Characteristics and description of sweet and hot peppers for the balcony

Pepper

Peppers can be grown not only in your dacha or large industrial greenhouses, but also on your balcony. We'll tell you which pepper varieties are best for this and whether you can get a harvest as good as in your garden.

Characteristics and description of peppers for the balcony

Growing peppers on the balcony is becoming a popular pastime among many housewives who want fresh vegetables when they don't have a garden in the countryside. A balcony is the ideal place to grow peppers. This sun- and moisture-loving plant will happily grow in your apartment. The balcony should be south, west, or east-facing to ensure the plant receives full sun throughout the day.

You can plant both sweet and hot peppers on your balcony. Growing peppers on the balcony is similar to caring for indoor plants, which are more demanding. The key is choosing the right variety that will thrive and produce fruit.

The variety must be:

Determinate. Tall plants are impractical, while low-growing ones are perfect for growing in pots. The recommended plant height is 40-50 cm.
with a non-spreading root system. This factor is crucial, as some plants may not have enough space in the pot and will begin to die;
With a long fruiting period. Some plants, after a certain number of ovaries, stop producing flowers and continue to bear fruit. Hot peppers will delight you for a longer time than sweet ones.

Rules for growing peppers on a balcony

Following certain rules for growing peppers on the balcony will ensure excellent yields. Let's look at the key elements of proper cultivation and care for this vegetable crop:

Preparing the soil for pepper.

To grow peppers, you need to prepare the soil in which you'll plant the seeds. You can prepare the soil yourself, but in urban areas, it's difficult to find turf and organic fertilizer, so it's easier to buy pre-made soil with all the necessary elements.

Purchased soil should already be disinfected, but to be on the safe side, treat the soil additionally. This can be done with a solution based on Fitosporin or a potassium permanganate solution (tinted a faint pink).

Caring for peppers on the balcony.

Sow the seeds in trays or boxes, which can be covered with plastic film to create a mini greenhouse while the seeds germinate. Once the plants reach 10-15 cm, transplant them into individual pots. Use ceramic or plastic pots, but be sure to have a minimum capacity of 6 liters.

Fertilizer should be applied when the plant has at least three leaves. For fertilizing, you can use a solution based on 10 liters of water, 50 g of urea, 125 g of superphosphate, and 30 g of potassium salt. If you have a small number of plants, reduce the amount of water and fertilizer accordingly. 50-100 ml of liquid fertilizer is needed per plant.

The air temperature on the balcony should be at least 20-25 degrees Celsius. To maintain humidity, periodically use a mist spray.

Avoid placing plants near a direct heat source (heater, radiator). Placing pepper pots near these sources will cause the seedlings to wilt and lose moisture.

You won't need to tie up or pinch off side shoots from the main plants. Water the peppers with room temperature water to prevent blackleg. Tap water should be allowed to settle before watering.

Before flowering, plants are fertilized with potassium and phosphorus fertilizers so that the fruits grow fleshy and tasty.

Agrotechnical techniques

you won't need to fight weeds;
Periodically, you'll need to loosen the soil because water will cause a crust to form. Loosening the soil allows the roots to receive oxygen, thereby accelerating gas exchange and, consequently, plant development.
Mulch the soil. You can buy hay at a store that sells animal feed. Mulch will reduce soil evaporation and maintain the soil's thermal balance;
The appearance of pests when growing plants on the balcony is excluded, since they have nowhere to come from in an apartment and in urban areas in general.

Pepper varieties for the balcony

Anyone can grow sweet and hot peppers on their balcony. The taste of these vegetables is absolutely identical to that of those grown in a greenhouse or open-air garden.

Hot peppers for the balcony

The "Hungarian Yellow" variety is a hot pepper with excellent quality. Its low stature makes it suitable for growing on balconies. At commercial maturity, the yellow peppers reach a weight of 60 grams with walls 3-4 mm thick. Ripe fruits are red. A single plant produces up to 30 peppers.
The "Orange Jalapeño" belongs to the Jalapeño pepper group and is distinguished by its orange fruit. The plant grows as an ornamental plant. The fruit weighs no more than 50 grams, and reaches a maximum length of 9 cm. The peppers are very hot, so they are used in spicy dishes. A single plant produces 30-35 peppers during the growing season.
"Jalapeño Early" is a pepper with early ripening, 80 days after transplanting seedlings into pots. This variety requires good watering, only then will the pepper quickly gain weight, reaching 30-40 grams. "Jalapeño" is 2-3 cm in diameter and 4-8 cm in length.
"Purple Jalapeño" is a medium-hot pepper weighing 35-40 grams. The tiny fruits are a rich purple color. The bushes grow low, and the root system thrives in a pot. During the fruiting season, the plant produces 25-35 fruits.
Among all the Jalapeño varieties, this variety stands out for its pleasant, spicy, and slightly tart flavor. It grows compactly, weighing 25-30 grams. It looks very attractive on a spreading, bushy plant. A single plant produces 30-35 peppercorns.
The "Magic Bouquet" pepper is distinguished by its cluster-like arrangement of fruits. The bushes reach 70 cm in height. The fruits are small, weighing only 2.7 g. Each bunch contains 5-10 peppercorns. It is used in spicy dishes and for pickling.
"Fiery Volcano" is a tall plant that requires support. The fruits are narrowly triangular, reaching 10 cm in length with walls 1-1.5 mm thick. They weigh 15-20 grams. The fruits are fiery red. They are used to make paprika, hot sauces, and dried fruits.

Sweet pepper varieties for the balcony

"Maikopsky 470" is a sweet, high-yielding variety with a ripening period of 110-120 days. The bushes grow up to 45 cm tall. The fruits are of variable shape, sometimes triangular or tetrahedral, but all are pyramidal. Ripe fruits are juicy and sweet, with a distinctive dark red color.
"Winnie the Pooh" is a pepper with small fruits, weighing 45-60 grams, but with very soft and juicy flesh. The walls reach 5-8 mm in thickness. This variety also impresses with its ripening period, 107-115 days. The plant does not grow more than 30 cm tall, so it will look like an ordinary houseplant.
"Mysterious Island" is a very early sweet pepper variety; the fruits are ready to eat at technical maturity 85 days after germination. The bushes are small, cluster-type, 35-45 cm tall. The fruits are arranged in bunches with their tips pointing upward. Each fruit weighs no more than 80 grams.
'Dwarf' is an excellent pepper for balcony planting. This determinate plant has few leaves and grows to a height of no more than 40 cm. The peppers weigh 50-60 grams and are cone-shaped with a blunt tip. The flesh is thick, 6-8 mm. The peppers contain a high percentage of vitamin C.
'Agapovsky' begins bearing fruit early, 100 days after germination. It boasts large fruits, each weighing 120 grams. The bushes are medium-sized and compact. The fruits are shaped like a prism. The skin is shiny and red.
"Firstborn of Siberia" is a resilient pepper variety suitable for growing on balconies. The bushes are loosely spreading, standard, and no more than 45 cm tall. The pyramidal peppers are small, weighing 40-68 grams. The flesh walls are thick, 8-10 mm. The yield is stable and is not susceptible to sudden changes in microclimate.
'Buratino' is a popular sweet pepper hybrid. Its conical, smooth, dark red fruits are sure to catch your eye. The walls are dense and thick, 7-8 mm, and very juicy and sweet. The plant grows up to 1 m tall, so support will be necessary.
'Akvarel' is an oblong sweet pepper, 10-15 cm long. The fruits are tiny, 20-30 grams, but very sweet. The bushes are heavily foliated and reach a height of 50-80 cm. The yield is high, with 30-60 peppers per plant at a time. The vegetables are reddish-purple in color.
"Treasure Island" is a pepper variety prized for its adaptability to growing conditions. The fruits are blunt, conical, and weigh 50-60 grams. The skin is smooth, the flesh is firm, and the flavor is pleasant. The bushes are low, 40-60 cm. Ripe fruits are red with a crimson tint.
"Gift of Moldova" is a sweet pepper characterized by drooping, cone-shaped red fruits. Standard plants will decorate your balcony. Plants reach no more than 40 cm in height. On average, the vegetables weigh 100-145 grams. They ripen mid-season.

https://youtu.be/IZ4W8fETWHA

Reviews:

Tatyana Mikhailovna:

This is my first time growing peppers on the balcony. When I was told you could grow peppers indoors, I didn't believe them, so I decided to give it a try just for fun. They actually grow and bear fruit. The key is to start the seedlings and then maintain a constant temperature. I watered them like regular houseplants. At first, I loosened the soil, but then stopped because the roots were too close to the surface. I grew three hot pepper plants and five sweet pepper plants. Not only were the peppers edible, but they also became a beautiful addition to the balcony. I recommend everyone try growing peppers on the balcony.

Taisiya Konstantinovna:

I've always wanted to grow my own vegetables, but I couldn't afford to buy a plot of land outside the city, so I started planting almost all my garden crops in pots on my balcony. Growing peppers has become my favorite pastime. Small peppers are very practical and easy to grow. My husband loves hot peppers. He really liked the jalapeño pepper. Every year, I plan to grow new varieties of peppers and other crops to show my friends and acquaintances that it's possible, and to help them avoid the temptation to start a small garden in their apartment.