Growing Peppers Indoors – Guidelines & Tips

Growing peppers indoors can be an incredibly rewarding experience, as it allows you to enjoy the convenience of growing your own fresh, homegrown peppers all year round. Growing peppers indoors has its own set of challenges, however, so it’s important to be aware of the best practices for indoor pepper growing. Here are a few guidelines and tips for growing peppers indoors:

Choose the Right Pepper Variety

When choosing a pepper variety for indoor growing, opt for those varieties that are more compact and produce fruits that are slightly smaller in size. These will require less space, light, and general care. Some good options include small-fruited varieties such as ‘Anaheim’, ‘Hungarian Hot Wax’, ‘Jalapeno’, ‘Serrano’, ‘Habanero’, and ‘Poblano’.

Provide Adequate Lighting

Peppers are warm-season vegetables and require at least 6-8 hours of bright light each day to thrive. You’ll need to provide your pepper plants with an adequate light source from an artificial light source, such as LED or fluorescent lights. Make sure that the plants are placed within 2-4 inches of the light to ensure they’re receiving the light they need.

Water Carefully

The soil should always be kept moderately moist. Overwatering can cause root rot and the plants won’t produce as many peppers. Don’t allow the soil to dry out completely as this can stunt the plant’s growth and can cause the leaves to drop off the plant.

Fertilize Throughout the Growing Season

It’s important to fertilize your pepper plants throughout the growing season to ensure a good harvest. Once a month, top dress the pepper plants with a balanced fertilizer to provide essential nutrients. If you’re in need of a larger harvest, you can also supplement with one to two applications of a high-phosphorus fertilizer.

Monitor for Pests and Diseases

Peppers are susceptible to a number of pests and diseases, so it’s important to keep an eye out for symptoms of either. Common pests include aphids, spider mites, and whiteflies. Common diseases will cause yellowing leaves, stunted growth, wilting, or distorted fruits. If you notice any of these symptoms, contact your local extension office for help.

Harvest Peppers When Ripe

Harvest peppers when they are fully ripe and still slightly firm. You can tell that the pepper is ready to be picked when the color has changed from green to red, yellow, orange, or other darker colors (depending on the variety you’re growing). The stems should also be dry and the peppers should easily pull away from the plant.

With these guidelines and tips in mind, you should be well on your way to successfully growing peppers indoors. Happy growing!