Grow your own Peppers

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Kitchen gardening

Grow your own Peppers

Peppers are packed with vitamins A and C, especially the red and yellow varieties. They thrive in warm weather, so plant them now, and you’ll soon enjoy the fruits of your labour.

Step-by-step guide for growing your own peppers :

  • Choose a sunny spot (it should receive at least 8 hours of sun a day) and make sure that the soil drains well. A raised bed is ideal, as peppers love warm soil and warm air.
  • Prepare the soil beforehand by mixing in plenty of compost or manure. Then sprinkle Epsom salts on to the planting surface and mix it into the soil. Epsom salts provide magnesium, which will help your peppers to grow.
  • Plant seedlings approximately 45cm apart. Tall growing varieties will require some kind of support to grow up along.
  • Keep the soil evenly moist (peppers need about 3cm of water a week). Once the plants start to mature, add organic mulch to conserve moisture and prevent weeds from taking over.
  • Harvest peppers by cutting off the stem about 1cm from the “lid” of the pepper. Harvest often, as the more you pick, the more they will grow.

Did you know? Peppers taste good from the moment they’re big enough to eat, but their supply of vitamins is highest when they have reached their full size.