Growing Peppers Indoors – Guidelines & Tips
Do you love peppers, but don’t have a spot in your garden for them? No problem! You can easily grow some of your favorite varieties indoors. Here is what you need to know about growing peppers indoors.
How to Select Seeds
When choosing pepper varieties to grow indoors, take into consideration the amount of light and space you have available in the location you plan on growing. If you have adequate space, you can grow bell peppers, sweet banana peppers, hot banana peppers, jalapenos, and serranos. For smaller spaces, you may want to stick with some of the smaller varieties such as cherry peppers, habanero, Poblano, sweet Italian peppers, or mild chili peppers. Another important factor to consider is the length of time from planting to harvest. Some varieties can take as few as 45 days, while others can take over 70 days.
Soil & Potting
You will need to create a well balanced soil mixture with good drainage for the peppers to thrive. To do this, mix equal parts of potting soil, vermiculite, and perlite. The potting container should also have drainage holes in the bottom, and be at least 6-7 inches deep. Once the soil mixture is ready, fill the container and lightly pack it down. Make sure to leave space for the pepper seeds or seedlings.
Light & Water
To promote healthy growth and blooming of peppers, they will need more than 10 hours of direct sunlight each day. If you do not have a sunny spot around your home, you can supplement the light with grow lights.
When it comes to water, be sure to keep the soil moist but not too wet. So, you’ll want to check the soil often and water when it starts to dry out. You can even use a spray bottle to lightly mist the lower leaves when the soil seems to dry out.
Protection
Whether you are growing hot peppers or mild peppers, it is important to keep them safe from pests. You can keep them away using organic or chemical pesticides. It is also a good idea to cover the plants in the evening when the temperatures are cooler, as this will protect them from weather changes.
Harvesting
Once the peppers have grown enough, it’s time to harvest! Each variety has a specific harvesting period. So, be sure to research the variety you are growing to determine the best time to pick the peppers. Also, use gloves when harvesting peppers as some types can cause skin irritation.
Conclusion
Growing peppers indoors is a fun and interesting experience. With the right guidelines and tips, you can have your own indoor pepper garden in no time! Be sure to research the variety you plan on planting, and experiment to see which conditions suit them best. With regular watering, light, and proper temperatures, you can easily grow peppers indoors!
