the fruit is 7.5 cm. They are characterized by a sharp taste;
• Garda Firevox. The plant forms low bushes - no higher than 30 cm. The bush is usually densely strewn with fruits that stick up. Pods can have several colors at the same time: orange, green, red and lilac. Their length is 5.5 cm. They have a rather sharp taste;
• Nosegay. This is the smallest and most compact variety. Its height does not exceed 15 cm. Rounded and small fruits are formed on the plant. Their color in the process of maturation changes from green, cream and orange to red. The fruits have a medium spicy taste.

The following varieties are especially decorative varieties of pepper:

These are not all varieties that can be grown indoors. However, they are the most popular.

Common Mistakes

When growing pepper in an apartment, you need to be aware of the most common mistakes in order not to make them. Otherwise, the bush is attacked by various diseases. Not always the fight against them, even begun immediately after the discovery of the first signs of malaise, will be able to save the plant from death.

The very first mistake that inexperienced flower growers make is non-compliance with the water regime. The plant should not be watered with cold water. Such watering will lead to decay of the root system.

Since pepper is a heat-loving crop, it needs to be watered only with water at room temperature.

When placing the pot near heating systems, watering should be carried out every other day, as the earth will dry out quickly enough. In such conditions, it is recommended to install a container of water near the pot for evaporation. Under normal conditions, this procedure is carried out twice a week.

In addition to improper watering, the most common mistakes include the following points:

If the pot was for some time on the loggia or in the summer greenhouse, then when transferred to the house, the pepper may begin to shed its leaves. This situation reflects the lack of light. To solve the problem, it is necessary to install additional lighting. If you do not need flowering, you can simply drastically cut the shoots to about 1/3, and also stop heavy watering. However, remember that in such a situation, the soil should not be allowed to dry out.

Useful properties and application

Home grown indoor peppers can be used as an ingredient in a variety of dishes. It can be used to prepare hot sauces, seasonings. But it is also allowed to add it during canning.

Hot pepper pods are an excellent appetite stimulant. This plant is considered medicinal, as it is part of many medicinal tinctures. They are prescribed for violations of the gastrointestinal tract, sciatica and neuralgia. They are also actively used to prevent burns. But remember that pepper tinctures cannot be used for diseases of the pancreas and liver.

Pepper is a very popular crop, which today is actively grown not only in greenhouses and open ground, but also at home. To get a good harvest, as well as a beautiful appearance of the bush itself, you must follow the simple rules of care, as well as know the most common mistakes. In general, caring for peppers at home is quite simple.

Video “Growing”

From the video you will learn how to grow this vegetable.

Among the perennial crops grown on the windowsill, ornamental peppers are especially popular. With proper care at home, its continuous fruiting for 3-5 years is observed. In order for the burning spice to always be at hand, you need to become more familiar with the features of cultivation.

Popular types

It is effective to grow pepper at home in compact sizes, up to 50 cm high. There are varieties of indoor plants, they are also called Capsicum, whose height does not exceed 20 cm - these are dwarf varieties with numerous bright fruits and rather long undulating ripening. Peppers growing on small green bushes are not only a spectacular decoration of any windowsill, but also an excellent spicy seasoning. There are many types of ornamental peppers, differing in the shape of the fruit, size, leaf mass, duration of the fruiting period, color from green to purple.

Annual

In most cases, plants dry out after harvesting, which explains their name. But there are exceptions - these are individual varieties that at home are able to bear fruit for several years in a row. One-year-olds differ in short stature, compactness, their height is 30-55 cm. Depending on the varietal characteristics, the fruits may have a different shape and color.

Most often, California miracle, Atlas, Orange miracle, Kakadu, Habanero, Bogatyr, Anastasia are grown on window sills. Phoenix, Redskin, Cherry Bomb, Tepin, Siberian Prince have positive reviews.

shrubby

This type of perennial plant is grown on window sills, balconies, loggias. Bush pepper is a good solution in choosing a room culture, it stands out for its qualitative and quantitative fruiting (5-6 years), its height is within 15-45 cm.

The crown of the plant is quite dense, the fruits are small in size, their number reaches up to 50 pieces. Among the well-known small-fruited varieties, the Queen of Spades, Carmen, Spark, Bride, Salute are noted. Bush pepper is also known as cayenne.

berry-bearing

This variety of homemade pepper fully justifies its name, its fruits are distinguished by a flattened shape, and not the usual cone-shaped, somewhat similar to squash. An unusual form attracts pepper of the Bishop's Crown variety, but its productivity indicators are average, up to 20 fruits from one bush.

Often in room conditions there is Lemon Lollipop, White Crystal, which have proven themselves exclusively on the positive side. They have high yields. They are sweet and not spicy in taste. Tall plants grow up to 80 cm, they are best placed on the floor.

Chinese

This is a less common type of indoor pepper, its height does not exceed 50 cm. The compact bush stands out for its ovoid foliage, their color is light green, the surface is slightly wrinkled. Flowers attract attention with their white color, there is a greenish tint.

Peppers may differ in shape, there are instances in the form of a flashlight. Chinese pepper is valued for its pungency and pungency. Its only disadvantage is its relatively slow growth. Santa Lucia, Devil's Yellow, Devil's Tongue are popular.

pubescent

This variety is also called fluffy pepper, because of its tallness (3-4 m), it is most often planted in an open area. At home, some of its types are suitable, in particular, Rokoto. In height, it grows only up to 1 m. The plant is covered with dense pubescence (shoots, flowers, leaves).

The flowers can be single or paired, they are distinguished by an unusual purple color. Short peppers grow with a dark red, orange, brown or black color. The fruits are quite pungent in taste.

Is it possible to eat decorative pepper

Indoor decorative pepper not only decorates the room, it also benefits. This savory vegetable with regular use is capable of:

• improve the state of the central nervous system;
• normalize the hematopoietic function of the body;
• improve the functioning of the cardiovascular system;
• enhance brain activity;
• reduce the likelihood of developing atherosclerosis, bronchial asthma, renal failure;
• provoke the release of hormones of happiness;
• effectively fight pathogenic microorganisms on both internal and external tissues of the body.

But, in order not to cause undesirable manifestations for the body, it should be consumed in moderate doses, otherwise you can cause a burn of the mucous membrane of the digestive system, increase the load on the heart, and increase blood pressure.

The best varieties for indoor growing

Due to the high taste characteristics and yield indicators, varieties are especially popular:

1. This indoor plant belongs to medium early crops, harvesting occurs 115-120 days after planting. The bush stands out with an average strength of growth, branching. The sizes of the pods are quite large, their weight reaches 45 g. They grow in a rich red color and have a burning taste.
2. Aladdin. The ornamental culture is characterized as medium-sized, its height is not more than 50 cm. The variety is in demand because of its ultra-early maturity, it bears fruit abundantly and for a long time. Small peppers are distinguished by a cone-shaped shape, pronounced aroma and sharpness. As they mature, their color changes, when they reach their technical ripeness, the skin becomes red.
3. A compact plant reaches a height of only 31 cm. Flowers are purple, self-pollinated. Black fruits become red when they reach technical ripeness. For black pearl pepper, large containers are not required, flower pots with a volume of 1.5-3 liters are enough.
4. This Dutch variety of hot peppers has won consumer appreciation for its abundant fruiting. Productivity is high, even despite the low growth of the bush, height 20-30 cm.
5. This indoor pepper is famous for its productivity and undemanding to growing conditions. An early ripe culture pleases with its hanging red fruits, their length is up to 5 cm. The height of the bush does not exceed 45 cm, there are not so many leaves. The fruits are spicy in taste, actively used for the preparation of assorted, marinades, as a spice.

Required agrotechnical conditions

When growing peppers in a pot to maintain their decorative qualities and yields, certain recommendations should be followed. Only an integrated approach will allow you to get a strong and promising plant.

Choosing a place in the apartment

The best option for placing an ornamental plant would be a fairly sunny location. To increase the length of daylight hours, it is recommended to grow hot peppers on the windowsill of a south or east window. The leaves of the plant are acutely sensitive to direct sunlight, therefore, in the summer they need to be darkened.

To develop immunity at night, a pot of hot pepper is taken out to the balcony in order to artificially induce contrasting temperatures. It is good for a plant to change its place every 2-3 years or to transplant it to stimulate growth and development. In case of non-compliance with this condition, after 5 years, the ability to bear fruit will cease.

illumination

A prerequisite for a rich harvest is a sufficient amount of sunlight. To fully satisfy the need for indoor hot pepper, you need to place the pot on the windowsill of a southern, western or southwestern orientation. Given the light-loving culture in the spring and autumn, it should receive up to 3-4 hours of sunlight. It is not worth exceeding these time limits, otherwise, instead of benefit, you can cause burns on the sheet plates.

With a shortage of sunlight, hot peppers are provided with an additional source of lighting in the form of fluorescent lamps.

Temperature and Humidity

Heat-loving indoor pepper effectively grows and develops at an indoor air temperature of up to 25 degrees - in spring and summer. As for winter, the temperature should be in the range of 10-12 degrees. Humidity is of particular importance for decorative piquant culture. In case of increased dryness, the plant will shed its leaves, and its fruits will have a wrinkled surface. In winter, regular spraying on the leaf will be useful for hot peppers on the windowsill.

Preparatory work

When growing hot peppers at home, it is important to correctly approach the choice of soil, capacity and seed preparation.

How to get planting material

For breeding hot peppers, it is better to choose seeds taken from dried fruits. Alternatively, they can be bought at specialized retail outlets or online stores, which offer planting material for ornamental and exotic crops. If you sow it in February-March, then you can count on the harvest in September-October. For successful cultivation on the windowsill, you should choose the right seed material and carry out its pre-sowing preparation.

Preplant seed treatment

The choice of seeds should be focused on self-pollinating varieties, if other varieties are used, then pollination will have to be done manually, which is not always convenient and efficient. To speed up the germination process, purchased or collected seeds must be kept in a container of water for several days. But they are pre-treated with a 1% solution of potassium permanganate, keeping for 30 minutes. Wood ash is used as a natural growth stimulator, it is added to water to soak the seeds.

Soil and container for planting

The pots are filled either with ready-made seedling substrate, which is sold at specialized outlets, or with nutrient soil prepared independently from leafy soil (2 parts), peat (1 part), river sand (1 part), coconut fiber (1 part) and perlite ( 1 part). In order to avoid negative consequences for plantings in the form of the development of various kinds of diseases, the soil mixture is disinfected with fungicidal preparations such as Previkur. For these purposes, a 1% solution of potassium permanganate is suitable.

For laying seeds in the ground, separate containers with a volume of 200 ml will be required. For transplanting an adult bush, it is better to take pots with a volume of more than 3 liters.

Seedling technology

To achieve high results, you need to know how to properly plant bitter pepper from seeds at home.

When to sow

When cultivating at home, it is very important to adhere to the timing of planting seed material. Sow a piquant culture in containers, other containers are allowed throughout the year, the main thing is that the temperature in the room is maintained in the range of 20-25 degrees. Varieties with early or very early ripening are sown from April to mid-May, and plants with medium or late ripening - from the last days of February to the first days of May.

Depth and seeding pattern

The prepared seed material is planted either in a common container (between seedlings 2-3 cm) with further picking, or separately, using peat cups. When growing indoor pepper, you need to know that it does not tolerate transshipment into a deeper container, its growth processes can slow down significantly. It is more efficient to immediately sow in pots with a volume of 3 liters. The planting depth of the seed should not exceed 1.5-2 cm. Germinated specimens should be used very carefully, the spine is directed down.

seedling care

To grow a healthy and strong plant, you need to properly care for it.

First shoots

In order for the seeds to germinate faster, they need to create greenhouse conditions. To do this, the containers are covered with plastic wrap and placed in a warm and bright place. The recommended temperature in the room should be at least 24 degrees. When shoots appear, the covering material is removed. You can expect sprouts from fresh seeds for 10-14 days. If old copies are used, then this process is delayed for 2-3 weeks. Growing seedlings will be comfortable with a temperature in the range of 18-20 degrees.

Dive to a permanent place

It is allowed to transplant sprouts at the stage when they have two pairs of true leaves. From small pots with a volume of 200-300 ml, ornamental plants are transferred into large containers filled with fertile soil. It is important that after the manipulations, the pepper is at the same level as it grew before.

If it is deeply buried in the ground, then due to the lack of the ability to form additional roots, the piquant plant will die.

Features of growing on the window

Caring for ornamental peppers consists in the timely introduction of nutritional compounds, moisturizing, and the formation of a bush.

Watering and fertilizing regimen

In spring and summer, the soil is moistened as it dries. Water should be at room temperature and settled (1 day). In drought conditions, the plant sheds leaves and flowers, so watering is done regularly, but in moderate doses. In hot weather, spraying on the leaf is effective, 2-3 times a day.

You can determine the lack of nutrients in the soil by external condition. If there is not enough phosphorus, then the lower leaves become purple. Nitrogen deficiency is detected by the light color of the leaf mass. Feed bitter pepper 1 time in 2 weeks. Nitrogen compounds are used for leaf treatments, and phosphorus-potassium compounds are used under the bush. Home care must be of high quality, otherwise the fruits will be small and not sharp.

Diseases and pests of indoor species

A spicy perennial most often suffers from an attack by a spider mite. This harmful insect appears on plants in conditions of high humidity in the air. The mealy worm attacks the bushes in the absence of a disinfectant treatment of the soil before planting. If you overdo it with watering, then there is a high probability of developing dangerous diseases on plantings - phytophthora, root rot. If foci are found on leaf plates of various colors, treatment with copper-containing preparations should be carried out. A clear manifestation of root rot is the wilting of the bush. To save him, the soil is replaced with a new one.

Bush formation

When cultivating pepper at home on the windowsill, it is necessary to periodically prune, thanks to this procedure, the productivity of the ornamental crop is significantly increased, a beautiful crown is formed and growth processes are enhanced. At the first fruiting, each side shoot is pinched. Since hot pepper tolerates shortening quite painlessly, from time to time it will be useful to trim half the length of each branch.

Flowering period and fineness of pollination

It is more convenient to grow self-pollinating varieties at room conditions. If there is a desire to increase the yield, then you should lightly shake the plant at the flowering stage or walk with a soft brush through all the flowers. To stimulate the appearance of new ovaries, abundant watering is carried out.

It happens that the buds fall off the bitter pepper. The reason for dropping flowers may be non-compliance with the rules of agricultural technology. Irrigation should be properly organized, the plant should be fed and the air temperature in the room should be controlled.

Harvesting

The fruits of indoor hot peppers are harvested as they ripen, here you need to focus on the varietal characteristics of each specific species. There are varieties (Jalapeño) that lose their sharpness when they reach their technical maturity. Therefore, they are plucked earlier, still unripe. If you plan to collect seed material, then the peppers should be fully ripe, red, orange or yellow in color. After removal from the bush, these specimens should dry out for 2-3 days.

Hot pepper, as a perennial plant, has its own characteristics. To achieve a high-quality harvest, you should follow the correct agricultural technology.

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 and attractive appearance that makes it popular, but also the ease of growing at home.

Variety and Seed Selection for Successful Growing

It is easiest to propagate decorative indoor peppers by seeds. The key to success is the right choice of planting material.

How to choose seeds for planting at home

Seeds taken from the dried fruit are excellent. You can buy planting material in gardening stores - or in online stores that offer 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, if properly stored, 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! The selected seeds should not have flaws - dark specks, strong twisting, damage, traces of rot. Quality seeds are pale yellow, almost white.

How to choose the best variety

Distinguish early-ripening, mid-ripening, late-ripening. You can enjoy the fruits of early ripe varieties in 65-100 days from the moment of emergence. Fruits from mid-ripening plants can be obtained in 100-120 days. But 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 is the optimal bush height for home pepper growing. 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. The fruits are round in shape, berries, often mistaken for a close and poisonous relative - nightshade, and 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 forms, 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 of indoor 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 can also have blotches of 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 indoor pepper for food, it is important to make sure that you can do it - there are absolutely not sharp species, but there 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 start a hot pepper at home just for the sake of beauty, then the sharpness is not important, but you should pay special attention to the decorative properties (bush height, shape and color, ripening characteristics).

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 is not suitable, as it may contain insect larvae, fungal spores, which adversely affect seed germination.
3. Seeds are recommended to be pre-soaked in warm water for several 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 advisable to put a plastic glass on top of the pot, 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 periodically ventilated - briefly raise the greenhouse so that young plants get used to the 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. The main sign that the plant is time to repot is the roots peeking out from 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 ripe, mid-ripening or late-ripening), the first fruits may appear in summer, when the sun is most active, or in early to mid-autumn.

It is important to remember hot peppers 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 with comfortable conditions for growth.

What conditions are necessary for pepper

sunny location. It is advisable to keep the pot on the windowsill indoors. On very sunny balconies, the “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 hot 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. In summer, on sunny days, the plant must be watered every day. Spray with water at 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, when it comes out of dormancy.

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 when they 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 are 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.

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 a ready-made flower in a store.

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