How to grow peppers in Aerogarden?

Well, it really depends on what kind of peppers you want to grow. For example; you can buy Jalapeno, Thai Peppers and Purple Super Hot Peppers seed pods, but if you want to try growing any other kind, like Bell peppers, then you will have to make your own seed pods for that purpose. If you have to make your own pods, you can buy the grow anything seed pod kit, which includes grow sponges, baskets, domes, labels, and nutrients. You will have to insert 2 to 3 seeds inside your grow sponge, assemble the seed pod and that is about it.

The second possible method is growing the peppers in reused seed pods. Keep in mind that although you will be able to reuse some parts, like plastic grow domes and grow baskets, you will have to buy new sponges and nutrients, which you can purchase online. I always recommend going with this method, because it is not only nature friendly but will also save you a few bucks, which you can spend on a six-pack.

The third option is to make your own pods. I have already covered this topic in previous articles. Where you can read all about making your own seed pods. Even if you make your own, you will still have to buy nutrients. My favorite method still remains to reuse old seed pods, because it requires much less effort than the last method, and is cheaper than the first method.

Note:

If you make your own seed pods, there are no limits. Grow anything you want but make sure to give your plants the right care. When you are growing indoors, the biggest concern that you should have is pollination.

STEP 1: Prepare your seed pods

Like I have said before, there are 3 methods; buying them, reusing them or making your own. If you have bought them, then there is really not much work for you to be done. But if you want to grow any kind of peppers that are not available in seed pod form on the market, then you can just reuse your old seed pods.

If you went with the nature-friendly mode (reusing old pods) then you just have to put about 2 to 3 seeds in a new grow sponge, and insert the sponge inside a grow basket. Finish it off by putting on a label and the dome.

STEP 2: Install the pods and fill your aerogarden up

When it comes to peppers, there is no doubt that they will take up a lot of your space. When you are putting the pods in, make sure to leave at least one free slot between two pepper plants. You can fill those voids with some smaller plants like basil (or any other herb).

Before you leave your seeds alone and wait for germination always fill your AeroGarden bowl up with water and nutrients. If the hight of your light is okay, then there is nothing left for you to do than to wait for flowers to start growing on your plant.

Once your seedlings are touching the domes, it is time to remove them (the domes).

STEP 3: Pruning AeroGarden Peppers

Everything that is out of the light reach must go. Why? Because everything flower on your plant that will not get the amount of light that it needs will not result in good peppers. Always cut the excess branches, but make sure that you do not cut more than 1/3 of the whole branch. You should prune your pepper plant regularly to get the most out of it.

STEP 4: Pollinating peppers

How to pollinate AeroGarden peppers?

When you are growing peppers indoors, one of the cons is that there will be no natural pollination provided by wind, bees or other insects.  There are 3 possible ways to pollinate your plant yourself.

METHOD 1: Pollination by shaking the plant

Shake the plant lightly so that the pollen will fall from the male to the female parts of the flower. This method will take you the least amount of time but will not be as efficient as the third method.

METHOD 2: Pollination with a fan

Put a small fan next to your plant and set it to its lowest possible setting. This way you will create your own wind. While this method is a bit better than the first, I would still recommend going with the third method.

METHOD 3: Pollination with a cotton swab

First, take a single cotton swab and gently touch the male flowers. The easiest way to spot a male flower is by pollen. Male flowers will have yellow pollen on them, while female flowers will not. Female flowers also have a small bulb under them-they are growing out of it. This will later develop and turn into a nice pepper.

Now once you have your cotton swab covered with pollen, gently touch the female flower with it. If you feel like you didn’t transport enough of pollen, you can just simply repeat the process on the same flower. Keep doing this until you have pollinated all the female flowers.¸

STEP 5: Harvest time!

How to harvest indoor peppers?

When you are harvesting peppers you can use either scissors or gardening shears. Some of the peppers are really delicate, so I would not recommend using your hands to harvest them. You can expect to harvest your peppers about 3 to 4 weeks after you have planted them. The number for hot peppers is longer. It will take them about 5 months to ripen.

IMPORTANT!

When you are harvesting hot peppers always use gloves. If you are harvesting them barehanded make sure to wash your hand really good afterward.

How long do AeroGarden peppers last?

Peppers-either bell or hot will last for about 7 months. They are a member of the veggie family, which means that they will take some time to grow but will have the longest harvest period.

How long till my first harvest?

The right amount of time for bell peppers is about six weeks after you have planted them. At this time they should ripen completely and be about 3.5 to 4 inches long. It may depend on the sort of peppers that you have planted.

What about hot peppers?

The time it will take for your hot peppers to ripen will be much longer. The approximate number is about 150 days in total. This makes hot peppers one of the longest growing plants that you can grow indoors. They are usually being grown by gourmets and spicy food enthusiasts .

If you will grow hot peppers, keep in mind that if you transplant them at the right time, you should be able to harvest them longer. Some people have reported that they have been growing peppers on the same plant for up to 3 years and longer.

Thank you for reading! If you have ever tried growing peppers indoors please let me know how it went in the comments!