Growing Peppers Indoors – Guidelines & Tips

Growing peppers indoors can expand your garden yield and flavor variety even if you don’t have space outside. Even if you’re a beginner gardener, the process is fairly straightforward and easy to follow. It takes a bit of patience, trial and error and the right variety, but with the right guidance, you can successfully grow peppers indoors.

Items Needed:

• Containers with drainage holes
• Organic, well-draining soil
• Heating pad (optional)
• Fishing line (optional)
• Mulch (optional)

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Pick the right variety of pepper. You want to choose a pepper variety that’s well-suited for indoor growing, such as a ‘early jalapeño’, ‘santa fe grande’, ‘habanero’, ‘serrano’, or ‘anaheim’. Make sure to choose one with a higher heat rating for best flavor.
2. Fill the container with soil and the pepper plant. The container should be large enough to allow for root growth; at least 10 inches deep and wide with drainage holes. Make sure to fill with organic, well-draining soil.
3. Set the container in an area with adequate lighting. Peppers need at least 5-7 hours of sun per day, so pick an area that gets a lot of natural sunlight or use a plant light. Be sure to rotate and turn the container regularly to evenly distribute the lighting.
4. Choose a warm spot. Since peppers are a warm-season crop, they need a warm area, with temperatures ranging from 65-85 degrees Fahrenheit. If you don’t have a spot warm enough, you can buy a heating pad to place under the container.
5. Water sparingly. Overwatering can cause issues with drainage and even plant death, so water only when the soil is dry and give it enough water to wet the entire square foot you’ve planted in one go.
6. Fertilize every 1-2 weeks. Use a high-nitrogen or organic fertilizer to ensure that the plant gets all the nutrients it needs.
7. Harvesting. You’ll know when a pepper is ripe when it turns a deep red or orange and when it gives slightly when pressed. Cut it off gently with scissors rather than breaking it off roughly. If you’re using fishing line to help them grow upright, wrap it around the stem as close to the fruit as possible to ensure a clean cut.
8. Add mulch (optional). Adding a layer of organic mulch around the pepper can help to retain moisture and keep the roots cool.

Tips:

• Start off with one variety to see how it grows before adding other varieties.
• Be aware of falling temperatures in the fall, as peppers will stop producing at 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Check regularly for pests and disease. If you spot any, treat it immediately with an organic pesticide.
• Stake or use fishing line to keep the plant upright as it grows.

Growing peppers indoors is a great way to add flavor and variety to your garden, even if you’re limited on space. With the right guidelines and tips, you can successfully grow and harvest peppers right from your own home.