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Growing Great Peppers

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Growing great peppers is one of the easiest things you can do in your vegetable garden. There are hundreds of different pepper cultivars so you can select just about exactly what you want it to taste or look like.

The two main choices are whether you want sweet or hot. Then you can select by fruit shape, color, pungency, flavor and how you intend to use them. You can prepare them by drying, grinding, freezing, grinding and pickling as a start.

Depending on how you prepare them, will to a large extent change how they taste. The hottest one you can get is the Habanero and Scotch Bonnet.

How Hot Are They?

There are seven alkaloids or capsaicinoids that determine how hot a pepper is. William L. Scoville found back in the early 1900’s a test to determine how hot peppers are. The scale we use now is called the Scoville Scale.

Since the early 1980’s a different method using liquid chromatography under high pressure was developed. The same name of Scoville Scale is used though the method to test how hot these are has changed.

Planting Peppers

Warm and well-drained soil is best for growing peppers. You’ll want the soil fertility to be moderate. Best soil pH will be around 6.0 to 6.8. But soil pH is not a critical factor. These are a warm season plant so need a long, hot growing season.

Temperature will largely determine how fast they grow and how large and fast their fruits are. A temperature of 65 – 75° F is best. When the temperature gets above this you will notice that the red peppers will have some yellow in them. Below this and you’ll see that the color will develop much more slowly and below 55° F you won’t see any color change.

Start your seeds about 6 to 8 weeks before transplanting. Or buy them from your local garden nursery. Transplant outside after all frost danger is past.

Place a little organic fertilizer in the hole and put about an inch of dirt on top. Once your plant’s roots get growing they’ll have a ready supply of fertilizer to kick start growing. Keep their soil moist but not soaking wet after transplanting.

Space your pepper plants about 18 inches apart. Rows should be about 24 to 30 inches from each other.  You’ll want to sue a good organic fertilizer of 5-10-5 when possible for best growing. About 2 to 3 pounds per 100 square feet is fine. Adjust how much depending if you are using containers or other methods.

One way to really grow great peppers is to feed them well using water soluble fertilizer or dissolve about 2 tablespoons of 5-10-5 fertilizer in about one gallon of water. Pour about one cup of this on the soil around each of the plants roots.

Pepper Problems

Blossom End Rot – With this you will notice that you have some areas of the pepper near the blossom end that looks like it is water soaked or rotting. It will turn brown and feel and look like leather. This is usually caused by a lack of calcium. A soil test will confirm this.

The other cause of this is inconsistent watering. You can over water them or during a drought have this condition. When watering ensure that you water at least one inch per week as a minimum. You don’t want to soak them in water constantly as they will drown. Using a soak-er hose and water time works wonderfully and is what I use myself. Too much nitrogen in the soil will cause this condition also.

If you find that you have this problem a lot, invest in a cheap soil tester and see if you can improve your crops. The very best method for soil testing is to get with your local university agriculture center and follow their guidelines to conducting a soil test. Pruning a peppers roots when transplanting but especially while weeding is another cause of this.

Use mulch to help keep weeds out. A Hula Hoe is a great way to weed and not disturb the roots also. I love my Hula Hoe and it is the first tool I grab when heading out to my vegetable garden.

Poor Crop – When the temperature drops below about 60° F the blossoms may well fall off. They may fall off when it is over 85° F also. As I said earlier, peppers are sensitive to temperature. Sweet peppers love it when about 60 – 70° F.

Hot peppers like it a little warmer. Mulching will help prevent weeds and also assist in keeping the ground around the roots moist. Don’t let their roots dry out, keep the soil moist, especially when it get scorching hot.

Sun-scald – The sun may cause this on the sides that get the most sun. You may see a soft and light colored place on the fruits side that is facing the sun. Any leaf related diseases will cause this to become worse as the leaves help shade the fruit.

Moving your plants under an awning if you are growing in containers helps a lot. Also if you see this then maybe get some of the shade cloth and cover your pepper plants.

Harvesting Peppers

You can harvest all peppers when green or wait until fully ripe. A lot of bell peppers are harvested when green and allowed to mature then used. There is nothing wrong with allowing them to mature on the vine as long as they are growing well.

When you wait for bell peppers to mature, they will be a little more sweet and have more vitamins. When storing fresh peppers, keep them in a cool, moist place with about 90 humidity and temperature of around 45 to 50° F.

They will stay fresh for about 3 weeks this way. I like to put them in a plastic storage bag with a moistened paper towel in the ice box. The paper towel helps keep the humidity high.

When harvesting and preparing hot peppers you may want to wear gloves. The oil from them can cause burns or irritation if you are sensitive to them. Don’t forget to prepare them in a well ventilated room. Wash your hands and everything you use to prepare them thoroughly with soap and water to remove all traces of their oils.

Conclusion – Peppers for the most part are easy to grow. These are fairly tolerant regarding soil conditions. The largest challenge facing you will be temperature. Using your imagination to keep them at the right temperature will really help when growing peppers. Keeping their soil a little moist all the time will help keep them growing strong and producing fruit.

About the author – John Collins has been growing vegetables for over 40 years and loves gardening. You can find more information on growing peppers at his website here.

About the author – John Collins has been growing vegetables for over 40 years and loves gardening. You can find more information on growing peppers at his website here.







How to Keep Your Lawn Pest-Free Without Using Chemical Pesticides

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Many homeowners are conscious about the significance of dealing with indoor pests. Unfortunately, the main cause of most indoor pest problems lies in the lawn. Although some of these critters are natural part of nature, it doesn’t mean that homeowners must tolerate these pests’ existence in their property. While some of these insects and bugs aren’t really harmful to humans, they can still wreak havoc on your lawn, and these critters may even move indoors. For this reason, effective pest management must start in your lawn and garden.

There are various ways to protect your lawn and garden from pesky critters, such as slugs, snails, rodents, mosquitoes, and flies. One of the most popularly used pest control methods is chemical pesticides. These days, there are available off-the-shelf and factory-manufactured pesticides for any pest problems you encounter. However, these chemical pesticides can have harmful effects on the environment, as well as on human beings and animals. For this reason, a lot of homeowners want to avoid using harsh chemicals in their lawn and garden to prevent chemical exposure.

Spread Coffee Ground in Your Garden

Have you ever thought of spreading coffee grounds in your lawn? Coffee grounds are a great addition to your garden since it adds nitrogen to the soil. They also increase the acidity of the soil which is perfect for acid-loving plants. In addition, there are a number of pesky creatures that can’t stand coffee grounds. For instance, slugs hate coffee, as well as picky dear and cats.

Use a Mixture of Black Pepper Corns and Cayenne Pepper

This mixture must be dusted around the perimeter of your lawn. If the mixture is applied to the soil, it will become an eye and nose irritant for rodents or other large mammals. You can re-apply the mixture after a week or after a heavy rain. When you use this mixture, you must keep in mind that it may also affect your pets, such as cats and dogs.

Use Baits and Traps to Deter Pests

Among the most annoying pests in any lawn are slugs. You can make an effective trap for these pesky critters with an orange rind or a shallow container with some grape juice and beer. What you need to do is to save the half-rinds from citrus fruits, such as oranges, lemon, or grape fruit, and place them about your garden. The slugs will then flock to the rind; thus you can easily throw the rind into a compost pile to dry them out in the sun, and use it as compost.

If you have rodent problems, you can make use of traps, such as snap traps, to keep rodents from destroying your lawn. You can put bait using left-over food, and leave it out in the open to trap these unwanted pests.

Use Organic Sprays

There are a lot of organic sprays available in the market today. There are also organic recipes found online for deterring insects from your lawn. Some of the most common ingredients for organic sprays include: garlic cloves, hot pepper, and some essential oils.

Whether you are doing it for the safety of your family, or to simply keep pests away from your indoor property, it is possible to keep pests away from your lawn without resorting to chemical pesticides. These tips can help you get started in deterring pesky critters from your property without the harmful effects of chemical pesticides.

Kris Lim is an avid gardener who had experienced the headaches that pests can bring; thus, she shares some natural methods in keeping your lawn pest-free. She regularly contributes her ideas and natural pest control tips to InsightPest.com.

Five Different And Unique Styles Of Garden Design

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Xeriscape

From the Greek word ‘xeros’ meaning ‘dry’, Xeriscape is a design style where the focus is to eliminate (as much as possible) the need for intervention, using just rainfall to sustain it. Plants are chosen for their ability to withstand dry spells, allowing them and the garden to thrive even during hosepipe bans. Using native plants (wild flowers, grasses, succulents, trees and shrubs) works well as they are already adapted to and flourishing in the natural climate. As well as time-saving, this style is also money-saving as there is no extra expense from additional water, pruning and fertilisers.

Japanese

The Japanese design style recreates miniature landscapes within a garden. Each item is placed carefully in locations likely to attract good fortune. Features are often symbolic; for example, a pond may represent an ocean or a rock may represent a mountain. Many Japanese gardens borrow scenery where the garden will be designed to ‘draw in’ features from the landscape within which it sits. Common features of Japanese gardens include bridges, lanterns, islands, ponds and often a teahouse. Water (represented by white sand in dry gardens) is always featured as it is considered the opposite to stone, creating a ying-yang balance.

French

Formality is the main feature of the French garden. The focal point is the main residence or building, with geometric gardens stretching out from it, to the horizon. Gardens are usually built on level ground and stairways are used to guide visitors around the features. French gardens typically include fountains, geometric ground designs and orangeries. Planting beds are created to complement the main building, are geometric in design and placed symmetrically in the garden. Plants and hedges are manipulated and directed into different shapes, as desired by the gardener.

Tropical

Designed to be fun, vibrant and exotic, these gardens are most suited to hot and humid climates. Although this style can be created in non-tropical climates, intervention including watering, fertilisation and mulching is necessary. Care is needed to ensure the plants survive the winter weather of a non-tropical climate – some may need to be moved to a greenhouse or wrapped up to protect against frost. These gardens are stylised by the use of large leaved plants and trees, with the height of the garden building towards the rear and sunlight falling between the leaves onto the ground.

English Garden

A typical English garden combines the formal and informal style with an emphasis towards bright and fragrant flowers. Roses are the stand out flower creating a relaxing and romantic feel to the garden. Bushes can be left to grow naturally or directed around a trellis or other garden feature. Annual and perennial plants are chosen to give the garden an ever changing appearance. Herbs, fruit and vegetable plants can also be included to provide different scents and supplement the kitchen pantry! Benches, bird baths and other furniture can be used throughout an English garden and brick or stone walls can be used, in place of hedges, to give the garden its defined boundary.

Adrian Harrison wrote this post on behalf of The Lovely Garden. Visit our website for creative ideas on how to improve your garden design in Sussex and Surrey.

Common Animals That Do Damage to Your Organic Vegetable Garden and Eco-Friendly Ways of Getting Rid of Them

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Organic vegetable gardens can give you a lot of benefits. One, it provides you the greens you need for your table. Not only are you assured of its freshness, but you are also assured of how they’re grown – no artificial fertilizes and no artificial pesticides. Two, you can sell your food produce for additional income. Three, the plants, especially those that produce flowers, will lend beauty to any garden. Four, gardening is a very relaxing hobby. It can ease away stress and tension from your body.

However, your vegetable garden does not just benefit you and your family, but it also benefits three types of animals that do significant damage to them.

Groundhogs

Groundhogs, also commonly called woodchucks, are one of the most common garden pests. These creatures burrow underground, creating tunnels and holes. The burrows can displace the soil, causing it to collapse and do damage to the vegetable plants above.

To get rid of groundhogs, you can set up traps. This will trap the animal, and you can simply relocate them to another place far from your vegetable garden. If traps are not enough to keep them away, you can install fences around your garden. Of note though; if you’re going to put up fences, see to it that you bury a portion of the fence deep below the ground to prevent them from digging under the fence and getting to your plants.

Skunks

Skunks are also considered as garden pests. They usually forage for food at night and could easily eat through your vegetable garden. Not only do they eat vegetables and fruits, but they also eat insects that are beneficial to your garden.

Getting rid of skunks is easier than getting rid of groundhogs. The first step that you need to do is to make sure that your trash cans are located far from your vegetable garden and that they also have covers. As food scavengers, skunks will also forage for food in the trash bin, and giving them easy access to food will make them loiter around your home. Installing chicken write as well as bright lighting around your garden will also help in keeping them away.

Rabbits

It isn’t just carrots that rabbits love, but they will also eat anything that they can find in your garden. They can go through your cabbage patch in one night and leave bite marks on your fruits. Since they breed quickly and easily, your garden will soon be overrun by these pesky animals.

To control rabbit population, you can also install fences along the perimeter of your garden. This can keep the rabbits out. However, because they can also easily dig under the fence, you have to see to it that the fence is buried deeper underground. In addition to fencing, you can also try rabbit repellants. Some of these include crushed garlic placed around the vegetable crops as well as cat hair or cat litter scattered around the garden.

These pesky animals can cause a lot of damage to your organic vegetable garden; however, their population can be controlled. If you can’t control their population, then hire a pest control provider to get rid of them for you the humane yet effective way.

Jennifer Dallman writes for an Anaheim pest control provider. If you’re having problems with pesky animals damaging your vegetable garden, then don’t hesitate to get in touch with your local pest control company.

Garden Blooms

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It’s been warm and sunny all weekend here in Toronto. So warm in fact that the garden desperately needed some care and watering!

It’s supposed to rain later in the week and I’m actually looking forward to that. We’ve seen so little rain this summer. It will be good for the garden. If it comes – that is. I know if we do get some good rains my plants will be very happy and I’ll get some more good blooms before it starts to cool off.

honeysuckle

Right now I have several plants blooming in my garden, but not nearly as many as I normally would at this time of the year. I have Gladiolus blooming – a little late, but I think that’s due to the hot summer we’ve had. Other plants in bloom include Phlox, a variety of roses, Brown Eyed Susans, Petunias, Honeysuckle, Impatiens, Hydrangea, Sedum, and a few of my Clematis.

tiffany rose

Even my Rose of Sharon is blooming. It’s been blooming since early July. Usually it’s done blooming by mid-August at the latest but again, I think because of the hot dry summer it slowed down it’s blooms and now that it’s a tad cooler and we’re getting more rain or I’m watering more it’s starting to bloom again. Very odd.

What’s blooming in your garden at the end of this lovely long weekend?

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