Hydroponics bell peppers are more advanced than tomatoes and lettuce. In the right flow hydroponic system, growing peppers hydroponically will bring out better results than most soil-grown pepper plants.
Grow the healthiest plants in ideal conditions of light, temperature, pH level, etc., for optimal pepper production and pepper seedlings to blossom. Commercial growers like you will get excellent crops with this hydroponic pepper cultivation.
How to Select Bell Peppers Varieties?
There is a wide range of bell pepper plant species on the market for effective gardening at home. But, hydroponic growers will have a hard time choosing the right variety for this method.
The most favorite kind of hydroponics pepper is the sweet bell peppers of California Wonder that produce more peppers per plant. Besides that, there are other wonderful options of Vidi, Ace, or Yolo Wonder.
It depends on your likings and requirements to select any of the varieties mentioned above. You may even opt for a mix of colors starting from the pepper seeds, with red and green peppers at once.
What Hydroponics System Works Best for Bell Peppers?
The weight of full-grown hydroponic peppers determines the suitable hydroponic system. With vigorous pepper growth, certain constructions may not be able to handle their good size fruits.
As a result, the system should deliver enough support for these plants and doesn’t break apart. It is best to research the fruit size of your growing pepper variety before choosing any model.
Aside from popular systems like nutrient film technique, wick system, or drip system. Deep water culture and EBB and flow are the most suitable flow systems for hydroponics bell peppers.
It does not matter whether you are a home gardener or a commercial grower. These low-cost hydro mechanisms provide enough watering and oxygenated nutrient solution automatically.
Both hydroponic systems use a pumping mechanism. DWC is for air and the other for water to promote high oxygen and nutrient levels to the plant roots underwater. You can place multiple units on one single seed tray.
Ideal Conditions for Hydroponic Bell Peppers
Humidity
Like tomatoes, the humidity required to grow peppers hydroponics is from 55 to 65%. A higher range of 60 – 80% of humidity is tolerable, but not recommended for peppers. This is because their production may result in deformed fruits.
It is alright to grow this plant in an environment, such as conventional tunnels or under a shade cloth. But it will not be easy to maintain this ideal measurement throughout its growth.
pH
One of the most important factors in hydroculture gardening is the pH level. When this rate is either too low or too high, the growing pepper plant will fail to effectively intake important water minerals.
The best pH for bell peppers in a hydroponics environment is from 6.0 to 6.5. Make sure pH fluctuations do not take on a regular basis to preserve the plant development at a consistent rate and proper pH.
Light
Growing bell peppers require a minimum of 14 to 18 hours of light every day for stable development. This plant is neutral in daylight; thus, their received natural light length does not affect pepper blossoming.
While some artificial light such as fluorescents may not be intense, you can use an HID or LED grow lamp that also works well for indoor plant heating. Commercial growers will prefer this type of lighting.
Moreover, my advice is to continuously raise the light rack higher as these plants thrive for an ideal 6-inch distance between them. This measurement will produce adequate direct lighting but not too powerful.
Temperature
There is a specific rule of thumb about the temperature range for growing peppers that every gardener strictly follows. The night temperatures should be higher than 18°C and around 30°C in the day.
You will want to maintain the growth temperature below 34°C. Even in a warm temperature, it should never reach 35°C to prevent falling flowers.
Keep in mind that temperature can influence the overall development of pepper fruits. A sudden change in this factor will lower the fruit quality, so it is important to maintain a balance.
Nutrient
To feed hydroponic peppers nutrients for the plant, you should use a nutrient regimen that benefits vegetative growth. A one-part nutrient solution is a perfect choice for bell pepper preparation.
When it has reached the flowering stage, lessen nitrogen and switch to another one-part nutrient product. Potassium and phosphorus will enhance its production for better fruits, leaves, and flowers.
One-part hydroponic nutrient solutions are easy to use but lack the flexibility to adjust primary nutrients. Thus, you might want to move to a more advanced nutrient regimen selection.
Depending on your chosen regimen, you want to add other types of supplements for extra nutrient plant feeding. They can have different names but the final effect is equally effective.
Plant Spacing
The regular bell pepper plant spacing takes up a lot of room for full development. You should arrange a distance of 18 to 24 inches between the plants for the finest spacing condition.
On the other hand, you can place them closer than this distance, but there is a potential risk of shaded lighting. Nearby bell peppers may block some of their parts from receiving proper light treatment.
How to Prune and Harvest Bell Peppers?
You shouldn’t let the hydroponics peppers reach their full height without any intervention. At about 8 inches tall, you should start pruning and pinching the plant to spur its growth for the better.
The act of sweet pepper plant pruning and pinching prevents them from growing to a large size. It also enables new shoots to allow the pepper crops to grow effectively in a hydroponic garden.
In general, it takes at least 50 to 90 days for excellent pepper fruit yields to a sufficient size. Although the yield of peppers can be made at any time, a longer leaving time on the plant will lead to more sweetness.
Moreover, a lot of bell pepper varieties have an initial green stage, but they may turn into yellow, red, even purple throughout their growth. Thus, it will be worth the wait to harvest these crops a while later.
Conclusion
I hope you find this article helpful for your next vegetable farming season at home. You can rely on the information above for the finest conditions of hydroponic plants.
You can choose to use regular soil for traditional growing. But why not try this smart and convenient method to get hydroponics bell peppers? It is high time to enjoy a new gardening experience!
