Why throw away the seeds of peppers bought at the market when you can plant them? Here are all the tips for growing delicious peppers
How growing peppers starting from the seeds of the fruit bought at the market. Tips and tricks for planting them and being able to have peppers at no cost in your garden
Lovers of peppers will have thought at least once in their life to plant them on their balcony or, even better, in their vegetable garden or garden. Why not really do it then? Plant the peppers it's really child's play and you don't need a green thumb to get satisfying results.
Furthermore, there is no need to make special purchases: it is possible to grow them using the seeds of peppers - preferably from organic farming - purchased at the market or from your trusted fruit and vegetable shop.
Just follow some tips to get splendid pepper plants literally at zero kilometer.
Index
Can we really plant pepper seeds bought at the market?
Will we really be able to grow peppers at no cost starting from the ones we bought at the market or in the store? The success of the experiment depends on the type of pepper we purchased and in particular that it does not have these characteristics:
- Is pepper a hybrid? Sweet pepper seeds from hybrid pepper varieties do not have the same genetic makeup as the parent pepper. Therefore, they will manage to germinate;
- Has the pepper self-pollinated? Although bell pepper is an ancient variety, supermarket pepper seeds may not perform as expected because they are self-pollinating.
- Are the purchased peppers ripe? If the pepper is green, the answer is no. Peppers that have reached maturity have a different color such as red, yellow or orange. Even the brightly colored peppers may have been harvested at an immature stage, which resulted in seeds not ripening enough to germinate.
If we don't know how to answer these questions, we can still try to plant the seeds and do a germination test.
Extract the seeds
@Olga Yastremska / 123rf
The first step is to carefully cut the core of a pepper and then gently remove the seeds with your fingers. Dry them with a napkin and then store them.
Dry and store the seeds
An important step is that of drying the seeds. Store them in a dry place for several days, preferably in a tightly closed paper bag. In fact, if they are dry, you can also keep them for up to two years.
Germination test
To understand if your seeds are suitable for sowing you can use the do-it-yourself germination test. It is cheap, easy and most of all effective. To carry out the test you need a plate, cling film and some absorbent paper (a piece of gauze or a napkin is also good) on which to place the pepper seeds. Moisten the paper or napkin with a little water (using a spray dispenser), arrange the seeds neatly on the plate and cover it well with cling film. Alternatively, you can use a glass jar to store the seeds and wait for them to germinate.
If after a few days you notice that sprouts have appeared, it means that the pepper seeds can be planted successfully. urban gardens
Plant the seeds
To plant the seeds, it would always be better to choose the period based on the climate in which you live. If you live in warm areas or areas with mild temperatures, you can also plant the seeds directly outdoors starting in spring. If, on the other hand, you live in colder areas, it is better to opt for sowing in a protected environment, therefore indoors (preferably starting from February February). In any case, remember to plant them in a light layer of soil. Also make sure that the temperature is high enough and the soil moist enough. In fact, seeds should remain exposed to heat in order to germinate better. For best results, the ambient temperature should be above 26 ° C. In case of temperatures below 12 ° C, the plants may not grow at all.
Take care of the seedlings
@Kseniia Neniukova / 123rf
Take care of your pepper seedlings, avoiding them becoming too tall or threadlike. Shoots that have appeared indoors need strong lighting so that the plant is not too tall and slender. Inadequate early development can alter the general "health" of pepper plants, making them weak.
If despite the precautions, the plants do not seem sturdy enough, you can support them by tying them to bamboo sticks or with a little string.
Transplant the seedlings outdoors
@Elena Masiutkina/123rf
Pepper seedlings can be transplanted outdoors when outside temperatures are no longer cold. The transplant can take place when the sprout releases the first two leaves, the so-called cotyledons, and reaches fifteen centimeters in height. At this point you can proceed by transplanting the pepper plants in the garden.
Planting should preferably take place in spring, preferably in May, because the plant needs temperatures above 14 degrees even during the night. It is advisable to arrange the pepper seedlings in rows, leaving a distance of about 70 cm from each other. Remember that peppers need a lot of water. If, on the other hand, you do not have a vegetable garden available, you can transfer the plants into larger pots, at least 30 cm deep. To make your peppers grow better, use soil by placing a layer of expanded clay on the bottom of the pot.
Collect the peppers
@mvg684/123rf
About two months after transplanting you can already harvest your first peppers. Keep in mind that peppers do not all ripen at the same time and while those that form at the base are larger and with more pulp, those born higher (particularly at the end of the season) tend to be smaller. In the event that the cultivation were to proceed successfully, each plant will be able to produce up to two kilos of peppers. In short, you can indulge yourself with pepper-based recipes.
Why not try planting peppers to bring them to the table next summer?
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- Don't throw away the sprouted onions! Plant them to have the fresh ones always available
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