Key Points of Black Pepper Cultivation Techniques and the Difference Between Black Pepper and Sichuan Pepper

Black pepper is a fairly common condiment for us, and adding black pepper to many dishes can enhance the flavor. Black pepper mainly grows in tropical regions, and is generally planted in large amounts in China's Yunnan, Guangxi, Taiwan, China, Hainan and other regions, and is even more common in Southeast Asia. So what are the black pepper cultivation techniques? What is the difference between black pepper and Sichuan pepper?

I. Black Pepper Cultivation Techniques

1. Selection and Planning of the Pepper Garden

Black pepper is afraid of waterlogging, so gentle slopes, well-drained flat land, and soil with good permeability should be chosen for planting. The area of the pepper garden should not be too large; generally 3-5 mu is suitable. The pepper garden is best rectangular, running east-west, with shelterbelts planted around it or original forest belts retained. The pepper garden should have a drainage system to remove standing water. Dig a large ditch 2 m from the shelterbelt and 2.5 m from the black pepper around the perimeter of the pepper garden, with a ditch width of about 100 cm and a depth of 80 cm; inside the garden, set a longitudinal ditch about every 15 plants, 60 cm wide and 50 cm deep; set small ditches between rows so they interconnect, to facilitate drainage and reduce water damage and disease.

2. Field Planting

1. Planting density and timing. Generally, the spacing between plants and rows is 2×2.5 m. For fertile soil, 2×3 m may be used, and for poor, thin land, 2×2 m may be used. Field planting is more suitable in spring and autumn. Field planting should preferably be done on cloudy days or in the afternoon on sunny days. It is not suitable to plant when soil moisture is too high.

2. Field planting method. The planting direction should be consistent with the direction of the terraces. When planting, dig a hole 20 cm from the post, 30 cm deep, with a 50° slope on the surface, and press it firm. When planting a single seedling, place the seedling facing the post; when planting double seedlings, place the seedlings facing the post in a “V” shape. The upper 1-2 nodes of each seedling should be exposed above the soil surface, and the seedling roots should be close to the slope, evenly distributed, and naturally extended, then cover with soil and press firm, apply 5 kg of decomposed organic fertilizer on both sides of the seedling, then backfill soil to form a mound with a pot-bottom shape in the middle, cover with grass, shade, and water thoroughly to settle the roots. A shade level of 80%%-90%% is suitable. Water once 1-2 days after planting, and after survival the watering can be gradually reduced. Shade must be maintained within one year of planting; never let the sun damage the pepper head and cause the death of the seedlings.

3. Fertilization Management

(1) For young pepper fertilization, water-soluble fertilizer with relatively high nitrogen should be the main type, combined with organic fertilizer and a small amount of chemical fertilizer, following the principle of frequent light applications and more application during the peak growing season. The first fertilizer hole should be on one side of the pepper head, with the inner wall of the hole 60 cm from the pepper head, so that the fertilizer hole connects with the planting hole. The fertilizer hole is 30 cm wide, 80-100 cm long, and 70 cm deep. When fertilizing, first return topsoil to the hole until half full, then apply fertilizer, mix the topsoil and fertilizer thoroughly, and when backfilling soil, press it firm and leave it slightly above the ground to prevent water accumulation in the fertilizer hole. Hole expansion and soil improvement should be completed before the plant stops growing and flowers.

(2) During normal growth, apply water-soluble fertilizer once every 20-30 days. The water-soluble fertilizer is made by composting human and livestock manure and urine with green leaves. For one-year-old pepper, apply 2-3 kg per plant each time. If the water-soluble fertilizer concentration is low, 0.2 kg of compound fertilizer can be added per load. The water-soluble fertilizer is generally applied in rotation in trenches at the front and both sides of the plant.

(3) Fertilization for fruiting trees: it should be carried out according to the nutrient requirements of black pepper at each phenological stage of flowering and fruiting. Generally, fertilization is applied 4-5 times in each fruiting cycle.

4. Shaping and Pruning

In the main pepper-growing areas of China, the shaping method generally used is retaining 6-8 vines and pruning the vines 4-5 times, and putting into production 2-3 years after planting with relatively high yield.

When small and medium pepper plants sprout new vines, excess buds and vines should be cut off in time. When the top canopy of fruiting pepper is too large and the branches are too dense, the old and weak branches and water sprouts at the top must be pruned away, and overly long outer branches should be shortened, maintaining balance between the upper and lower canopy, uniform size, and ventilation and light penetration, so that light energy can be fully utilized and disease occurrence reduced.

5. Tying Vines and Removing Flowers

Tying the vines of small and medium pepper plants in time can make the aerial roots developed and firmly attach to the support post. When new vines grow 3-4 nodes, tie the vines once every 10-15 days. Black pepper can flower and fruit all year round. Small and medium pepper plants must have flowers removed so that the plants can grow normally.

II. What Is the Difference Between Black Pepper and Sichuan Pepper?

Sichuan pepper and black pepper are not only condiments often used in our daily lives, but also have relatively high medicinal value. Although they both belong to the category of drugs that warm the middle and dispel cold, and can both be used to treat symptoms such as cold pain in the epigastrium and abdomen caused by deficiency cold of the spleen and stomach, and diarrhea due to deficiency cold, their effects and actions are also clearly different.

Black Pepper

Black pepper is also known as Guyue, Heichuan, and Baichuan. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that black pepper is hot in nature and pungent in taste, entering the stomach and intestine meridians. In addition to warming the middle and dispelling cold, it also has the effects of stimulating appetite, promoting digestion, stopping diarrhea, and detoxifying, and eating a small amount can increase appetite.

Sichuan Pepper

Sichuan pepper is also called Shujiao, Chuanjiao, Xiangjiao, and Large Sichuan Pepper. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that Sichuan pepper is warm in nature and pungent in taste, entering the spleen and kidney meridians, and has effects such as warming the middle and dispelling cold, removing dampness and relieving pain, expelling parasites and strengthening the stomach, promoting urination and reducing swelling, strengthening teeth and hair, and neutralizing fishy toxins. Sichuan pepper tastes more pungent than black pepper, and in addition to warming the middle and dispelling cold, it also has the effects of killing parasites, relieving pain, and relieving itching.