Fertilizing sweet peppers in a greenhouse and in open ground

Some gardeners and breeders claim that growing peppers yourself is a science in itself. However, more and more people are beginning to take a different view. Indeed, it's not enough to just plant peppers and wait for a harvest.

It requires specific care, and fertilizing is an essential part of that. This article discusses what peppers like, what and when to feed them, and how to use the safest folk remedies.

What do sweet peppers like?

Peppers are a relatively easy crop to grow, but only if all the necessary conditions are provided for their growth and development. A constant supply of moisture and air is crucial, so the soil should be not only fertile but also loose. It's crucial that it contains sufficient nitrogen and potassium. Phosphorus, magnesium, and calcium are additional nutrients needed for normal growth, but chlorine is harmful, so its presence should be minimized, or better yet, eliminated entirely.

Much depends on the condition of the root system, so you should focus on root feeding and only when the plant begins to grow, bud, flower, and set fruit, pay attention to the above-ground part.

When to fertilize

Peppers are especially demanding when it comes to nutrition. However, over-fertilizing can actually cause harm. Before applying fertilizer, it's important to know when it's appropriate to do so.

At first, the pepper receives sufficient nutrition for development from the soil, but the substances contained in it are quickly depleted, and then it is time for the next work.

The first feeding is done at 10-14 days of age. One of the most popular is a solution made from ½ teaspoon of urea, sodium humate, and a liter of water.

The peppers receive their next supplemental feeding 10 days after the first. By this time, they should already have 4-5 true leaves. This time, a solution of ½ teaspoon of urea, monopotassium phosphate, and a liter of water is added.

It is also recommended to carry out root and foliar feeding at least twice during the seedling growth period.

Cow manure and bird droppings are most commonly used for this purpose. The former is dissolved in water in a 1:5 ratio, the latter in a 1:10 ratio.

The next scheduled feeding is scheduled for 15 days after transplanting into the soil. By this time, the first flowers should appear. Organic fertilizers or mineral supplements, if unavailable, can also be used at this time.

After a couple of weeks, when ovaries begin to form, the peppers need to be fertilized again. If the plants are growing normally, the last time fertilizer is applied is a week before harvest. However, if the fruits are small or the stems are weak and limp, another application may be necessary. Just remember to alternate the fertilizers used. Constantly using organic or mineral fertilizers will not be effective.

You can buy ready-made fertilizers at any specialty store, but it's safer and more reliable to use folk remedies. Let's look at the most popular ones.

Folk remedies

The popularity of folk remedies is explained by their affordability, safety, and effectiveness. But this only applies if they are used correctly.

Yeast

Lately, yeast has increasingly appeared on the shopping lists of not only cooks, but also gardeners.

They are an excellent fertilizer for plants, stimulating their growth and normalizing their development, increasing endurance, accelerating root formation, etc.

The yeast's effectiveness is explained by the fungi it contains, which thrive in soil of any composition, significantly increasing its nutritional value, stimulating the activity of active microorganisms, and promoting faster processing of organic matter in the soil.

The main advantage of yeast is its high nitrogen and phosphorus content, but in addition to these components, which are essential for the full development of plants, it is enriched with many vitamins, minerals, iron, and other equally important components.

Fresh yeast is diluted at a ratio of one kilogram to five liters of water and left in a warm place for five days. The resulting infusion is then diluted in 50 liters of water and watered at the roots of the plants.

Dry yeast (50 g) is mixed with sugar and poured into a bucket of water. It needs to sit for a shorter time; two hours is sufficient. The resulting solution must be diluted with water (1:20) before use.

There are several more yeast-based recipes that can be used to feed peppers:

1.       For 70 liters of water you will need a bucket of freshly cut grass, half a kilo of rye croutons and the same amount of live yeast.
2.       Dissolve a handful of soil, a tablespoon of dry yeast, 2 tablespoons of sugar and 2 g of ascorbic acid in 5 liters of water.

If you don't have any yeast on hand, you can make your own. Croutons, leftover bread, or any other flour-based infusion are all suitable. Here are just a few tried-and-true recipes:

•         Sprout the wheat grains. For every cup of the resulting mixture, use 2 tablespoons of sugar and the same amount of flour. Grind everything together, place in a non-stick pan, and bring to a boil over low heat. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Then leave for several days until fermentation begins. Mix with 10 liters of water before using.
•         Pour 1.5 liters of boiling water over a cup of hop cones (dried or fresh can be used) and simmer over low heat for about an hour. Cool, strain, add 2 tablespoons of sugar and flour, and leave for several days until fermentation begins. Once fermentation begins, dissolve in 10 liters of water and use as a pepper fertilizer.
•         Boil two medium-sized potatoes until half-cooked, cool, and grate them finely, skin and all. Add a tablespoon of sugar, stir, and leave in a warm place for 24 hours. Once signs of fermentation appear, dilute the mixture 1:5 with water and use as fertilizer.

The prepared fertilizer can be used no more than twice per season and should be applied only to warm soil. Please note that expired yeast is not suitable for preparing fertilizer; it can have the opposite effect.

There's only one drawback to using yeast: yeast-based solutions destroy potassium in the soil. To avoid potassium deficiency, this type of fertilizer should be used in conjunction with wood ash.

Wood ash

How often do we learn that real wealth was literally right under our feet, but was simply not used for its intended purpose.

For example, wood ash. It's one of the best organic fertilizers. Its main advantages are its high phosphorus and potassium content, in a form that significantly improves their absorption by plants.

It's also rich in magnesium, iron, zinc, calcium, and sulfur. Ash strengthens plants' immune systems, making them more resistant to fungal diseases.

Ash can be used safely, but it should not be combined with nitrogen-containing substances. This won't harm the plants, but it won't provide any benefit either.

Ash is added to the soil before planting the seedlings. Place 2 tablespoons in each hole. However, be aware that ash can burn delicate roots. Therefore, be sure to add a layer of soil on top of the ash.

Later, the ash can be applied between rows, sprinkled around planting holes, and used for watering. To do this, you'll need 100 grams of ash per bucket of water. Make a small trench around the plant and pour the resulting solution into it. Half a liter is enough for one application.

This natural remedy is also used for foliar treatment. To do this, add 300 grams of ash to 3 liters of water and boil for 25-30 minutes. Then, dilute the mixture in 10 liters of water and add 50 grams of finely grated laundry soap. Spray the plant in dry, windless weather, ensuring the solution is evenly distributed over the leaves and stems.

Dry dusting is also possible. The effect will be the same as spraying, only shorter in duration.

Wood ash is essential for peppers. Besides containing essential micronutrients, it's completely free of chlorine, which the plant dislikes.

Root feeding can be done 2-3 times per season, and foliar feeding can be done 2 main times, as well as 3-4 times per month when the pepper is actively growing and buds are forming on it.

Banana peel

They say good housekeepers never throw anything away. Banana peels are a perfect example of this. Enterprising citizens have found a multitude of uses for them. They're used for cleaning teeth, renewing the appearance of shoes, and even as fertilizer.

It turns out that banana peels contain a lot of potassium, calcium and phosphorus.

The best fertilizer is to soak banana peels in water, leave them until they decompose completely, and then use them as a root watering. However, the smell during preparation is unbearable for some. But don't give up on this treasure just yet. There are other options.

You can cut up a banana peel and bury it in the soil. After this, even the weakest and most frail sprouts will revive right before your eyes, becoming more lush and blooming profusely. This feeding lasts for about three weeks.

The second way to use the peels is more original. To make fertilizer, you need to roast them. To do this, lay the peels on foil and bake in the oven until nicely browned. After cooling, chop them, and add a spoonful to the root of each plant. If you're preparing for future use, store them in an airtight container.

You can soak three banana peels in three liters of water for two days. Strain the resulting infusion and dilute it half with water. Water the plants once a week.

Banana peel infusion is also an excellent aphid repellent. Be sure to try spraying it on your plants if they're prone to aphid infestation.

You can increase soil fertility by drying the skins on a radiator, then grinding them and adding them to the soil.

Winter bananas are much more nutritious, so you can prepare them for future use by simply freezing them in the refrigerator.

Banana peels are excellent fertilizer, but be sure to wash them thoroughly and rinse them with boiling water. Remember that imported bananas are treated with chemicals to extend their shelf life.

Boric acid

Boric acid can also be used to fertilize peppers. It is especially important during flowering and fruit set. Regular application also prevents potential fruit rot.

It has been observed that this type of feeding increases yields and significantly improves the taste of the fruit.

This product is primarily recommended for use as a fertilizer when growing peppers indoors (on a balcony or windowsill). Boric acid helps create conditions as close to natural as possible for these plants.

In addition to replenishing nutrients, it also helps prevent late blight. However, if you choose boric acid, avoid using superphosphates in combination. However, using potassium permanganate, baking soda, and laundry soap in combination with this product is even recommended.

Boron is effective in helping plants recover from disease. It can also reduce the risk of seedling death during transplanting.

The first treatment is carried out before sowing the seeds. To do this, prepare a solution of half a liter of onion peel decoction, 0.02 g of boric acid, and a few granules of potassium permanganate. Soak the seeds for 2-3 hours. This will not only help make the plants more resilient but also reliably protect them from late blight.

During the period of bud ripening, flowering, and fruit set, peppers are sprayed. To do this, dissolve a teaspoon of acid in a bucket of water and distribute it evenly with a spray bottle. Use about a liter of solution per square meter of planting.

Root feeding is performed if there are clear signs that the plant is suffering from a boron deficiency. This can be identified by pale upper leaves, leaf shape loss, weak flowering, and fruit drop. "Starvation" can also manifest itself during the fruiting period. Small fruits, loss of shape, curling, and rotting may then be a sign.

Water with a solution of 0.1 g of boric acid per liter of water. To prevent possible burning, first water the bush with plain water, then gradually add the fertilizer.

Monitor the pepper's reaction. If the leaves begin to turn yellow and fall off, curl upward, or become domed, this could be a sign of boron overload.

Boric acid is not only an excellent growth stimulant and soil nutrient enhancer. It's also a proven antiseptic and insecticide. Use it wisely, don't exceed the recommended dosage, and you'll enjoy a bountiful pepper harvest. Don't forget to practice personal protective equipment. Boric acid is harmless to humans, birds, and animals, but inhaling its vapors is not recommended, so it's best to be on the safe side.

Eggshell

Eggshells, along with other waste, are usually thrown in the trash. Occasionally, based on past experience, they are used when planting potatoes to protect them from mole crickets.

In fact, it's a valuable fertilizer that can be used for peppers, among other things. This simple solution can significantly increase yields and produce many more fruits, even in the first season.

Many people think it's enough to simply spread eggshells over the soil surface. But not only is this useless, but birds also fly to the bait and destroy the crops.

There are specific rules for collecting eggshells. Eggshells from raw eggs are spread out on cardboard and left to dry. It's important to store them in a warm, dry place. The membrane on the shells must dry out, not deteriorate. This process typically takes 3-5 days.

If the shell is collected from a boiled egg, the film will be of no use and must be removed.

Next, crush the shells and place them in paper bags. You can use a rolling pin, coffee grinder, or meat grinder to crush them. The smaller the pieces, the better the quality of the fertilizer.

You can also make a combined fertilizer for peppers using eggshells. To do this, first bake the eggshells in the oven, mix them with ash, and then grind them. The resulting fertilizer will be richer in calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium.

The easiest way is to apply fertilizer directly to the soil. However, for additional nutrition, you can prepare a liquid fertilizer. Fill a jar a third of the way with crushed shells, fill it to the top with water, close the lid, and store it in a dark place. This process takes approximately 10-14 days. The water will become cloudy and develop a very unpleasant odor.

The infusion should be filtered and diluted with water 1:3, and then used for watering.

The liquid solution can be used as a top dressing during active growth, budding, flowering, and fruiting. It can protect plants from blackleg. Simply identify the affected plant early, remove it, and water the remaining plants with the infusion.

You can also use eggshells when preparing your garden bed in the fall. Simply sprinkle them over the soil surface before digging. This simple solution will make the soil looser.

The best fertilizer is made from the shells of home-grown eggs, but if you don’t have them, you can use store-bought ones.

Eggshells are used not only in folk medicine but also increasingly on large farms. Recently, it was discovered that they can neutralize the harmful effects of agricultural chemicals and enhance their benefits.

Chicken eggshells can and should be used to fertilize peppers, but quail eggs raise questions. It's unclear whether quail egg-based fertilizer is beneficial, so it's best to stick to proven methods.

Onion peel

Onion peels are often used to protect gardeners from pests and diseases, but they're almost never considered as a fertilizer—and in vain! Besides their disinfectant properties, they contain a wealth of beneficial microelements. Adding them to the soil in garden beds prepared in the fall or to the soil used for growing seedlings yields excellent results.

Onion peels disinfect and kill fungi, microbes, and pathogenic bacteria. And decoctions and infusions prepared from them support the plant, helping it extract maximum benefit from the soil, and stimulating the formation of flowers and ovaries.

To make a decoction, add a few handfuls of onion peels to a bucket of water. Bring to a boil over low heat, cover, and let cool completely. Strain and use for watering or spraying.

There's another recipe. You can fill half a bucket of husks with water and let them steep for a week. Then strain, add 50 grams of laundry soap, and stir. Before spraying, dilute the mixture with water 50/50. This will not only provide the necessary nutrients but also reliably protect against aphids, other pests, and fungi.

Grass

Weed control is an essential part of gardening. Some people feed the grass to chickens or other animals, others dry it and burn it, and still others make an excellent fertilizer from it, which is also suitable for peppers.

To prepare the fertilizer, you'll need a large barrel, grass, and water. Place the grass in the barrel, cover with water, and leave it in the sun until it ferments. You can speed up the process by adding a little yeast. The fertilizer is ready to use once it smells like manure.

Yes, the aroma is quite something, but the effect after watering is simply stunning. A glass per plant once a week, and the results will be immediate. The plants will become more lush, the yield will increase significantly, and the fruit will not only be tastier but also easier to transport and store.

Fertilizing in open ground and in a greenhouse

Peppers can be grown in open ground, greenhouses, and even at home.

Plants grown on balconies or windowsills require priority feeding. They require feeding more frequently than garden plants. All of the methods listed above are suitable. To create more fertile soil, you can use banana fertilizer, eggshells to improve soil looseness, boric acid to mimic natural conditions, and onion peel decoction to protect against pests.

Greenhouse plants can also be fertilized with all of the above mentioned products, but do so much less frequently, only when necessary. You can use eggshells for soil and to protect the plants from slugs, add banana peels, dust with ash, and scatter it along the beds. However, there's a different approach to using onion broth. Find suitable containers, spread onion peels in them, fill them with hot water, and distribute them throughout the greenhouse. The vapors will be suspended in the air, providing the plant with all the nutrients and necessary protection.

You already learned about methods for fertilizing peppers in open ground from the article above.

Reviews

Alevtina Nikolaevna, 52 years old

I don't grow my own pepper seedlings; I buy them ready-made. I loosen the beds in the fall, cover them with leaves, and then my husband digs them up in the spring. Last year, I tried pre-planting green manure. I liked the result. The soil becomes looser and significantly enriched with nitrogen. During the growing process, I use fermented herbal fertilizer and also spray them with a soap solution and onion infusion.

Maria Tifonovna, 67 years old

I've been using tried-and-true methods for fertilizing peppers for years. I always add shells to each hole when planting, then sprinkle the soil around the plant with onion peels. I don't spray, unless aphids start attacking, in which case I use laundry soap. I've never heard of banana peels, but I'll definitely try them. If the sprouts start to weaken, I water them with sugar water (2 tablespoons per liter of water) once a week.

 

Alena, 26 years old

I don't have a dacha or a garden, so I'm very grateful for the breeders who have developed vegetable seeds for growing indoors. I have a real garden on my balcony. If I take proper care of the plants, I can still grow fresh vegetables for my family. I grow tomatoes and cucumbers year-round, but this is my first time trying peppers. The bell peppers didn't turn out well, but the hot peppers did. The fruits are small, and the plant itself is miniature, but the flavor is much richer.

Want a bigger pepper harvest this year? Try these suggested fertilizing methods. All methods have been tested repeatedly and, when used correctly, are extremely beneficial.