An apartment on the first floor is no reason to give up your green thumb. Transform your balcony into a small vegetable garden. Numerous plants such as pepperoni are ideal for keeping in containers, are undemanding and space-saving. Try it out - the following tips will make your cultivation a success.
How can you successfully cultivate a hot pepper plant on the balcony?
Peperoni plants thrive on the balcony if they receive lots of sun, warm temperatures, wind-protected conditions and a suitable container with drainage and a nutrient-rich substrate. Regular watering and possible pruning promote crop yields and he althy growth.
Location requirements
Pepperoni are very robust plants. If you consider a few aspects when choosing a location, your plant will reward you with he althy growth and abundant harvests.
- lots of sun
- no drafts
- warm outside temperature
- Protect from frost (bring into the apartment from 5°C)
- sheltered from the wind
- no precipitation
Requirements for the bucket
Since hot peppers love warmth, encourage their growth by placing a small greenhouse on your balcony. You can also easily build this yourself by putting a foil over the bucket. It is important that this also has drainage so that waterlogging does not form. In addition, you should note the following points:
Proper watering
A hot pepper needs a lot of water. Depending on the season, you need to adjust the amount of liquid. Just be guided by the moisture in the soil. This should never be dry but also not too wet. Technology is also important. Only water the ball, not the leaves.
The substrate
You can't go wrong with pepperoni with conventional garden soil. Under no circumstances should you use pre-fertilized substrate. It is better to mix organic substances such as horn meal (€6.00 on Amazon) into the soil. A pH value between 0.3 and 4.6 is optimal. Nutrients are also urgently needed for he althy growth.
Is pruning necessary?
It depends on the type of pepperoni you have. Some species literally shoot up, while others have very slow growth. There is also the aspect of being one year or several years old. Pruning can inhibit growth, but primarily serves the benefit of a new harvest.
Benefits of cultivating on the balcony
In contrast to keeping it in the ground, there are actually some advantages to planting pepperoni on the balcony:
- easier overwintering as you don't have to dig up the plant
- Protection from wind and precipitation is usually provided
- Keeping containers protects against soil contamination, such as acid rain
