The Pepper Growth Timeline: How to successfully grow productive pepper plant
I seed started indoors early January because we live in a winter zone.
Using a seed tray with a dome cover helped with quick germination. The tray does not need to be under a grow light, but needs to be in a warm spot.
I planted 2 seeds per cell to ensure a good germination rate.
Once the seeds have sprouted, the dome is removed. For strong indoor grown seedlings I used a grow light, this prevents them from being tall and lanky.
When they have 4 true leaves, they are potted up and topped off after 1-2 weeks. Removing the top stem and leaves encourages new branches to grow which makes the plant stronger and be more productive.
When early flowers start to appear, I carefully remove them so that the plant can focus on growing.
By the end of May the weather was warm enough and I slowly introduced the plants to the outdoor environment by placing them in a shaded area for 2 days, then late afternoon sun for another 2 days and finally full sun for 2 more days. This process is called hardening which prevents the plant leaves from getting burned by the heat of the sun.
By the first week of June they are transplanted into their final spot.
I grow mainly in containers from 5 gallon and up. 1 plant will do well in a 5-8 gallon container and 10 gallon and up, 2-3 plants can fit.
My soil mix consists of equal parts coir, perlite and compost. During transplant, I added chicken manure granules, gypsum and rock dust for minerals.
Then every month, I fertilize with a handful of chicken manure granules and I water every other day. For pest control, the lady bugs took care of aphids for me and I used traps for flies.
By July, the fruits started developing. Good airflow is a must to help with pollination or plant flowers nearby to attract pollinators.
By August, fruits started to ripen and we had our first harvest of the season.
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