Ornamental Pepper Potted Planting Methods and Timing Explained

Ornamental pepper is a herbaceous plant of the Solanaceae family, but its ornamental value is not particularly high, and it is often grown as a flowering plant for one or two years. Its stems are very thick and sturdy, with especially abundant branches and leaves; the flowers are white and the leaves are green. The fruits come in many varieties, with a very smooth surface and a glossy sheen, just like a finished handicraft. There are a great many types of ornamental pepper, so let us now take a look at how potted ornamental peppers are grown.

Ornamental Pepper Planting Methods and Timing

1. Requirements of pepper for environmental conditions: pepper is a plant that loves high temperatures and humid climate conditions and is not tolerant of low temperatures. The suitable temperature for seed germination is 25 to 30°C; when the temperature drops to 15 to 20°C, seeds germinate slowly, and below 15°C they almost do not germinate.

2. The suitable daytime temperature is 25 to 30°C, and nighttime 18 to 20°C, for the best growth. Pepper is not very strict about light, and its requirement for light intensity is much lower than that of cucumber and tomato; although it has a strong tolerance for weak light, long-term weak light can also cause flower drop, fruit drop, or deformed fruit.

3. Pepper seedling raising is generally done in mid-to-late February; under low-temperature conditions, strong seedlings can be grown, with the environmental temperature needed for seedling growth controlled manually. Before planting, the standard for strong seedlings should be reached: namely thick stems with short internodes, thick and dark green leaves, complete stems and leaves free of pests and diseases, a well-developed root system with white lateral roots, and 8 leaves at planting time. Water the seedbed before planting to reduce root damage when lifting the seedlings and to shorten the time needed to recover after transplanting.

How to Grow Potted Ornamental Peppers

1. Choice of sowing time: the sowing period is divided into spring sowing and autumn sowing. Spring sowing is from the end of March to the beginning of April; autumn sowing is from mid-to-late August to the beginning of September, for marketing before the Spring Festival. Preparation of seedling soil: special seedling soil can be used. You can also mix pond mud : peat soil : perlite at a volume ratio of 2:5:1, add 500 g of 75% chlorothalonil per 1 m3 of mixed soil and mix thoroughly, then fill it into 50-cell plug trays.

2. About 1 month after sowing, when there are 5-6 true leaves, they can be transplanted and planted. When planting, be careful that the soil ball does not crumble, so as to reduce root damage; after planting, water with settling water, preferably thoroughly. The planting soil should be rich in organic matter, loose, pollution-free, and free of toxic and harmful substances.

3. Begin topdressing 10 d after planting, applying once about every 10 d, mainly lightly and thinly; it is best to apply a water solution of compound fertilizer to ensure a suitable ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium nutrients and no off-odor. After flower buds appear, fertilize once every week, and appropriately increase or decrease the amount according to growth conditions. The potting soil should preferably be moist, not overly wet.

How to Fertilize Potted Peppers

1. Base fertilizer: fertilizing the seedling pots is mainly about preparing the seedling soil; the substrate must be fertile soil, and sufficient fertilizer must be applied at the same time, otherwise development will be affected. During the seedling stage, apply 1-2 supplemental topdressings depending on growth.

2. Topdressing: peppers also continuously set fruit, are continuously harvested, and continuously carry away nutrients, so nutrients need to be continuously replenished. On the basis of sufficient base fertilizer, topdressing should also be applied multiple times. When the fruit begins to swell, apply “fruit-promoting fertilizer”; when entering the full fruit stage, continue topdressing 3 times (topdressing after each fruit harvest); after entering the full fruit stage, the root system's ability to absorb fertilizer declines. Spray once a week for a total of three sprays, which helps delay senescence, extend the harvest period, and improve fruit quality.

Ornamental Pepper Seed Treatment and Germination

1. Seed treatment: conventional warm-water seed soaking. Use 5 times the amount of water as the seeds; pour the seeds into 55-degree water and stir immediately; after the water temperature drops to 30 degrees, soak for another 8 hours.

2. Germination: for the soaked seeds, first rub off the mucus on the surface, then wrap them in a wet cloth and place them in a warm place to germinate. During germination, the seeds should be turned and rubbed more; turn them twice a day, and after rinsing, spin them dry in a washing machine. Under a temperature condition of 28-30 degrees, pepper seeds can germinate in 4-5 days.

3. Sowing and management: the bed soil is best taken from soil that has not grown solanaceous vegetables for three years. The bed soil should be sieved, the seedbed should be leveled, and before sowing, water thoroughly with bottom water. After the water has completely seeped down, evenly scatter the germinated seeds on top; after sowing, cover with 1 cm of soil, promptly cover with plastic film to increase temperature and retain moisture, and promote early emergence. After 70% of the seeds have emerged, promptly remove the plastic film.

So-called ornamental peppers are of course mainly for ornamentation, but if their fruits become overly aged they will dry up, sometimes greatly affecting their appearance, so they should be picked in time when the fruits are ripe and brightly colored. When winter is about to pass, you can trim and cut back its old branches, letting it replenish energy and accumulate nutrients; when spring comes and flowers bloom the next year, new tender buds will grow, allowing it to continue flowering and fruiting and extending the ornamental period of the ornamental pepper.