Hot Pepper

Land Preparation
1. Prepare the land thoroughly by plowing and harrowing.
Apply lime 1 month before panting if soil pH is below
5.6 at the rate of 3-5 tons per hectare.
2. Prepare 1.0m wide bed spaced 0.5m in between at
30cm high
3. Mix decomposed animal manure or compost at rate of
1.0kg/linear meter bed
4. Apply basal fertilizer 2 bags 46-0-0, 2.5 bags 18-46-0,
and 2.75 bags 0-0-60 per hectar
5. Cover with plastic mulch right after the fertilizer is
applied; use bamboo staple sticks to fix the edges.
6. Make holes just before transplanting; 2 rows at around
50cm apart at 45cm between hills.
Seedling Production
1. Fill seedling trays with sowing medium. Sowing medium
can either be peat moss or potting mix prepared from
garden soil, compost, washed coconut coir, rice hull
and or sand. Be sure to have good water holding
capacity and good drainage.
2. Sow one seed per cell in seedling trays. One hectare
needs 200g seeds.
3. Cover seedlings with insect proof net or place inside
screen house
4. Water seedlings every morning or as needed (not too
wet, not too dry) and use fine sprinkler
5. Drench with foliar fertilizer when two true leaves
appear.
6. To prevent damping-off drench with propamocarb
hydrochloride (Previcur-N)
7. Harden seedlings 4-5days prior to transplanting by
decreasing the amount of water and gradually exposing
them to direct sunlight.
Transplanting
1. Under good condition, four weeks-old seedling with 4-5
true leaves is ready for transplanting. Transplant late in
the afternoon
2. Irrigate immediately to establish good root-soil contact
3. If there is intense heat, fill the hole with soil up to the
level of plastic mulch
Irrigation
1. Sweet pepper is less tolerant to drought. Irrigate
weekly during dry season. Closer interval when
evaporation is high or when crop is flowering and/or
setting fruit.
2. Furrow or Drip irrigation is recommended. If overhead
irrigation is used, avoid late afternoon or evening
irrigation.
3. On rainy season, drain fields quickly after heavy rain

Fertilization
Two weeks after transplanting
1.5 bag 46-0-0 or 3.25 bags 21-0-0 per hectare. Apply 10
grams in small hole near the base and cover with soil.
Four weeks after transplanting
Mix 0.5 bag 46-0-0, 2 bags 18-46-0, 2.5 bags 0-0-60 and
apply 10 grams per hill. Dibble a hole 10 cm from the base
of the plant, place the fertilizer mix and cover with soil.
Six weeks after transplanting
apply 2 bags 46-0-0 or 4.5 bags 21-0-0 whatever fertilizer is
available. Place in a hole 10cm from the base and cover
with soil
1. Repeat application if in 2 weeks interval if plants are
still vigorous and healthy to prolong harvest period
2. Apply foliar fertilizer to boast plant and further increase
yield.
Trellising & Weeding
1. Construct trellis using bamboo poles or stake at 2.5
meters apart on both sides of the bed.
2. Attach G.I. wire to bamboo post and tie sagging stems
and branches on G.I. wire using twine or blue string.
3. Do hand weeding when needed. At vegetative stage
canals between bed can be sprayed with herbicide.


Harvesting
Harvest in the morning. Depending on the market
requirements, harvest green or breaker stage at 3-4 days
interval.