Detailed Guide to Pepper Cultivation Techniques: Planting Methods and Management Essentials
Site Selection and Land Preparation
Pepperis afraid of waterlogging, so gentle slopes, well-drained flat land and soil with good permeability should be chosen for planting. The pepper garden area 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 preserved. 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 pepper plants around the perimeter of the pepper garden, with a ditch width of about 100 cm and a depth of 80 cm; within the garden, set a longitudinal ditch about every 15 plants, 60 cm wide and 50 cm deep; set small ditches between rows and connect them to each other to facilitate drainage and reduce water damage and disease. Planting Methods
1. Land Clearing
First mark out the shelterbelt, then deep-plough 30 cm, and remove all tree stumps, roots, debris, etc. from the garden. For slopes below 5°, build large terraces with a surface width of 6 m for planting two rows. For slopes above 5°, build small terraces for planting one row. Dig a small drainage ditch on the inner side of the terrace. On flat land, gentle slopes and large terraces, ridge planting can also be used, which is beneficial for drainage and disease prevention. Planting holes should be 80 cm wide and 60 cm deep; when digging the holes, keep the topsoil and subsoil separate. After sun exposure for one month, backfill the soil, apply 30 kg of fully decomposed, clean, finely crushed organic fertilizer and 0.25-0.5 kg of superphosphate, mix thoroughly with the topsoil and tamp firmly, and form a mound ready for planting.
2. Supports
Trees that provide support for pepper vines to climb and twine around are called living supports. Living supports used include Erythrina, Pterocymbium, Lannea coromandelica, Sterculia, areca palm, coconut, jackfruit, etc. When using living supports, attention should be paid to pruning and fertilizer management. Another type of support is the stone post. Generally, stone posts are 13-15 cm thick at the base, 10-12 cm thick at the top, and about 3 m long (including 70 cm buried in the soil). They should also be relatively uniform in size. If the diameter of the stone post near the ground is less than 12 cm, it is easily broken by strong typhoons.
3. Propagation and Seedling Raising
Using superior cuttings for planting results in fast plant growth, early fruiting, high yield and long lifespan.
The standards for superior cuttings are: length 30-40 cm, 5-7 nodes; vine age 4-6 months, thickness above 0.6 cm; aerial roots well developed, and all are "rooting" roots; the top two nodes of the cutting each bearing one branch and 10-15 leaves, with plump axillary buds; free from pests, diseases and mechanical damage. Generally, the main vine is cut down according to shaping requirements, and cuttings are immediately taken to standard, with smooth cuts to prevent splitting. Cuttings should be dipped in water as they are cut, placed in a shady spot, and prepared for seedling raising or direct planting. The nursery land for seedling raising should be sandy soil with good drainage and deep soil layers. Drainage ditches should be dug around the nursery, and beds should be raised 25 cm high and 1 m wide, with a level bed surface. When raising seedlings, open a 50° slope at a row spacing of 20 cm, arrange cuttings on the slope at a plant spacing of 10 cm, so that the aerial roots cling tightly to the soil and the top two nodes of the cuttings are exposed above the ground, then cover with soil and press firmly, and immediately water thoroughly and provide shade, with about 90% shading. Water frequently to maintain moisture until they survive. The cuttings can leave the nursery after about one month of cultivation.
4. Field Planting
(1). Planting density and timing. Generally, plant spacing is 2×2.5 m. For fertile soil, 2×3 m can be used; for poor, thin soil, 2×2 m can be used. Field planting is more suitable in spring and autumn. Field planting should preferably be done on cloudy days or on sunny afternoons. Planting is not suitable when soil moisture is too high.
(2). 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 slope surface, and tamp it firmly. 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. Expose 1-2 nodes at the upper end of each seedling above the soil surface, keep the seedling root system close to the slope, distributed evenly and extending naturally, then cover with soil and press firmly, 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, provide shade and water thoroughly to settle the roots. Shading of 80%-90% is suitable. Water once every 1-2 days after planting, and gradually reduce watering after survival. Shade must be maintained throughout the first year after planting; never let the sun damage the pepper base and cause seedling death. If any plants die after planting, replant promptly. When pepper seedlings put out new vines, install supports promptly. In addition, pay attention to loosening the soil, weeding, fertilizing and tying the vines.
5. Management and Maintenance
(1) Fertilizer Management
(a) For young pepper fertilization, water-soluble fertilizer with higher nitrogen content should be the main type, combined with organic fertilizer and a small amount of chemical fertilizer, following the principles of frequent light applications and more applications during the peak growing season. In spring, apply organic fertilizer and phosphate fertilizer. Apply 30 kg of decomposed cattle manure compost and 0.5 kg of superphosphate per plant, and carry out hole expansion and soil improvement while fertilizing. Apply alternately in holes on both sides of the plant and in front of the pepper base. The first fertilizer hole should be on one side of the pepper base, with the inner wall of the hole 60 cm from the pepper base, so that the fertilizer hole connects with the planting hole. The fertilizer hole should be 30 cm wide, 80-100 cm long and 70 cm deep. When fertilizing, first backfill topsoil to half the depth of the hole, then apply fertilizer, mix the topsoil and fertilizer thoroughly, and when backfilling soil, press firmly 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 produces flowers.
(b) 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, add 0.2 kg of compound fertilizer per bucket. Water-soluble fertilizer is generally applied alternately in trenches in front of and on both sides of the plant. Before each vine cutting, apply a better-quality water-soluble fertilizer once and strengthen each plant with 0.1 kg of compound fertilizer to promote plant growth. In winter, quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer is generally not suitable. Potassium fertilizer and compound fertilizer should be applied. Apply 0.1 kg per plant, or apply burnt soil at 10-15 kg per plant, to improve the plant's cold resistance.
(c) Fertilization for fruiting trees: should be carried out according to the nutrient requirements of pepper at each phenological stage of flowering and fruiting. Generally, fertilize 4-5 times per fruiting cycle. The approximate amount per plant is: cattle manure or compost 30-40 kg, cake fertilizer 1 kg, water-soluble fertilizer 40-50 kg, urea 0.2-0.3 kg, superphosphate 1.5 kg, potassium chloride 0.4 kg, compound fertilizer 1 kg.
(2) Shaping and Pruning
In China's main pepper-growing areas, the shaping method generally used is retaining 6-8 vines and cutting vines 4-5 times, with the top removed and production beginning 2-3 years after planting, giving relatively high yields.
When young and medium pepper plants put out new vines, excess buds and vines must be removed promptly. When the top canopy of fruiting pepper is too large and the branches are too dense, the old, weak branches and water sprouts at the top must be pruned away, and excessively long outer branches should be shortened, maintaining balance between the upper and lower parts of the canopy, uniform size, and ventilation and light penetration, so as to make full use of light energy and reduce disease occurrence.
(3) Vine Tying and Flower Removal