Cultivating chillies in summer is an activity that gives satisfaction, especially if you aim to make them more spicy. But what are the secrets to do it really well, even without experience? Here is everything that is worth knowing.
When we talk about chillies, an surprising world opens, full of varieties with strange shapes and intense tastes. Summer is the ideal time to cultivate them: sun and heat help growth and, above all, the spiciness so loved. But be careful: to get really fruits explosives It is not enough to leave them in the sun and cross their fingers.
You need a few more tricks, because the secret is not only in genetics, but also in daily treatments. You can start immediately, even if only with a few vase on the balcony, experimenting with light, water and that minimum stress that stimulates the plant. Few precautions are enough to transform a simple cultivation into a real gustatory challenge, all to be discovered. And you don’t need to have a green thumb: just observe the plants and learn from their signals.
The ideal conditions for cultivating spicy peppers
The capsaicinor the responsible substance of spicyness, it is naturally produced by the plant as a defense mechanism. Interesting, right? But it is precisely this principle that can be “stimulated” with some targeted practices. It is often said that chillies love the heat, but it is not enough. It also serves a slightly stressful environment, obviously controlled. There is the trick. Expose plants a full sunlight For at least 6-8 hours a day. Reduce water during the maturation phase: thecontrolled irrigation stimulates capsaicin production. Use Well drained landpoor but rich in organic substance. Avoid excess nitrogen: too many nutrients make the fruits larger, but less intense.
There are also those who recommend “stressing” the plant slightly, interrupting the water for a few days before the collection. It is not a 100%scientific method, but it seems to give results.
Natural tricks for stronger chillies
Some methods used by expert farmers can be easily replicated even at home, without complicated tools. Just a little attention and some tests. Sometimes, it is precisely in the simplest gestures that the secret is hiding for a surprising harvest. Here are the most popular techniques:
- Wind exposure: a light constant breeze makes plants more robust and increases capsaicin.
- Ash of wood in the ground: improves the soil structure and stimulates flowering.
- Mulch with straw: keeps the more stable ground temperature and reduces water stress.
- Targeted pruning: removing the first flowers can push the plant to produce tastier fruits.
In the summer, then, it is useful to check the humidity in the early morning. If the leaves are soft or curled, perhaps it is exaggerating with water. Small signs that, if listened to, make all the difference.
Which variety to choose for a fiery result
Not all peppers are the same. Some have a more delicate taste, others instead really test. For those looking for the extreme spicinessthere are iconic varieties such as Habanero Red Savina, among the most intense cultivable at home, or the famous Bhut Jolokia, also known as Ghost Pepper, which combines spicyness with a very characteristic flavor. Carolina Reaper, among the most daring, requires a constant hot climate. The more accessible is the Cayenna, pungent but manageable, perfect for starting.
It is better to start from seedlings already developed if the weather is little, otherwise it sows it at the end of spring, in the greenhouse or in a repaired space, it works great.
Those who have already cultivated tomatoes or basil will find interesting how much the chillies respond well to light, heat and controlled stress. A real school of observation.
Every year it is worth trying something new: change variety, change the exposure, experiment with different techniques. Thus, each season becomes a small outdoor laboratory.
And then, needless to deny it: there is something satisfactory in collecting a chili pepper and knowing that that small fruit, so red and brilliant, is the result of care, patience and … a pinch of well -dose stress.
For those who want to go further, you can experiment with different microclimates on the balcony or in the garden, or even try indoor cultivation with red spectrum lamps.
The challenge is not only to make them more spicy, but also to understand them better. And perhaps this is the beauty: every chilli tells something.
Photo © Stock.adobe
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