A Detailed Guide to the Latest Planting Methods for Hangjiao Peppers

The Hangjiao pepper fruit is goat-horn-shaped, about 13 cm long, about 1.4 cm in transverse diameter, with an average single fruit weight of 10 grams. The green mature fruit is light green, the fruit is mildly spicy, and the fully ripe fruit is red. The fruit surface is slightly wrinkled, and the fruit tip tapers and curves slightly. It is both an excellent seasoning for delicious dishes and a warming food that disperses cold and can be used as a dietary remedy for poor appetite and similar conditions. Now let us take a look at how to plant Hangjiao pepper seeds!

Cropping Schedule for Hangjiao Peppers

1. Autumn-winter-spring cultivation: Hangjiao peppers are sown in early October in the Huangshi area, transplanted in early December, and harvested from late March to late June of the following year.

2. Spring-summer-autumn cultivation: Hangjiao peppers in spring-summer-autumn cultivation are usually sown and raised as seedlings in a hotbed in early January, transplanted in early April, and marketed from mid-June to September.

3. Autumn-winter cultivation: Hangjiao peppers in autumn-winter cultivation are usually sown and raised as seedlings from mid-June to mid-July, transplanted from mid-July to early August, and harvested from mid-September to early December.

Sowing and Seedling Raising of Hangjiao Peppers

1. Seed treatment: Soak Hangjiao pepper seeds in 55°C water for 30 minutes, then soak for another 7-8 hours after natural cooling, or soak for 7-8 minutes in a 500-fold potassium permanganate solution, wash clean, then soak in clean water for another 7-8 hours, and then keep warm at 28-30°C to promote germination. The seeds can be sown once they show white sprouts.

2. Timely sowing: The Hangjiao pepper seedling bed is chosen in a greenhouse where solanaceous and cucurbit crops were not grown in the previous crop. After watering thoroughly, spread 0.5% carbendazim medicinal soil 1-2 cm thick, then after sowing evenly cover with medicinal soil 0.5 cm, and after sowing cover with film or shade netting.

3. Keep warm and moist: Before emergence, keep Hangjiao peppers warm and moist, at 25-30°C during the day. When 60-70% of seedlings have emerged, promptly remove the plastic film or shade netting. After emergence, appropriately lower the temperature to 18-25°C during the day and 12-15°C at night to prevent cold damage, damping-off, and spindly seedlings. Pay attention to ventilation and let in more sunlight.

4. Reasonable watering: After the Hangjiao pepper seedlings break their heart leaves, carry out the first transplanting, using 10×10 cm nutritional pots. Do not water too much; keep the bed soil moist below and dry on top. If too wet, appropriately scatter dry fine soil or seedling soil. For fertilization, it is best to use “colored water” and apply it when the soil turns white. In summer and autumn, water in the evening to keep the soil moist. In cold winter and early spring, water between 10:00 and 15:00. Soil and air humidity should preferably be dry rather than wet.

Land Preparation and Transplanting of Hangjiao Peppers

1. Land preparation and bed making: Hangjiao peppers are usually grown in a greenhouse where solanaceous crops were not planted in the previous crop. Before plowing, apply 5000 kg of decomposed barnyard manure per mu. In a 6 m wide greenhouse, make 6 beds, and apply compound fertilizer in furrows between the beds at 50 kg per mu.

2. Mulching for warmth: About 10 days before transplanting Hangjiao peppers, for winter-spring cultivation cover the greenhouse and inner greenhouse film as well as plastic film to raise soil temperature. For autumn-winter cultivation, cover the top of the greenhouse and add shade netting and plastic film to lower the temperature and help seedling recovery.

3. Reasonable close planting: The planting density of Hangjiao peppers is 2 rows per bed, with 40 cm row spacing and 30 cm plant spacing, planting 5000 plants per mu. For winter-spring cultivation, transplant at noon; for autumn-winter cultivation, transplant in the evening. After transplanting, water thoroughly with dilute human manure and urine to set the roots.

Field Management of Hangjiao Peppers

1. Fertilizer and water management: After Hangjiao peppers recover from transplanting, apply 1000 kg of dilute human manure and urine per mu, or 10 kg of diammonium phosphate or 10 kg of NPK compound fertilizer in 1000 kg of water. Until the first harvest of tender peppers, water and fertilize again according to plant growth and soil moisture. Generally, after every 2-3 harvests, apply 15 kg of diammonium phosphate per mu in 1000 kg of water as irrigation. During continuous drought, pay attention to irrigating with “horse-racing water”.

2. Preserving flowers and fruits: After Hangjiao peppers begin vigorous growth, promptly remove side branches below the root pepper. Although Hangjiao peppers have a high fruit-setting rate, factors such as cold damage and weak light can easily cause flower and fruit drop. For autumn-delayed cultivation, in late September, apply 6-8 grams of chili pepper spirit per mu (each 1 gram mixed with 6-8 kg of water). Never spray the solution on the growing point or tender leaves.

3. Temperature and light management: For winter-spring greenhouse cultivation of Hangjiao peppers, use four layers of coverage: greenhouse, small tunnel, plastic film, and straw curtain. For autumn-delayed cultivation, from July to early September cover the top of the greenhouse with shade netting to lower the temperature, and in mid-October add skirt film to keep warm. The daytime temperature should be 25-30°C and nighttime 12-18°C. Note that on sunny days the greenhouse temperature must not exceed 33°C, and promptly remove the skirt film for ventilation and cooling. On rainy and snowy days, remove the covering inside the greenhouse to let in light and air.

4. Timely harvesting: Hangjiao peppers are mainly harvested as tender peppers 5-6 cm long for market. To increase yield, harvest promptly and pack neatly for market.

5. Pest and disease control: Seedling-stage diseases of Hangjiao peppers include damping-off, rhizoctonia rot, and phytophthora blight, which can be controlled by measures such as seed treatment and applying medicinal soil. Gray mold can be controlled with procymidone medicinal soil. Viral disease can be controlled in the early stage with 83 anti-viral agent or virus A 600-fold solution. Root rot can be controlled with root rot spirit 700-fold solution. Noctuid pests can be controlled with 5% cascade 1000-fold solution, 10% Tracer 2000-fold solution, or Anda 3000-fold solution.