Green hot peppers are nothing more than hot chili peppers that have not reached biological ripeness. He has not yet had time to acquire a bright red color, but has already accumulated a full composition of useful substances. Due to the significant content of vitamin C and capsaicin, green hot peppers are used for cosmetic and medicinal purposes. In addition, they are actively used in cooking.
Benefit
Green pepper is not as hot as red, but still able to help with pain symptoms of a different nature, as well as inflammation of the joints. It can relieve the symptoms of arthritis and neuralgia.
In particular, the burning green fruit will be useful for those who are struggling with being overweight. Due to its composition, hot pepper increases body temperature, thereby contributing to the breakdown of body fat.
Hot green capsicum effectively kills infections of the oral cavity, helps to get rid of intestinal disorders and poisoning. It also has a positive effect on the digestive system.
But all the beneficial properties of this burning fruit fade before its ability to fight cancer cells. Capsaicin, which is part of it, causes cancer cells to self-destruct without damaging healthy tissues.
Hot peppers can only provide health benefits when consumed in moderation. With excessive use, it can only bring harm.
Characteristics of varieties
Since green hot pepper is an unripe fruit of red pepper, it does not have special varieties. But there are several varieties of ordinary red hot peppers, which are more popular in their unripe form.
Anaheim
This variety of hot pepper is also known as California chile. It is not difficult to guess that North America became his homeland. The pod of this variety has a length of up to 7 cm and is quite pungent in taste. Its weight will be no more than 10 grams. Dark green Anaheim hot peppers turn bright red as they ripen.
Hot pepper of this variety can be used with equal success for culinary and medicinal purposes. It is one of the highest vitamin varieties of hot peppers. It contains more protein and fiber than other varieties.
Its yield will be up to 0,4 kg of burning fruits per square meter. Such a yield of this variety can be achieved by planting 8-10 plants per square meter.
Serrano
This hot pepper variety is a Mexican variety of hot chili peppers. It got its name from the Sierra mountains. Its peppers are quite small – only 4 cm. They are bullet-shaped and have a shiny skin. Like other varieties, during the period of technical maturity, the fruit is colored green, and during the period of biological – red.
Due to the thin partitions, this chili pepper is not as hot as other varieties. This greatly expands the possibility of its use in cooking. It is well used as a seasoning for dishes and marinades.
This is a high yielding variety. Serrano peppers can be harvested after 3 months from the appearance of the first shoots.
Recommendations for growing
There are two ways to grow hot peppers:
- On the windowsill.
- Outdoors or in a greenhouse.
Let’s consider each of these methods.
Growing green hot peppers on the windowsill can not only provide the necessary supply of its fruits, but also decorate any interior due to its decorative appearance. Indeed, during the fruiting period, small green bushes, hung with small fruits, can compete with all domestic plants.
In order to grow hot chili peppers at home, you need to sow seeds. February is the best time for this. The whole sowing procedure is quite simple and includes the following steps:
- It is necessary to take any two-liter container and pour boiling water over it.
- Drainage is laid on its bottom – it can be expanded clay, charcoal or crushed stone.
- Soil is poured on top. Its composition includes humus, leaf soil and sand in a ratio of 5:3:2.
- On its surface, holes are made 1,5 cm deep.
- Soaked and slightly swollen seeds are planted in the holes. In one hole, you can plant 2-3 things.
- A fresh landing should be covered with polyethylene or glass.
The first shoots of hot pepper will appear in about a week. When they grow the first leaves, young plants need to be seated. You can also leave them in the selected container, while removing weak and extra shoots.
Any window will suit the plant for optimal growth, as long as it has a lot of light.
Caring for green hot peppers on the windowsill consists only in regular watering. Fertilization is possible. Getting the first harvest will depend on the variety chosen. But as a rule, you should not wait for it before 2 months from the first shoots.
Chili peppers can also be grown outdoors and in a greenhouse. Hot pepper, like its sweet counterpart, is quite picky about light and heat. Therefore, in the northern regions, it is grown in greenhouses.
In other areas, it can grow well in open ground. Hot pepper can grow on almost all soils, except for particularly acidic ones. It will delight you with a rich harvest of burning fruits when planted on sandy, medium loamy soils with a light composition and a neutral level of acidity.
In order to grow hot peppers in your area, you need to prepare seedlings. It is also prepared as seedlings of sweet peppers and tomatoes: in February – early March. Before planting in the ground, the seeds must first be soaked.
After the emergence of seedlings, you must wait for the first two leaves and transfer the young plants to separate containers or peat pots. The plants of this acute culture, which have not yet grown stronger, do not tolerate transplantation quite well, so it must be done very carefully, trying not to damage the root system. Transplanted plants must be protected from any stress: transfers, drafts, temperature fluctuations. The optimum temperature for them will be +20 degrees. At the same time, the night temperature should be slightly lower, but not less than +15 degrees.
To do this, containers with seedlings are taken out into the street and left until the evening. Do this only at daytime temperatures above +10 degrees.
When young seedlings reach 15 cm in height, they can be transplanted to a permanent place. After the end of the adaptation period in a new place, the tops of young plants must be pinched. You can understand that adaptation has passed by the fresh leaves that the plants will release in a new place.
Mandatory for hot peppers is the pinching procedure. Without it, the harvest of sharp fruits will be rather poor. Only 5 upper shoots should be left on each plant, the rest should be removed.
Further care for hot peppers is regular watering and top dressing. Recommendations for watering plants:
- Water should be rainwater or settled, but always warm.
- Before flowering, the plants are watered no more than 1 time per week. In hot weather, you can increase up to 2 times a week. It is recommended to use up to 12 liters of water per square meter.
- During flowering and fruit formation – up to 3 times a week with a norm of up to 14 liters per square meter.
Top dressing of green hot peppers is made only during flowering and fruiting. Good results are shown by the introduction of rotted mullein, ash, a solution of nettle leaves, dandelion and coltsfoot.
In addition, hot peppers respond well to loosening.
Subject to these simple recommendations, green hot pepper plants will please the gardener with a rich harvest, which has great benefits.