Sweet pepper Cultivation Farming
Sweet pepper is a fruit which can be grown through out the year and is used in many countries' dishes. It can be grown in a variety of containers or on beds. Sweet pepper cultivation is a very rewarding agribusiness.
Sweet peppers contain vitamins A, B and C, protein, fibre, and calcium.This agribusiness article will give in detail on how you can grow your sweet peppers.
Sweet pepper Varieties
Some of the varieties available on the market are:
- King Arthur
- Pacific
- Blue Star
- California Wonder
- Florida Giant
- Yola Wonder
- Lady Bell F 1
- La Bamba F1
- Bullnose
- Jeet
Climatic Requirements
Temperature
Sweet pepper performs well performs well under an extended frost-free season, because it is a warm-season crop. Sweet pepper has the potential of producing high yields of outstanding quality. It is very vulnerable to frost and grows poorly at temperatures between 5 and 15 °C.
The optimum temperature for growing Sweet pepper ranges from 20 to 25 °C. The germination of Sweet pepper seed is slow if sown too early when soil temperatures are still too low, but seedling emergence accelerates as temperatures increase to between 24 and 30 °C.
The optimum soil temperature for Sweet pepper germination is 29 °C. Low temperatures also slow down seedling growth, which leads to prolonged seedling exposure to insects, diseases, salt or soil crusting, any of which can severely damage or kill off the seedlings.
Soil Requirements
Site and soil
A very high level of soil fertility is required for the profitable production of a successful pepper crop. Sweet peppers grow well and give in the best yields on deep, fertile, well-drained soils. You should avoid planting your Sweet peppers in a low- lying fields next to streams and rivers because these sites are subject to high humidity and moisture conditions, that make your Sweet pepper suspectable to bacterial spot epidemics.
As a farmer you should always avoid making Sweet pepper fields where long residual corn or soya bean herbicides have been used, because herbicide carry-over can cause serious damage to peppers.
You should locate your Pepper fields far away from tobacco plantings as possible owing to potential spread of aphid-vectored viruses from tobacco to peppers. It is also advisable not to grow your Sweet peppers after other solanaceous crops (such as tobacco, tomatoes, potatoes, and brinjals) or vine crops for a period of three years because all of these crops are susceptible to some of the same diseases. Peppers do extremely well following fescue sod.
You should use a soil test to determine fertiliser and liming requirements. Peppers grow best at soil pH between 6,0 and 7,0. Adjust the soil pH to near neutral (7,0) for maximum yields.
To reduce the risk of Verticillium wilt and other diseases in your Sweet pepper field, you should avoid using fields in your rotation plans in which eggplant, tomato, pepper, potato and strawberry or caneberry have been planted.
Cultivation Practices
Propagation
Sweet pepper seed may be sown directly in the field, but most commercial Sweet pepper farmers prefer to transplant seedlings bought from vegetable seedling growers. With direct sowing, laborious and costly activities must be carried out to ensure a good plant stand.
Emergence of directly sown Sweet peppers is hampered by soil crusts caused by raindrops, which results in poor plant stands. Frequent irrigation prior to emergence solves this problem, but it results in an unnecessary increase in water use and production cost.
Direct sowing of Sweet peppers seed, requires seed of about 2 kg/ha. Sweet pepper seedlings are produced by sowing seed in seed trays under green house or shade-cloth conditions. Pepper seedlings are ready to be transplanted after 6 to 8 weeks when the seedlings are 150 to 200 mm tall.
Soil preparation
You should avoid growing your Sweet peppers on the same soil more often than once in 3 or 4 years. Just as tomatoes, Sweet peppers are subject to some of the same diseases, neither should follow the other in successive seasons in the same soil. Soil used for plant beds should have had no peppers grown in it for 4 or 5 years, preferably never before.
Planting
Planting periods
The earliest period for seedling establishment in your prepared Sweet pepper field, should be when the soil and air temperatures at least meet the minimum requirements for plant growth. The latest seedling establishment period for your Sweet pepper should be after allowance has been made for the growth and harvest periods to be completed before adverse conditions sets in.
Transplant Seedlings
Sweet pepper seedlings are transplanted 3 to 4 weeks after sowing. Sweet pepper transplanting process should be done late in the afternoon.
You should mix two handfuls of well-rotted manure with the soil in each planting hole. Into each planting hole, place a seedling and ensure it is firmly positioned. Water seedlings immediately after transplanting.
Days to maturity
The exact time to maturity of any Sweet pepper, varies depending on the exact variety of sweet pepper. Most sweet peppers mature in 60 to 90 days after planting; hot peppers can take up to 150 days.
Spacing
If several sweet peppers are planted together space seedlings of 45 cm apart within rows and 60 cm to 90 cm between rows should be considered. One hectare requires 100 to 200 g of seeds.
Fertilisation
Recommendations for supplemental organic matter, fertiliser, lime and manure should be based on a soil test and a nutrient management plan. Only soil test is the most accurate guide to fertiliser requirements. Sweet pepper fertilizer withdrawal quantities are 1,5 to 3.5 kg N, 0,2 to 0,4 kg P and 2 to 4 kg K of fruit harvested.
At transplanting, you should apply 1 table-spoon high phosphorus fertilizer e.g. 12:24:12 dissolved in 1 litre of water. This volume will fertilize 10 Sweet pepper plants. You should apply once either to roots or leaves (foliar).
During the growing stage, you should apply high nitrogen fertilizer e.g. 20:10:10. It should be 10 g (2 tsp) per plant.
At Flowering stage, you should apply high potassium fertilizer e.g. 12:12:17+2 plus Trace Elements. The quantity should be 10 g (2 tsp) per plant.
Irrigation
Many Sweet pepper growers of fresh market peppers, plant under black plastic mulch with trickle irrigation laid under the plastic. This provides uniform moisture and fertilisation during the growing season of your Sweet pepper. Dry conditions result in premature small sized fruit set, which leads to reduced yields.
Sweet pepper plant, has a total water requirement of about 600 mm and a weekly water requirement of 25 mm during the first five weeks and 35 mm thereafter. Excessive rainfall or water supply can negatively affect flower and fruit formation and eventually lead to fruit rot. Unrestricted water supply to your Sweet pepper crop can be as harmful as not enough water.
Root rot diseases can be caused by waterlogged conditions that last for more than 12 hours; therefore drainage of your Sweet pepper field is very important. Drip irrigation is one method of water application that optimises water supply for pepper farming.
Weed control
Good weed control in your Sweet peppers field begins similarly to any other crop, before the crop is planted. You should control established perennials before planning to plant peppers in the field. Use cultural, mechanical and chemical weed control techniques in a coordinated manner to reduce the risk of interference with the Sweet pepper crop.
Pest and Diseases
You should manage your pest and diseases with good cultural practices, biological agents, and chemicals. A combination of these methods is best and is known as Integrated Pest Management.
Harvesting
Sweet peppers are ready for harvest when the fruits have reached their full size, shape and colour. Generally the walls of your Sweet pepper fruits are very thick and fleshy at this time.
Yields of 6 to 10 t/ha of sweet peppers may be obtained for processing. Fresh Sweet pepper market yields may range from 500 to 1 000 12 kg cartons per hectare. You generally harvest your Sweet pepper by breaking it off from the plants with the stems left attached to the fruit.