Growing chile peppers indoors is difficult. Like tomatoes, they require a warmer, brighter atmosphere than most homes. If you don’t have access to a garden, though, growing chiles indoors is a good but tricky project. So, can peppers grow in indirect sunlight?
Peppers require at least six to eight hours of full sun throughout their growing season, according to the Ohio State University. Ensure your soil is fertile, well-drained, and contains high organic matter. Adding compost can slowly help improve soil fertility, texture, and drainage. Alternatively, you can also plant peppers in containers or raised beds to enhance soil conditions and drainage.
In general, peppers prefer moist, organically rich, well-drained soil with plenty of calcium and phosphorus, according to Michigan State University Extension.
Of course, the optimum indoor setting for chiles is greenhouses, but they can also be grown well under lights. You might also enjoy reading: Can You Grow Tomatoes In Indirect Sunlight? (Let’s find out!)
Pepper Characteristics
Here’s a snapshot of the main characteristics of pepper plants.
| Genus | Capsicum spp. |
| Family | Solanaceae (AKA the nightshade family) |
| Common Name | Pepper |
| Plant type | Herbaceous perennial |
| Height | 1.00 to 2.50 feet (0.30 to 0.77 cm) |
| Spread | 1.00 to 2.00 feet (0.30 cm to 0.61 cm) |
| Light requirements | Full sun |
| Germination time | 7 to 28 days |
| Germination temperatures | 60°F to 95°F |
| Soil Drainage | Medium drainage |
| Maintenance requirements | Relatively easy to grow |
| Flower color | White |
| Fertilizer requirements | Peppers need moderate amounts of fertilizer. |
| pH requirements | Between 6.0 and 6.5 |
| When to Plant | Peppers are best planted from seeds indoors in late winter and then transplanted into the garden after the air and soil have warmed up in the spring. |
| USDA Plant Hardiness Zone | 9 to 11 |
| Pests | Potential insect pests include: – Aphids – Cutworms – Whiteflies – Colorado potato beetle – Flea beetles – Pepper maggots – European corn borer |
| Diseases, and other issues | Potential diseases include: – Root rot – Fungal – Anthracnose – Tobacco mosaic virus – Early and late blight – Bacterial leaf spot – Wilt – Stem – Phytophthora |
| Propagation | Transplants |
| Temperature requirements | Between 70°F and 80°F |
How To Grow Peppers From Seeds
- Plant seeds in a warm sunny site in peat pots (3 seeds per pot) 6 to 8 weeks before you transplant them into your garden, ensure that all danger of frost is past and night temperatures are 55°F at their minimum or scorching weather (90°F).
- Plant pepper plants 18 to 24″ apart in rows 18 to 24″ apart.
- Do not allow seedlings or plants to suffer from low temperatures or drought.
- Pinch young pepper plants and mulch between plants to encourage bushiness.
- Avoid planting new peppers where tomatoes or eggplants grew previously. All these nightshade family members are subject to similar diseases. After one or more plantings in a particular location, carryover pathogens in the soil can infect new plants.
- Depending on the variety, peppers need 80 to 100 days to mature from seed to harvest or about 60 to 80 days from transplanting.
- Peppers thrive as container plants and can be kept over more extended periods with indoor wintering; if you can provide them with adequate light.
- Avoid overwatering pepper plants to prevent disease development.
- In windy, uncovered areas, ensure you support your pepper plants with stakes to avoid broken stems.
- Similar to tomatoes, peppers do not tolerate frost.
- Peppers require about six to eight hours of sunlight every day.
- If you decide to start peppers plants from seed, it is better to start indoors because the tiny seeds can easily be washed away when you water your garden, according to the University of Florida.
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How Much Do Peppers Grow?
The ultimate height of pepper is up to 3ft (90cm) and spread of 2ft (60cm). Little chilies reach a height of 6 to 12 inches and have an equal diameter. These plants make vivid and decorative houseplants because the peppers stand out conspicuously above the foliage. These chiles also have a strong flavor.
These smaller, longer-season peppers have the same growing needs as regular chilies. Chiles prefer hot daytime temperatures of 80° to 90°F and warm evening temperatures of around 70°F when grown outdoors in the southwestern United States.
Temperatures in the home or greenhouses should be within 20°F of this optimal range to grow chile peppers successfully. The temperature will rise by around 10°F when artificial light, like a fluorescent tube, is positioned 3 inches just above plants. Warmth can also be provided by a heat mat positioned beneath the plants.
Light is the most critical aspect of chile cultivation. They require at least six hours of intense sunlight every day (southern exposure is optimal) and around 8 hours of indirect light just to thrive (from an eastern or western exposure).
If you’re growing peppers on a windowsill and they seem to be struggling, use artificial light to augment their natural light. If you can move the indoor chile plants outside for the summer season to a balcony, porch, or deck, that will be extremely beneficial to them.
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How Long Does It Takes The pepper To Mature?
Chiles will begin to mature ten to 12 twelve weeks after transplanting and will continue to produce fruit over several months. Depending on the cultivar, pick them once the fruits are lustrous and brilliant green or starting to turn orange, yellow, or red.
Consult “Disorders, Diseases, and Pests of Chiles” when your chiles appear to be infested with bugs or diseases.
Can Peppers Grow In Indirect Sunlight?
Peppers are easily grown in moist, fertile, organically rich, well-drained soils in full sun. Peppers require full sun to develop and ripen correctly, so put them in a sunny position in your vegetable garden. Peppers require warm weather and don’t appreciate their roots being disturbed.
Unless you live in an area where extreme heat and strong sunlight are a problem, in which case shade cloth or neighboring plants can be utilized to control temperatures.
Do Peppers Prefer Direct Sunlight?
While pepper plants need direct sunlight, they can also be grown in moderate shade. Peppers, on the other hand, should not be grown in full shade. If you try this, you’ll end up with smaller plants and lower yields. Water will not be consumed as rapidly by the plant if it is not exposed to direct sunshine.
How Much Sunlight Do Peppers Plants Need?
Peppers need plenty of sunlight to yield quality fruit. If you want your pepper to produce a large quantity of high-quality fruit, provide it with at least 6 hours of direct sunlight, according to the University of Idaho.
A minimum of six hours of daily sunlight is required for pepper plants to thrive, and the more direct light, the better. Eight or more hours of direct sunlight will help pepper plants to grow faster.
Peppers may thrive in a variety of soil types, although they prefer heavy, well-drained soil. Plant them where they will get at least six hours of sunlight per day.
Is It Possible To Grow Peppers Indoors?
An indoor pepper plant needs the same care as an outdoor pepper plant. For its roots to flourish, it requires ample space in a container.
It requires a lot of light; therefore, a window with a south or west orientation is perfect. Use a grow light when you do not have enough natural light.
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Can You Grow Peppers In The Shade?
Cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, and squash, all of which fruit from a bloom, are least tolerant to shaded conditions. Plant these in full sun, where they’ll get the most direct sunshine throughout the day.
The most shade-tolerant veggies are leafy greens like spinach, chard, and salad greens.
What If You Are Using Artificial Light?
As the University of Massachusetts Amherst revealed, you have various choices to grow chilies indoors under lights.
Adding 3 hours of an LED light source which emits red-blue light at a 4:1 ratio to 7 hours of white LED lights, greatly enhanced pepper seedling growth, according to a study issued by Agronomy.
The research reveals that the best grow lights for seedlings should consider the color range of the light source and the amount of time of light and dark the pepper seedlings receive.
If you’re solely using artificial light, the chiles will require 16 hours of light every day, so keep them in the dark closet, corner, or basement. Because the plants want to rest, it will be a good idea to use a timer and turn lights on and off automatically.
You don’t need to invest in expensive grow lights; regular fluorescent lamps with either cool white or warm white tubes will suffice.
How many plants you wish to cultivate will determine the number and size of fixtures you need. The lights can be hung from a shelf, ceiling, or under a work table. Fix the fittings with chains so you can simply raise and lower them. Put the lights 3 inches just above the plants and elevate them as the plants get larger, keeping the 3-inch space between the lights as well as the plants.
You may need to transfer your chiles multiple times as they grow in their containers. A little plant can be grown to maturity in a 10-12-inch pot. Use a 16 -18-inches pot for bigger chiles. Make sure your pots are well-drained; you’ll need one saucer, underliner, or tray to set them on.
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Wrapping Up
Overall, peppers can grow in indirect sunlight, but to thrive, pepper plants need at least six to eight hours of full sun during their growing season.
If you are looking type of pepper to grow indoors, the ornamental and smaller spicy chiles, which are frequently grown as container plants outdoors, are indeed the ideal chiles to grow indoors. Piqu’ns, habaneros, chiltepins, and Thai peppers are some chile kinds that grow well indoors and in pots.
