Growing peppers on the balconywill be successful if we choose dwarf varieties of peppers with a compact habit and small fruits. We also need to provide sunny peppers, a warm place and fertile, moist soil. Seehow to grow peppers in potson the balcony and whichbalcony pepper varietieswork best.
Growing peppers on the balcony
Fig. depositphotos.com
Varieties of balcony pepper
For cultivation in pots and containers on the balcony, the bestshort varieties of peppers(reaching 40-50 cm in height), not requiring cutting or staking. Varieties of balcony peppershould also be characterized by a compact root system and a long fruiting period. These can be sweet fruit varieties as well as hot chili, jalapeno or pepperoni peppers.
Sweet pepper varieties recommended for the balcony : Lubega Mini Red F1, Lubega Mini Yellow F1, Marta Polka, Iga, Toscana F1, Sakura, Midi-Red F1, Mira, Redskin F1, Poupila.
Hot pepper varieties recommended for balcony : Rokita, Carolina Reape, Trinidad Moruga Scorpion, Apache F1, Hot Carrot, Sangria Chilli, Hot Tomato, Little Elf, Yvona, Rokita, Serrano, Habanero Lemon, Zyklon, Pepino F1.
Preparation of pepper seedlings for the balcony
Pepper is a thermophilic species and in our climatic conditions we grow it only from seedlings. We can easily prepare seedlings of vegetables such as peppers or tomatoes at home.For this purpose,pepper seeds should be sown at the turn of February and Marchinto pots with a diameter of about 10 cm filled with soil for sowing seeds.
Before pouring the soil into the pots, make sure that there are drainage holes in the bottom of each pot. If not, make sure to do them, becausepeppers hate standing water(you can drill them with a drill / driver or drill them over the stove with a heated screwdriver). It is worth pouring a layer of drainage on the bottom of the pot. Expanded clay is perfect for this plant, although it can also be small pebbles or pieces of crushed old clay pots.
Pots with sown paprika seedsplace them in a sunny and warm place (at a temperature of 22-28 ° C), e.g. on a window sill.
Plants should be covered with glass or foil to increase air humidity. If we have a mini greenhouse, it will be perfect for this purpose. Remember to ventilate and water the seedlings regularly. We do not transplant the peppers to the final containers until the end of May.
Planting peppers in pots
Pots for growing peppers on the balconyshould have a capacity of 5-10 l and be made of materials resistant to weather conditions. Pour a layer of drainage on the bottom of the pot, and then fill the container with fertile soil for growing vegetables. We plant the seedlings together with the root ball, exactly to the height at which it grew earlier. In this way, we will protect the plants against diseases of the base of the shoot, such as, for example, phytophthora. The soil in the pot should be covered with e.g. straw or garden bark, which will prevent excessive water evaporation.
Paprika seedlings ready to be planted on the balcony
Fig. depositphotos.com
Peppers are extremely sensitive to low temperatures , therefore we put the pots on the balcony only after the risk of spring frosts is over.Most often it is the second half of May or even the beginning of June. Before that, we harden the seedling for 7-10 days, exposing the plants outside for an increasingly longer period of time.
Pepper care on the balcony
Peppers on the balcony require a warm, quiet positionNeeds sun, but is very sensitive to burns, so it will be necessary to cover the plants with e.g. a shade net.
Heat-loving pepper needsa sufficiently high temperature of 24-26 ° C during the day and approx. 16-18 ° C at night to develop properly. Delicate plants are very sensitive and rainy weather, low temperature or lack of sun can quickly destroy them. Plants are the least resistant to environmental stress during the seedling phase and immediately after planting in a permanent place. During this time, we must especially take care of the constant temperature and appropriate humidity of the substrate.
Chili pepper - growing on the balcony
Fig. pixabay.com
To help yourselfto facilitate the care of peppers on the balcony , I recommend planting herbs such as lovage and dill next to the paprika, which will protect the young pepper plants from drying winds and sun, as well as improve the taste its fruit.
Watering peppers on the balcony
Peppers are very fond of moistureand if there is not enough of it, the sides of the fruit will become thin and unpalatable. However, it does not like overflow. So it's best to water your plants frequently, but moderately. During flowering and fruit setting, each plant requires approximately 1 liter of water per day.Watering peppers on the balcony should be more abundant on hot days , sometimes up to 2 liters a day. We use warm water for watering (e.g. sun-dried water). Cold water causes flowers and fruit buds to fall, and makes plants vulnerable to disease.
Fertilizing peppers on the balcony
During the growing seasonthe peppers should be fertilized regularly every 7-14 days It is best to use liquid organic fertilizer for vegetables or organic biohumus.
Periods in which you especially need totake care of the fertilization needs of peppersis the time of fruit setting and their growth. During this time, fertilization with phosphorus and calcium is especially important. Although calcium penetrates poorly through the above-ground parts of plants, it is worthwhile already during floweringspray the paprika with foliar calcium fertilizersRegularly used preparations give a chance to avoid one of the most dangerous diseases of paprika, which is dry rot of fruit tips . This disease causes the peppers to rot on the bush before the fruit is even ripe.
Jalapeno pepper grown in a pot
Fig. pixabay.com
Picking peppers on the balcony
With proper care, peppers will begin to branch, sprouting new side shoots. To force the plants to flourish and flower more abundantly, it is worthremoving the top of the pepper plant growth It is also worth removing the flower from the first fork, which will speed up the yield.
Harvesting and storing balcony peppers
Harvest the peppers 6-10 weeks after plantingThe moment of harvesting is recognized by the color of the fruit. The sweet varieties are first green, then yellow, then orange and finally red. Even green fruit can be tasty and good to eat. Spicy pepper varieties do not become more spicy when they mature, but they acquire sweetness. Harvestable peppers have springy sides that bend slightly under the pressure of your hands.
After harvestingyou can storein the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Some of the pungent varieties can also be dried.
MSc Eng. Anna Błaszczak
