Potted Ornamental Chili Pepper Management Methods
The article talks about the creation of ornamental chili pepper arrangements, management methods for potted ornamental chili peppers, see the detailed introduction below.
Reader from Shaanxi asks:
What are the key points for cultivating ornamental chili peppers?
Zhang Xiaofei, a flower enthusiast from Zhengzhou, Henan, answers:
Ornamental chili peppers belong to the perennial herbaceous plants of the Solanaceae family, Capsicum genus. As the old plants have low ornamental value, they are often cultivated as annual or biennial flowers. The stems are thick and branched, the leaves are green, and the flowers are white. The fruit is a berry, growing singly or in clusters, either upright, slightly oblique, or hanging. The shape of the fruit varies by variety, including round, cone, finger, sheep horn, bell, persimmon, and many other shapes. Before maturity, the fruit has colors such as green, white, black-purple, depending on the variety, and turns bright red, yellow, orange, purple-brown, black-purple, and other colors after maturity. The surface is glossy and smooth, like a waxwork. The main types of ornamental chili peppers include五彩椒 (Five-color Pepper),朝天椒 (朝天 Pepper), 樱桃椒 (Cherry Pepper), 佛手椒 (Buddha Hand Pepper), 鸡心椒 (Chicken Heart Pepper), 黄飞碟 (Yellow UFO), 番茄椒 (Tomato Pepper), 红金钟 (Red Bell Pepper), (Z-D) Head, and 羊角椒 (Sheep Horn Pepper).
Ornamental chili peppers are native to Central America, thrive in sunny and warm, dry environments, are heat-tolerant, fertilization-loving, drought and low-light averse, cold-sensitive, semi-shady tolerant, and suitable for growing in fertile, loose, and moist soil. Potting soil can be mixed with garden soil, decomposed leaf mold, and sandy soil, and a small amount of decomposed cake fertilizer or superphosphate can be added as a base fertilizer. During the growing period, place the plants in a sunny outdoor area, and do not shade them even during the hot summer. Keep the potting soil moist but not waterlogged, and ensure proper drainage during the rainy season. During flowering, spray water on the plants in a regular manner and slightly reduce the amount of watering to aid in pollination and fruit setting, but the soil should not be too wet to avoid flower drop due to excessive water. Apply a thin solution of decomposed fertilizer or compound fertilizer every 7 to 10 days, with nitrogen-based fertilizers during the seedling stage to promote the growth of branches and leaves. After fruit setting, apply more phosphorus and potassium fertilizers to provide adequate nutrition for fruit growth until the fruit is fully colored. During cultivation, when the ornamental chili pepper has about 10 true leaves, pinch off the top growing point, known as "pinching," to promote branching and increase fruit yield. During the growing period, pay attention to pruning, removing suckers, and timely removing branches that affect the plant's appearance to maintain a neat and round canopy shape and ensure good ventilation and light inside the plant, which can increase the fruiting rate and ornamental value. When the skin of the mature fruit becomes wrinkled, pay attention to harvesting to ensure continuous flowering and fruiting. Move the plants to an indoor temperature of about 10°C in winter, and regularly spray water on the plants to prevent fruit shrinkage due to dry air, and the ornamental period can be extended to December. Ornamental chili peppers can also be planted in teapots, teacups, craft bamboo tubes, and other containers, and shaped by pruning and binding with wire to create a bonsai or ornamental pot plant.
Ornamental chili peppers can be sown in spring or autumn, and seedlings will emerge 7 to 10 days after sowing. Transplant the seedlings when they have 3 to 5 true leaves.
The above introduction to the management methods for potted ornamental chili peppers is for your reference.