How to grow black pepper at home
Farming is done organically at home, hence chemical free things are more beneficial for health. In this article we will learn step by step how to grow black pepper plant at home. The black pepper plant, which is called the king of spices, is a type of vine. It grows very well in tropical climate, hence it can be easily grown in the plains of India. Pepper vine thrives well in partial shade and warm temperatures. If the weather is cold, you can grow black pepper in your home or make a small greenhouse in the garden. Fresh black pepper is not only very rich in taste, but you also get its nutrients in right quantity.
Before knowing how to grow black pepper plant, let us know how many nutrients it contains. web md According to , many vitamin minerals including Vitamin K, E, A, B1, B2, B5, B6, manganese, copper, iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, selenium, zinc are found in black pepper. So let us know how you can plant black pepper plant in your home.
Benefits of black pepper
Although black pepper is used as a spice in food, it is considered full of medicinal properties in Ayurveda. Which is consumed to prevent cough, cold and infection. health line According to, black pepper is rich in high antioxidants, hence its consumption reduces chronic inflammation. This is beneficial for your brain. Apart from being helpful in controlling blood sugar, it also controls bad cholesterol, reduces pain and also improves gut health.
Benefits of black pepper
Right place for black pepper
The black pepper plant is native to the tropical climate, so it grows comfortably at a temperature of 24 to 29 degrees Celsius, but if it is too cold, the plant may start deteriorating, so it is important to protect it from cold. For black pepper, you should choose such a place where there is sunlight for 6 to 8 hours, but there should not be direct sunlight i.e. there should be some sunlight and some shade. You can also grow it near the window of the house or in the balcony.
Preparing soil for pepper
If you want to plant a black pepper plant in the soil, then you do not need to do much preparation. Just choose a place for this where drainage is correct. The soil should be fertile and there should be either a straight tall tall tree nearby or arrangements for setting up a trellis to spread the vines can be made easily. Apart from this, if you want to plant a black pepper plant in a pot, then instead of a round container, you should take a rectangular container of width and length. Loose soil is suitable for black pepper. To prepare it, mix 33 percent coco peat, 20 percent compost or vermicompost manure and 10 percent sand in 40 percent good quality soil and also add a little neem cake, which reduces the chances of the plant getting affected by pests. In this way the soil will be prepared.
Tips for planting black pepper
You can either prepare the plant from cutting. For this, take a mature branch 4 to 6 inches long, remove its lower leaves and then make a cutting, dip it in rooting hormone powder and plant it in the soil. Apart from this you can sow seeds. Soak the black pepper seeds for at least 24 hours. Due to this they germinate quickly. You plant the seeds in a half-inch deep pit and cover it with soil. The seeds should be spaced at least 3 inches apart so that the plants get enough space to grow. Add water to it from spray. Similarly, the soil should be kept moist only till germination. Do not add too much water.
pepper seedlings
Take care of the plant like this
When the plant grows, keep adding fertilizer to it twice a month. This will provide additional nutrients and the plant will grow faster. Apart from this, keep spraying neem cake so that the plant does not get affected by insects. You can also add liquid fertilizer. If you are adding fertilizer then the soil should be dug a little from the edges. So that it can be observed well. Apart from this, mulching every few days for about a month helps in maintaining moisture in the soil, which reduces the effect of temperature fluctuations on the plant. Apart from this, neither add too much nor too little water. Keep checking the drainage from time to time.
Harvesting-sorting and preparing black pepper
It is necessary to prune the plant from time to time. Due to this it grows better. Bad yellowing and dry leaves and buds should be removed, but it is better to put it in the soil of the plant. Granular pods grow on black pepper. When they turn from green to red, pluck these bunches carefully and then dry them thoroughly in direct sunlight for 7 to 10 days. In this way the black pepper extracted from your plant becomes ready to use.
How to Harvest Peppers
If you have planted a black pepper plant, you have to be a little patient for it to produce pods, but once the black pepper plants start growing, you can harvest multiple times in the same season. If you have suitable space then plant 5-6 plants so that you can get the right amount of black pepper. After plucking black pepper from the plant, it should be stored only after drying it thoroughly, otherwise all your hard work can go waste because moisture causes mold to grow.