A guide to growing exotic chili peppers

This guide will become your best friend when growing exotic chili peppers at home, in your garden or greenhouse. It will also answer questions such as:

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How to Grow Chili Peppers?

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How to be fertilized?

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Do they need sunlight?

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How much to water them?

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What is the most favorable soil?

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Under what conditions and where do they grow best?

Let's talk about exotic chili peppers first. Before we start doing anything, we need to get acquainted with these plants:

  • Where do they come from?
  • What is their family like?
  • Under what conditions and where do they grow best?

Let's explore their history, benefits, and specifics. We have dedicated more than 10 years of our lives to exploring the world of hot peppers and adapting to these plants.

Exotic chili peppers come from other climate zones, they come from countries where it is warm and sunny year-round. Our 4 seasons make growing chili peppers in Bulgaria not so easy, but by no means impossible. We need to know their botany, what they like, how they grow, and cultivate them with love and patience.

The environment in which chili peppers are grown is of utmost importance. Peppers are light-loving plants. Their development is accelerated and yields are increased when they grow in light and warm weather.

We need to prepare ourselves with knowledge to provide them with warmth, light, water, peat, fertilizer, patience and love.

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    When is the best time to plant chili peppers?

    Since exotic chili peppers develop more slowly and have a very long growing season, the best time to sow the seeds in our climate zone is from December 20 to February 20.

    *Here we are talking about the most suitable period for sowing the hottest and most exotic peppers in the world, because they need time to develop. However, this can be done. and until the end of March, considering that chili peppers will bear fruit later.

    How, where and under what conditions are hot peppers sown?

    Like anything, planting chili peppers has its own quirks and tricks.

    Preparation: It is good to soak the seeds in warm water for a day when they are picked. We must also prepare the container in which we will plant them in advance. This can be: seedling trays, flower pots, buckets, pots, etc.
    It is extremely important to select and use a fine peat mixture for vegetables for the most favorable development of plants. Once we have peat, it is time to place the seeds. Do not make the mistake of sowing the seeds too deep. They are pressed three times the diameter of the seed or 0.5 cm. into the peat mixture. After we have placed the seeds, we cover them with peat, which we press down so that the seeds can compact. Then we water them abundantly with lukewarm water and place a fine foil to create a greenhouse effect, which does not allow the water to evaporate. We leave them in a warm place between 20 - 25 degrees. We do not water them until they sprout.

    How, where and under what conditions are hot peppers sown?

    Once the plants appear (it takes about 15 days), we need to reduce the temperature to 18 degrees, remove the foil, and apply a light regime. *The optimal temperature for the development of chili pepper seedlings is 18 to 25 degrees. When the plant has 2 to 4 true leaves, it is a good idea to transplant them into larger pots, one root at a time, and water them abundantly again. After about 15-20 days, it is a good idea to add a multi-component fertilizer.

    When the seedlings are ready for final sowing?

    After about 6-8 weeks, the chili pepper seedlings will be ready to be transplanted to their permanent location - in containers, greenhouses, or in the garden.

    During the early phase, chili peppers draw fewer nutrients from the soil, but during flowering and early fruit formation, nutrient needs increase sharply. Plants use the most nutrients during the period of mass fruiting, and that is when they need the most fertilizer.

    What is technical and botanical maturity of chili peppers?

    At technical maturity, the fruits of chili peppers are green, but with well-expressed taste qualities and with the typical size and shape and gloss for the variety. At botanical maturity, the fruits of chili peppers have, in addition to the typical size and shape for the variety, different colors, gloss, taste and spiciness of the ripe fruits.

    Diseases and pests

    Overwatering can cause the roots to rot, and lack of moisture can cause the leaves to dry out and fall off. The most dangerous pests are aphids and mites. You can get rid of them with the help of insecticides.

    • Don't over water your plants

      Chili peppers love water, but when we do it too often and too much, they stop developing properly. How do we know when we are giving them more water? When growing any plant, we must learn to monitor and recognize it, because they show us. When the leaves of the plant start to turn yellow and fall, this is a signal that you are giving them more water than necessary.

    • Don't over fertilize your plants

      This may result in lots of leaves and flowers on the plant, but it will not give you fruit. Moderation is very important when growing these plants. The phrase “the more, the better” does not apply here, so be careful and patient.

    • Don't worry if you grow them on a balcony

      Chili peppers are self-pollinating plants, so don't worry if you grow them on a balcony. They will bear fruit there, just like in a garden or greenhouse. In dry and warm rooms, you can spray them with water to speed up the process of setting: the transition from flower to fruit.

    • At a temperature below 13 degrees, the flowers may drip

    • Low humidity accompanied by high temperature can also cause colors and laces to drip

    • Hot peppers are perennial plants and with proper cultivation (in pots) they can be preserved even through the winter