When does the hot pot essential chili pepper usually bloom, what fertilizer should be applied, and how should it be managed during the flowering and fruiting period?

Chili pepper, also known as: ox horn pepper, long chili pepper, sweet pepper, bell pepper, is an annual or limited-perennial herbaceous plant. When mature, it turns red, orange, or purplish-red, with a spicy taste. The seeds are flat and kidney-shaped, light yellow.So when does chili pepper usually bloom? What fertilizer is best to apply? What should be noted in the management during the flowering and fruiting period?

When does chili pepper usually bloom?

From sowing to the first flower, chili pepper takes about 60~70 days!

The growth cycle of chili pepper cultivation includes four stages: the germination stage, the seedling stage, the flowering and fruit-setting stage, and the fruiting stage:

1. Germination stage, from seed germination to the appearance of the first true leaf, is the germination stage, generally about 10 days. During the germination stage, nutrients mainly come from the seed, and the young roots have very weak absorption capacity.

2. Seedling stage, from the appearance of the first true leaf to the appearance of the first flower bud, is the seedling stage. It takes 50~60 days. The seedling stage is divided into two phases: before 2~3 true leaves is the basic vegetative growth phase, and after 4 true leaves, vegetative growth and reproductive growth proceed simultaneously.

3. Flowering and fruit-setting stage, from the budding of the first flower to the fruit setting of the first flower, is the flowering and fruit-setting stage, generally 10~15 days. During this period, the contradiction between vegetative growth and reproductive growth is particularly prominent, and mainly through measures such as water and fertilizer, the relationship between growth and development, vegetative growth and reproductive growth, and aboveground and underground growth is regulated to achieve a balance between growth and development.

4. Fruiting stage, from the first chili pepper fruit setting to the end of harvest, belongs to the fruiting stage. This period lasts a relatively long time, generally about 50~120 days. The fruiting stage is dominated by reproductive growth, while vegetative growth continues, and the demand for water and fertilizer is very large. During this period, water and fertilizer management should be strengthened to create good cultivation conditions, promote both vigorous shoots and fruits, and continuous fruiting, so as to achieve the goal of a bumper harvest.

What fertilizer is best to apply to chili pepper?

For chili pepper, it is best to apply organic fertilizer, and at the same time apply sufficient potassium fertilizer and calcium fertilizer.

1. Chili pepper has no strict requirements for soil, and can be planted in various types of soil. Its growth period is long, but the root system is not well developed, the roots are shallow, and the root volume is small. It is neither drought-tolerant nor waterlogging-tolerant, has a large fertilizer demand, and has strong fertilizer tolerance. It is a vegetable of the high-nitrogen, medium-phosphorus, high-potassium type. In addition, different varieties also differ in the types and amounts of fertilizer required, and small-fruit varieties require more nitrogen. Research has proven that for every 1000 kg of chili pepper produced, it is necessary to absorb 4.91 kg of nitrogen (N), 1.19 kg of phosphorus (P2O5), and 6.02 kg of potassium (K2O) from the soil, with a ratio of 1:0.2:1.2 among the three.

2. Chili pepper is mainly harvested for tender fruits, so attention should be paid to the use of potassium fertilizer, which is very important for improving fruit quality. In addition, attention should also be paid to the application of medium and trace elements, especially calcium fertilizer. Once deficient, the fruit is prone to blossom-end rot.

What should be noted in the management of chili pepper during the flowering and fruiting period?

The flowering and fruiting period is the period of greatest growth in the entire life of chili pepper. During this period, there is high temperature and abundant rain, and drought is also likely, while chili pepper is a crop that likes warmth and fears high temperature, likes sunlight and fears exposure to the sun and continuous cloudy days; likes moisture and fears waterlogging and drought; likes fertility and fears excessive nitrogen fertilizer and poor soil fertility. Therefore, whether high-yield and high-quality chili pepper can be obtained, management during the flowering and fruiting period is particularly important, and the management techniques should pay attention to the following four key points:

1. Watering. The flowering and fruiting period is the period when vegetative growth and reproductive growth of chili pepper advance together, and it cannot lack water, especially when encountering summer drought, it must be watered in time. After heavy rain, drainage should be carried out immediately, and well water should be poured to lower the temperature and exchange air, so as to protect the roots from premature aging. After the Beginning of Autumn, the ground should be kept from drying out, and generally it should be watered 1-3 times.

2. Fertilization. Chili pepper requires relatively more phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, so organic fertilizer and phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should be increased, and nitrogen fertilizer should be used in an appropriate amount. This period is the period with the greatest demand for fertilizer and water, so 10-15 kg of urea per mu, or 40—50 kg of ammonium bicarbonate, should be applied, after which no more topdressing is needed. After each fruit harvest, potassium dihydrogen phosphate plus a small amount of urea can be sprayed on the leaves to prevent fertilizer deficiency and premature aging in the later stage.

3. Prevent the “three droppings” of chili pepper. The “three droppings” namely leaf drop, flower drop, and fruit drop, are one of the important reasons affecting high yield. The “three droppings” during the full flowering period are mainly due to high temperature and drought, high temperature and excessive rain and waterlogging, or damage from diseases and insect pests, especially the occurrence and spread of viral diseases. To prevent the “three droppings,” management should focus on promoting roots, protecting roots, developing roots, and strengthening roots, improving plant resistance, and achieving timely watering and drainage during the rainy season, and rational fertilization.

4. Prevention and control of diseases and insect pests. Timely prevention and control should be carried out for chili pepper phytophthora blight, viral diseases, anthracnose, leaf moths, and other diseases and insect pests.