Peppers are a diverse plant and require a challenge to grow them indoors under grow lights. Just like tomatoes, chili peppers require a moderately controlled environment according to their requirements- warmer and brighter than most homes. If you have an indoor garden, then growing chili peppers indoors can be a project worth the effort.
The best indoor environment for growing this plant is under LED grow lights. LEDs are environmentally friendly and have gone through an innovation of technology resulting in super efficient and energy saving lights. LEDs have busted the myth that a plant grown indoor under grow lights cannot grow as large as an outside plant.
You have to choose the right type of plant to grow indoors. Plants that can be grown in containers well grow well and the results will be similar to outside growing. As for chilies, the best types to be grown indoors are the ornamental and smaller hot chilies. Thai peppers, hebaneros, chiltepins, and piqu’ns are the best type of container grown peppers.
All these smaller chilies have a long growing season. Their fruit and flower bearing period is longer, thus they will harvest later. They grow to a height of 6 to 12 inches and an equal diameter. The peppers stand out from the leaves and make a very colorful and decorative ornament for the house to look impressive as well. They will taste fresh and be spicy enough to keep your tongue burning for hours.
Growing Requirements for Peppers-Indoors
Long season hot peppers are similar to other chilies and have the same growing requirements. Chilies prefer hot temperature during the day-80 to 90 F plus, and night time temperature of about 70 F. When you take chili peppers indoors, your indoor greenhouse temperature should be an optimum range of within 20 F from high to low.
- –The most important factor for growing chili peppers indoors is the “right light”. Having the right light means the grow light technology that provides the correct light spectrum. The light also needs to be adjusted at the right distance from the plant to support growth (vegetation, flowering, and seedling).
Since you will be growing the chilies indoors under grow lights that will mimic the natural light, you should give the plants time under under the light and time to rest. A 16 hours day is good to give your plants plenty of growing time with a proper amount of rest time.
- –The best grow light for your chili pepper is LED grow light. LED grow lights provide years of efficiency, high quality yield of plants, and save 50-60% on the energy bill. The LEDs have no distance issue and can be placed at any angle from the plant; moreover you will not need any extra equipment for adjusting and controlling temperature. It’s easy to use with a plug and go system.
- –If you are using containers for growing your chilies indoors, you might have to transfer them to new containers-more than once. 10 to 12 inch pots should be large enough to grow small plants to the maturity phase. If the chili peppers are bigger in size than use pots accordingly, use 16 to 18 inch pots. Ensure adequate drainage of the pots with under-liner, saucer, or a tray.
Water the chilies according to their need. During the growth period the watering requirement becomes less than the start. Keep the pepper plants slightly dry to damp or moist for the suitable growth.
Your indoor peppers will mature after 10 to 12 weeks after planting and will bear fruits within a several months time. You can harvest your very own grown chili peppers as soon as they become bright green and shiny or they have turned yellow, orange, or bright red, depending on their type.
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