Help the development of the site, sharing the article with friends!
Peppers need a lot of heat to develop. Unfortunately, cultivation in the garden is only possible in very warm regions in this country. In this way, the plants can be planted out in the German wine regions without any problems. If you live in regions of Germany with a not so mild climate, you can grow peppers on the balcony. Since the germination and cultivation time for the plants is comparatively long, you should start growing on the windowsill at the beginning of March.
time
So that your harvest is successful, sow the peppers early. If you can give the plants enough light, the ideal time for sowing is as early as late February or early March. Since the seeds need a lot of light and warmth to germinate, a mini greenhouse is recommended. If this is not available, you can also use a seed tray to grow the plants.
location
The ideal location for both variants is the window sill on the south window.
Tip: A heated conservatory or a heated greenhouse is an even better location.
sowing
Sow peppers in a planter
Sowing in the planter is easy. Make sure that the seeds are evenly distributed in the bowl. The distance between each seed should be about two centimeters. How deep the seeds go into the seed soil depends on the type of pepper. Since only a few types of peppers germinate in the sun, the seeds are usually placed about one centimeter deep in the ground.
Tip: When sowing the peppers, you should always use seed soil. It also activates root growth.
After sowing, they are covered with a thin layer of soil. Then they are carefully poured on.
Tip: A gentle jet of water is sufficient. If the jet of water hits the ground too hard, you may wash away the seeds. But you can also spray the soil.
After pouring, the bowl is covered with a transparent film or hood. It is important that you set up the bowl in a place with 25 degrees Celsius in the apartment. The window sill should also provide enough light. If the temperature is too low, the seeds will not germinate. Or fungi form in the substrate. To prevent mold from forming under the film or hood, the seedlings must be aired daily. The germination period of pepper plants is about one to two weeks.
Tip: The hood can be removed two to three weeks after the germination period.
Keep the substrate moist in the following weeks. However, it must not be completely soaked. A little finesse is required here. Once two to four leaves have formed on the seedlings, they are transplanted into larger flower pots. This usually takes three to four weeks. Follow the instructions below to do this.
- Plant pots with a diameter of 10 centimeters
- prick out young plants
- place in a bright location
- watch out for high humidity
- ideal temperature between 20 and 22 degrees Celsius
- no direct sunlight for a few days after pricking out
Tip: If the plants are well rooted again, they can tolerate the sun again.
Since the small seedlings have very delicate roots, the first repotting is easier if you place the seeds in so-called multi-pot trays. So they can be easily transferred to the new pot without damaging the roots too much. With good care and ideal location conditions in the apartment, you may have to repot the pepper plants a second time.
Tip: If the plants get too little light, they grow long necks. In this case, you should keep the young peppers slightly cooler, but not below a temperature of 18 degrees Celsius.
lunar calendar
When to sow and plant peppers according to the lunar calendar?
The table below lists the dates when sowing peppers in 2022 should be particularly successful. These days are also known as fruit days.
| month | fruit days |
|---|---|
| February | 04.-06., 14.-16., 23. |
| March | 04.-05., 14., 23., 31. |
| April | 01., 10.-11., 19.-20., 27.-29. |
| May | 07.-09., 16.-17., 24.-26. |
Fertilize
The fertilizing time of the plants begins after pricking out. Give the small plants the first dose of fertilizer after about two weeks. It is best to use an organic liquid fertilizer for this. Because this can be easily administered with the irrigation water.
plant out
If you have grown the pepper plants indoors, you can put the plants outside in May. This will slowly harden them and allow them to get used to outdoor sunlight. At the end of May, when no more night frost is to be expected, they can be planted out in the garden bed. The bed should have a warm and sunny location.
Tip: If you grow the peppers in a greenhouse, you can move to the garden as early as mid to late April.
floor
Peppers prefer a deep and humus-rich soil. In addition, water should be able to store well.
Tip: Enrich the soil with compost or horn meal.
planting distance
The optimal planting distance is as follows.
- 40 to 50 centimeters in the bed row
- 60 centimeters between the bed rows
The rule of thumb is two plants per square meter of bed.
container plant
Cultivation as a container plant
If you don't want to plant your peppers outside, you can also cultivate them in a bucket on the balcony or terrace. To do this, place the plant in the largest possible flower pot. One pepper should always be planted in each pot. The pot should have a diameter of 20 to 25 centimeters per plant. Put three pepper plants in a flower box with a length of 80 centimeters. Normal vegetable soil is sufficient as a substrate for the potted plants.
Tip: Also make sure that the plants get a warm, but rain and wind supported, location.
Fertilize
You should provide pepper plants with an organic fertilizer every two weeks. Alternatively, you can also fertilize the plants with an organic vegetable fertilizer from mid-June to the end of August. You can also add nettle manure to the peppers.
pour
Pepper plants need a lot of water. If they are cultivated as container plants, they need water almost every day in summer. However, waterlogging should be avoided.
maintenance
If you have grown a large-fruited pepper, you should break out the so-called king flower, i.e. the first flower. It is formed by the plant in the fork between the main shoot and the first side shoot. By breaking out, i.e. pinching off the flower with your fingers, you stimulate shoot growth and can achieve a higher harvest yield. You should also stabilize the plant with a stick. This is recommended for young plants.
max out
Whether the peppers have to be pinched or not is hotly debated. The argument of the proponents is that by removing the sterile side shoots, the plant produces less leaf mass and more flowers. Opponents deny this connection. If you want to max out your peppers, you can. It doesn't harm the plant. You should then start with young plants and continue the process until the plant bears fruit. Follow the instructions below.
- exhausted in the morning
- in dry weather
- It is best to remove small stinging shoots
- Check the plant regularly for new growth
- In any case, stabilize the plant with a stick
Tip: Stingy shoots develop in the leaf axils between the stem of the plant and the summer shoots.
harvest
When you harvest the first fruits depends on the weather and the variety. In the garden or on the balcony, the first fruits usually ripen in mid-August. Then simply cut them off with scissors or a knife. Harvest the first peppers while they are still unripe, i.e. green. This is supposed to stimulate the plant to produce more fruit.
Tip: Green peppers also turn yellow or red on the plant over time. But you can still eat them.