Growing peppers in your own garden: We present suitable varieties and give tips and tricks from sowing, care and fertilization to harvesting.

Peppers are best grown in a greenhouse, but can also be grown outdoors

The pepper (Capsicum) is a member of the nightshade family (Solanaceae), like the tomato and also the eggplant. The origin of the pepper is in Central and South America. There was already 7000 BC. active cultivation operated. After the discovery of South America, Christopher Columbus brought the seeds to Spain and named them pimienta, which means pepper in Spanish. Since then, this designation has been common in Spain and numerous types of peppers are still grown on the Iberian Peninsula today. Cultivation in German gardens is also possible. Tomato or greenhouses are best suited, but cultivation outdoors, on the balcony or terrace is also possible without any problems.

Choose the right type of pepper

There are different types of peppers to choose from, a few popular ones are summarized here:

  • De Capriglio: variety from northern Italy; with round and red fruits.
  • Yellow tomato pepper: variety from Hungary; flat, ribbed fruits; yellow to orange colouring.
  • Gypsy: good strain for the greenhouse.
  • Lemon Drop: yellow pointed pepper with a subtle citrus note; a bit spicy.
  • Neusiedler Ideal: medium-ripe variety with very large peppers; red ripening.
  • Red Augsburger: suitable for outdoor cultivation; very sweet red fruits.
  • Sweet Chocolate: large purple fruits.

Growing peppers - this is how it works step by step

We'll take you through the gardening year with a quick guide - from seeds to fresh peppers.

  1. You should start germinating around the end of February to the first week of March. Our recommendation is a small greenhouse or placing it on a suitable windowsill.
  2. It is best to use peat pots and transplant your cuttings, including the peat covering, into suitable larger pots as soon as the young plants have reached a height of about 10 to 15 cm. Always pay attentionenough sunlight and warmth!
  3. Once the ice saints are over, it is best to start planting outdoors, in the greenhouse, on the balcony or on your terrace. Get the little pepper plants used to the new environment, the direct sun and the still unfamiliar temperatures. To do this, always place the pots a little longer in the desired location for a few days, after which you can start planting.

  4. The place for the pepper plants should have plenty of sun and good soil conditions. Improve each planting hole with plenty of compost, horn shavings and, if necessary, some manure. It is best to loosen the surrounding soil as well!

Young plants should be gradually acclimated to the sun - otherwise there is a risk of leaf damage
  1. Thorough preparation for the planter is important; here is our recommendation to prepare a hole about 40 to 50 cm deep.
  2. Insert the cuttings as deep as possible and leave a space of approx. 40 x 40 cm all around.
  3. The important thing is to keep an eye on growth. As soon as the pepper plants have reached a height of between 20 and 30 cm, you have to break out the leader. In the case of large-growing varieties, the first blossom of the pepper (king blossom) must be broken out. As a result, the pepper plant grows in width!
  4. Over the summer you can add extra nutrients with a mostly organic fertilizer. Make sure, however, that this does not contain any nitrogen! As a result, the plants would grow too luxuriantly, but would hardly produce any flowers. Our potassium-rich Plantura organic tomato fertilizer with a long-term effect is very well suited.
  5. Depending on the variety, the harvest takes place from August to October. After a mixed summer, not all pods may manage to mature. You can simply remove the green peppers and let them ripen on a windowsill.

Important tip: Label your varieties with their names so that you can determine the perfect color at harvest time and thus the best time to haul in the fresh pods.

Category:

Vegetables