An Introduction to Potted Ornamental Pepper Varieties and a Detailed Guide to Growing Them
Many friends who live in the city like to grow some flowers, plants and small vegetables on their balcony, which can purify the air, beautify the indoor environment and also be eaten. And when it comes to growing flowers and vegetables, you definitely should not miss potted peppers. There are now many potted ornamental pepper varieties that are not only tasty but also beautiful, and from a distance they look like a pot of flowers. Below we introduce several ornamental pepper varieties suitable for pots as well as the key technical points of growing them!
1. Nebula Fruit Pepper
It is ox-horn shaped, with fruit about 5 cm long and a single fruit weighing 25 grams. The fruit shape is exquisite, and the size is the same as an ordinary pepper. It belongs to a type of sweet pepper, and when ripe the fruit color turns from light green to red. The fruit pepper is crisp, sweet and juicy, suitable for eating raw, and can be picked and eaten immediately. Because it is rich in multiple vitamins, especially with a vitamin C content as high as 180 mg/100 g, it has a relatively good effect on preventing and treating mouth ulcers. The plant type is relatively tall, and when grown as a single plant it is suitable for cultivation in a flowerpot with a diameter of more than 35 cm.
2. Windbell Pepper
The fruit shape is like a windbell, with fruit about 4 cm long and the top of the fruit about 5 cm wide, and the taste is relatively spicy; in the young fruit stage it is bright green, and after ripening it turns bright red. It sets fruit relatively late and is a late-maturing variety; the plant type is open, with a plant height of 50 cm, and a single plant bears 30-40 fruits. When grown as a single plant it is suitable for cultivation in a flowerpot with a diameter of about 35 cm.
3. Facing-Heaven Colorful Pepper
The fruits grow upward and are narrow, twisted and little-finger shaped, 4-6 cm long and about 1 cm wide, mildly spicy. The fruits are milky white at first, gradually turn yellow, then orange-red, and finally red. A single plant can simultaneously bear fruits of several colors, and when fully red the whole plant takes on a torch shape. The plant type is short and naturally compact, with a plant height of about 20 cm and a plant spread of 20-25 cm, and each plant bears 40-50 fruits. When grown as a single plant it is suitable for cultivation in a flowerpot with a diameter of about 15 cm.
4. Rice-Grain Pepper
The fruits are the size of rice grains and are milky white when young, which is how it got its name. The plant height is about 25 cm, with many branches and many fruits. The fruits are flat-round, with a fruit diameter of about 0.5 cm, and the taste is relatively spicy. During growth the fruits change among white, purple, red and so on. The fruits grow upward, and it is relatively shade tolerant. The plant type is small and delicate, suitable for cultivation in a flowerpot with a diameter of about 25 cm.
So, once you have chosen the variety you want to grow, you need to know how to grow it so that it looks good and yields well.
1. Ornamental peppers have a long seedling stage, so they are suitable for raising seedlings and transplanting. To ensure uniform and strong seedlings, the seeds can be soaked in warm water and sprouted before sowing.
2. Put the seeds in a cup or other container, first pour in a little cold water, and soak the seeds for about 3-5 minutes. After the seed coats are soaked and have absorbed some water, slowly pour hot water into the container, stirring while pouring, so that the seeds are heated evenly and the seeds are not scalded. When the water temperature in the container rises to 53°C-55°C, stop adding hot water. When the temperature drops, add a little more hot water to keep the water temperature at the required level. Maintain this for 10 minutes, then set it aside and let it cool naturally to 20°C-30°C.
3. After soaking, rinse the seeds with clean water, then wrap them well in clean wet gauze or a wet towel and place them in a well-ventilated spot at 25°C-30°C to sprout, rinsing the seeds once with warm water every 12 hours. Generally after two or three days some seeds will show white sprouts, and when the proportion exceeds 50% they can be sown to raise seedlings.
4. Because the seedling stage is relatively long, the seedling-raising soil needs to contain a certain amount of organic fertilizer. The organic fertilizer must be fully decomposed, and other nutrient soil should be treated by sun-drying, which can effectively avoid and reduce sources of pests and diseases. It is recommended to use a mix of garden soil (preferably soil that has not grown eggplant, tomato or pepper) together with nutrient soil bought from the market and organic fertilizer. Peat soil + garden soil + vermiculite + perlite + organic fertilizer in a volume ratio of 4:2:2:1:1 is relatively ideal. Mix the soil and fertilizer thoroughly and evenly, then fill seedling pots. Disposable paper cups for household use are relatively suitable as seedling pots.
5. Before sowing, water the seedling pots thoroughly. After the water has seeped in, place 1 sprouted seed in the center of each pot, then cover with a layer of fine soil about 0.5 cm thick, press down gently and sprinkle with water. After sowing, a thin transparent perforated plastic film or newspaper can be placed over the pot, which both retains moisture and ensures sufficient oxygen; remove the covering promptly after the seedlings emerge.
6. Ornamental peppers relatively like light during the seedling stage, so they need sufficient sunlight; during the full fruit stage, attention should be paid to shading or moving them indoors to prevent sunscald and fruit drop. The soil also needs to be kept fertile and loose. During the fruiting period, topdressing can be done by spraying the leaves with a 0.5% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution 2-3 times. As for watering, it is better to do it in the morning and evening.
7. Maintain good ventilation, and remove old yellow leaves and poorly growing side branches. Pests must also be prevented. Before planting, the seedling pots can be drenched with a 2000-4000 times dilution of 25% thiamethoxam water-dispersible granules; a small number of whiteflies and aphids can also be brushed off with a writing brush, along with spraying with clean water.