Grow mild and hot peppers year-round with these simple indoor growing tips.
Pepper plants are native to Central and South America and thrive in hot, sunny, and humid environments.
To keep pepper plants indoors, you must imitate their natural growing conditions as closely as possible.
Credit:Carson Downing
Choose compact pepper varieties.
Plus, their large fruit may need staking.
Ghost peppers grow into massive plants that can stretch over 5 feet wide.
While you could try these pepper types indoors, you may have better luck with compact plants.
Pick the right containers.
Indoor peppers need to be grown inlarge pots or containersthat can accommodate their vigorous root systems.
Ensure the growing containers have plenty of drainage holes to prevent soggy roots.
Use a quality potting mix.
When used in containers, standard garden soil compacts and can inhibit root growth and cause other problems.
To avoid this, plant the peppers in a quality potting mix intended for indoor use.
Understand different growing techniques.
This prevents transplant shock and helps outdoor peppers adjust to your home.
Add a grow light.
Water the right way.
Indoor peppers should be watered about once a week, although peppers may need even less water during winter.
Keep pepper plants warm.
Peppers are tropical plants that thrive in warm weather and grow beautifully at standard room temperatures.
However, extreme temperatures can cause peppers to drop flowers and not grow properly.
To avoid this, locate indoor peppers away from drafty windows, heating vents, and A/C units.
One important thing to remember about indoor pepper plants is that they must be hand-pollinated to fruit well.
