Whether it’s pepper fertilizer or tomatoes fertilizer, its importance cannot be underestimated. Fertilizers play a key role in feeding the world especially in areas where the soil lacks natural nutrients to support plant life. Without these nutrients, world hunger would increase because the available lands would produce less food. In a nutshell, fertilizer is added:
- To boost the soil with additional nutrients
- To stabilize the PH of the soil to make it more suitable for the growth of some plants such as Capsicum
- To replace nutrients that could have otherwise been depleted due to over-exploitation of the land
Fertilizers also help farmers adapt to climate change by enabling them to have higher yields in water-scare environments. In some parts of the world, where water is scarce, the government mixes irrigation water with soluble organic fertilizer to increase yields. This method is known as fertigation and is mainly practised in arid and semi-arid regions. The main advantage of fertigation is that it helps reclaim lost farmland while at the same time preventing water from being wasted.
Another major importance of fertilizer is that it increases soil carbon sequestration. According to scientists, soils are the largest terrestrial pool of carbon and can store up to 300 tons of carbon per hectare. Not only does this help to mitigate climate change, but it also helps to make the world a greener and safer place for future generations.
Capsicum just like any other plant will require to feed. Contrary to popular belief, soil and water will not increase yields. The type of nutrients required for capsicum will depend on the results of a soil test. Without a soil test, you risk overfeeding the plant which will reduce yield.
5 Types of Capsicum and Its Benefits
Most people do not know this, but pilipili hoho in English is capsicum. Capsicum comes from the pepper family. As a vegetable, it is classified as a sweet pepper because of its mild heat and fruity sweet flavour. All peppers require almost similar nutrients to grow. There are several types of sweet peppers that you should know about. These are:
Anaheim Sweet Peppers: These are the most common and are usually mild green with a bright and tangy crunch when not cooked. Anaheim is a native California pepper that is preferred for its flexible flavour.
Red Bell Peppers: Red bell peppers are a chef’s favourite because of their rich taste. Unlike other types of capsicum, these peppers, go through the full ripening process and this gives them enough time to absorb natural sugars giving them a sweet flavour.
Yellow Bell Pepper: Yellow bell peppers are preferred for their nutritional content such as having high levels of vitamin C. The yellow pepper also has high levels of folate and niacin. This capsicum fruit can be used for making char-grilled flavours because of their thick skin. If you are looking for a unique way to BBQ your meat with capsicum, then choose the yellow variety.
Green Bell Peppers: Green bell peppers are another common variety in the market. They are picked before they go through the ripening process where they change their colour. Because they are picked before they finish the ripening process, these peppers are a bit bitter when compared to the yellow bell pepper. The good thing about them is that they can be eaten raw or cooked.
Orange Bell Pepper: The orange bell pepper has a fruity taste and because they ripen more when compared to the green bell pepper, they are tastier. Orange bells are a good source of folic acid, iron, fibre and antioxidants. In Addition, it is important to note that they contain 3 times the daily recommended amount of vitamin C.
So What Are the Benefits of Growing Capsicum?
Sweet Pepper is known for its nutritional value which will vary from one variety to another. All in all, you should expect the pepper you eat to contain at least dietary fibre, calories, carbohydrates and around 0.3grams of fat. Apart from this, they also contain high amounts of micronutrients and vitamin C which is used by the body to improve its immune capabilities. Other micronutrients include vitamin A and vitamin B6. Some of the health benefits of using Capsicum include:
- It Promotes the Eye health
- Prevents Anemia
- Reduces anxiety
- Boost immunity
- Prevents cancer
- Improves bone health
Pepper Fertilizer Ratio
For maximum yields, you must adhere to the best fertilizer schedule for capsicum. If you are adding nitrogen to the plant, it must be done in a timely manner without overdoing it. As it is the norm when it comes to farming, ensure that you are guided by a soil test from a reputable institution. We have designed this fertilizer schedule for Capsicum assuming they have already been transplanted in the soil.
6 Weeks after Transplanting
During the first 6 weeks of planting, capsicum will require plenty of Nitrogen to promote leaf development. You can add organic fertilizer every two weeks to stimulate plant growth.
4 Weeks After Transplanting
After transplanting we encourage that you pinch off the tips of the plants to encourage the growth of more branches. The more branches, the better because the plant will produce more flowers which in return will increase the crop yield. If you spot that fruits and flowers are growing during the 4 weeks after planting, we encourage that you remove them.
For the first 6 weeks, we encourage that you do not add any vegetable fertilizer because they are usually high in potash and phosphorus. These two nutrients will encourage the growth of fruits and flowers which is not advisable during this stage.
After 6 weeks
After 6 weeks we advise you to add a fertilizer that is rich in phosphorus. If you have planted them in containers then the best fertilizer for peppers in pots should be organic liquid fertilizer. To avoid blossom rot disease, we advise you to choose an organic liquid fertilizer that contains calcium.
Other fertilizers that you can add to your capsicum are:
- Magnesium
- Boron
- Manganese
- Silicon
- Iron
