Growing your own garden has dozens of benefits. For one, you constantly have fresh produce on hand. Secondly, you are able to save money by not having to purchase overpriced fruits and vegetables at the grocery store.
Although growing your own fruits and vegetables has its pros, it can also be incredibly time-consuming and takes a lot of patience. Oftentimes, you may find that your plants may not bloom at all.
Pepper plants for example, are some of the most commonly grown plants, but they may not always flower.
Why Won’t My Pepper Plant Flower?
Bell peppers are a delicious and versatile vegetable that can be used in just about any dish. On average, it takes about a week for a pepper plant to start to sprout. Then, it takes anywhere between 60 and 90 days for the peppers on the plant to reach full maturity.
If enough time has passed and you don’t see any growing peppers on your plant, chances are there’s something wrong.
Pepper plants are pretty sensitive to their environment, which means the temperature needs to be anywhere between 70 to 85 degrees F during the day and 60 to 70 degrees at night for them to thrive.
If the weather is too cold, it keeps the peppers from growing and your plants from flowering at all. You will also need to make sure that you are planting your pepper plants in a place where they will be able to get a lot of sunlight.
To grow properly, pepper plants need at least six hours of sun exposure per day. You will also want to make sure that the soil in which you are planting your seeds in is warm enough for them to grow.
Getting the temperature correct for these plants is imperative because if the temperature is too hot, your plants will not survive either. At the end of the day, one of the major reasons for your pepper plants not flowering is all down to the fact that they may not be in the correct temperature zone.
You may have gotten your pepper plant to start growing, but have noticed there are still no peppers. Instead, you may have noticed a black or brown clot on the end of the plant.
This is what is known as blossom end rot. This happens when your plant is lacking in calcium or not getting enough of the nutrition that they require.
When growing your own peppers, keep in mind the fact that your plants will need the right amount of nutrients, never too much or too little. If your plant has too much nitrogen in it, it will grow rather largely, but the fruit itself won’t reach the size it needs to as a result.
Aside from calcium, peppers also need phosphorus and potassium to survive. One way to find out whether or not your plants are lacking these minerals is to test your soil, which you can do using a testing kit.
Lastly, you will want to keep your peppers free of weeds. Be sure to clear out your lawn and get rid of any weeds that can potentially slow down or kill your pepper plant.
How to Grow Pepper Plants Correctly
As you can see, growing peppers isn’t an easy task, but one that can be incredibly fruitful if done correctly. To make sure that your pepper plant is healthy, be sure to grow it properly.
First, start off by planting your seedlings just after spring. You’ll want to make sure the peppers are planted anywhere between 8 and 24 inches apart. As mentioned earlier, they should be planted in an area where they will get the most amount of sunlight.
You’ll also want to make sure that the soil is well-drained so that your seedlings don’t drown when you water them or if it rains. Speaking of watering – be sure to water your plants right after planting them.
After planting and watering the seeds, mix in a fertilizer that you will have to continue using over time as your plant continues to grow. Your seedlings will be planted in direct sunlight, so they will need some sort of shade to keep the soil cool.
Peppers grow best when planted in soil that has a pH between 6.2 and 7.0. It is best that you plant them in a raised container.
You can provide shade for your seedlings by placing loose leaves, sticks, or even mulch over where you have planted your seeds. Once the peppers start to bloom, they will need to be supported so that the fruit doesn’t start to weigh the plant down.
Different Types of Peppers
Believe it or not, but there are over 600 types of peppers. However, not all of them are used as spices or are edible. Peppers can be used in a variety of dishes as well as crushed into spices.
Bell peppers are the most common type of pepper out there and come in green, red, yellow, and orange varieties. The brighter the color, the sweeter the pepper will taste. Bell peppers are also pretty large in size, which make them incredibly popular for cooking.
Poblano peppers, otherwise known as ancho peppers, are another common pepper and are relatively spicy compared to bell peppers. Although they are typically sold when green, they turn a dark brown and start to taste a little sweeter.
Serrano peppers are on the smaller side of things and are only a few inches long. Despite their size, serrano peppers are incredibly spicy. In fact, the smaller the pepper is, the spicier it is.
These small but mighty peppers are typically found in green and yellow colors, although sometimes they can also be orange. The best part of serranos is that they don’t need to be ripe for them to be used in food.
Habanero peppers are also useful in cooking and, as a result, are an incredibly popular pepper among chefs. Habanero peppers are on the spicier side of things but are still bearable and even have a fruity flavor to them.
Cayenne pepper is most commonly found in powder form and is a great way to add in some extra spice into your meals. It is one of the spiciest types of peppers around but is bearable when it’s in powder form.
Tabasco peppers are known not for the vegetable, but for the hot sauce they are made out of. These types of peppers are small and bright red, which can be distinguishable via the sauce.
Jalapeno peppers are also incredibly popular and are picked from the plant while they are still ripe. When they reach maturity, jalapeno peppers are called chipotle peppers. Their taste goes from being extremely spicy and fresh, to tasting smoky and woodsy.
Shishito peppers are also picked while they are still green and can be cooked and eaten on their own. When these peppers start to ripen, they become more and more spicy. They make a popular appetizer at restaurants or as an at-home snack.
Ghost peppers are notorious for their spice levels and are one of the hottest peppers in the world. Despite this, they are still used in foods such as chutney and curry.
Growing up with a mom who filled her home (inside and out) with all sorts of plants, Lisa got her start in gardening at a young age. Living now on her own with a home and yard full of plants (including an indoor greenhouse), she shares all the gardening tips she’s gained over the years.