Autumn Chili Pepper Growing Techniques and Storage Methods to Help You Increase Yield

Chili peppers are something we eat quite a lot of in daily life; they can be used as a seasoning or as a dish on their own. Autumn has arrived, and many vegetables are starting a new round of sowing or harvesting, so how can you increase the yield of autumn chili peppers? What autumn chili pepper growing techniques are there? How do you store autumn chili peppers? Let's take a look together.

I. How to increase the yield of autumn chili peppers

1. Strengthen fertilizer and water management. Entering autumn, the root system of the chili pepper plant begins to age, leaf function weakens, and the temperature difference between day and night is relatively large. Therefore, during this period, fertilizer should be applied promptly according to the condition of the seedlings to extend the harvest period of autumn chili peppers.

Method: Generally, in the middle and late stages of harvest, apply urea as a top dressing 3-4 times, using the pouring method, with a pouring concentration of 0.4%.

Precautions:

① The concentration must not exceed 0.4%;

② Mix the urea and water thoroughly, and pour at a distance of more than 10 cm from the plant;

③ Apply foliar fertilizer as well.

2. Reduce losses during harvest. Do not harvest when rain or dew on the plants has not yet dried, so as to avoid spreading diseases, and try not to damage the branches, leaves, flowers, or fruit during harvest.

3. Strengthen pest and disease control. Chili pepper diseases include anthracnose, Phytophthora blight, bacterial spot, mosaic virus, and leaf curl virus. For control, follow the guidance of the agricultural department, adhere to prevention first, and use integrated control. Pests include cotton bollworm, tobacco budworm, and broad mite. For controlling cotton bollworm and tobacco budworm, emamectin benzoate is mainly used; for controlling broad mite, use propargite EC or chlorpyrifos EC.

II. Autumn chili pepper growing techniques

1. Variety selection: For autumn chili peppers, it is advisable to choose early-to-mid maturing varieties that are heat tolerant and disease resistant.

2. Sowing and raising seedlings

① Sowing period: Autumn chili peppers are raised in summer, emerge quickly, and have a short seedling age, with the seedling stage only about 30-35 days, so they can be sown and raised in early to mid-July.

② Sowing and raising seedlings, cultivating strong seedlings.

3. Soil selection: For autumn chili peppers, it is advisable to choose soil close to a water source, with deep soil layers, good water and fertilizer retention, and good drainage. The previous crop should not have been a solanaceous crop.

4. Fertilizer and water management: The amount of fertilizer used is the same as for spring cultivation. However, autumn temperatures are high, so the concentration of top dressing must not be too high. Pay attention to watering, resist drought and protect the seedlings, and keep the soil moist. During the flowering and fruiting period, use 0.2-0.4% monopotassium phosphate as a foliar top dressing.

5. Cultivation and transplanting: Autumn chili peppers are generally transplanted in early to mid-August, with two rows per bed, at a row spacing of 60-66×33-40 cm, with two plants per hole. Choose a sunny afternoon or a cloudy day for transplanting. If the soil is too dry, it is advisable to pour enough bottom water into the holes in the morning. When planting seedlings, transplant with a soil ball as much as possible, water promptly with settling water after planting, and use large, medium, small, and flat frames covered with shade netting to provide shade and moisture retention, so as to help the seedlings survive. If the light is too strong in the early growth stage, it is advisable to cover with shade netting to block light, reduce humidity, and prevent rainstorms.

6. Field management: From transplanting to the seedling recovery stage of autumn chili peppers, it is advisable to cover fully with shade netting, and after the seedlings survive, use top covering. During strong light, cover at 10 a.m. and uncover at 4 to 5 p.m. Uncover on cloudy days, cover during rainstorms. After September, the light weakens and the temperature drops, so it is advisable to remove the shade netting. If cultivating for a delayed autumn crop, in October plastic film can be placed over large, medium, and small frames for insulation, and attention should be paid to ventilation and moisture removal.

Harvesting and pest and disease control are the same as for spring cultivation.

III. How do you store autumn chili peppers?

1. Place green peppers stem-side up in a jar, one layer of green peppers and one layer of sand, with the thickness of each sand layer such that the green peppers are no longer visible, until reaching near the mouth of the jar. Seal tightly on top with two layers of kraft paper and place in a cool place. Green peppers stored in a jar at 0 degrees can be stored for 2 months.

2. Spread a layer of 3 cm-5 cm thick plant ash at the base of an indoor wall, place the selected green peppers evenly on top, and each time a layer of green peppers is added, sprinkle a little plant ash on top. Stored this way, the green peppers can not only keep their emerald green color, but can also be kept for quite a long time.

3. After the chili peppers turn red, pick them, sun-dry them until dry, and then seal and store them in plastic bags. They can be used for stir-frying dishes in the future, and they are very fragrant. They can also be chopped into chili flakes and made into chili oil.