Sweet peppers are among the heavy feeders in the kitchen garden and need a lot of nutrients during the flowering and ripening period. Of course you can invest in a commercially available fertilizer, but there are also sustainable alternatives. We list 8 home remedies you can use to fertilize peppers.
Fertilize peppers: cover NPK needs with home remedies
When it comes to fertilization, several factors play a crucial role. On the one hand, you have to cover the plants' increased nutrient requirements, and on the other hand, you have to supply the right micro and macro elements. Commercial fertilizers therefore rely on a combination of magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen. The so-called NPK fertilizers contain 3 g nitrogen, 0.5 g phosphate, 3.8 g potassium and 4 g magnesium. This composition is suitable for tomatoes as well as peppers and chilies.
However, these fertilizers are not adaptable. What does that mean? The pepper plants have an increased need for nitrogen during the growth phase. However, when they form flowers, they need more potassium. Excessive amounts of nitrogen can have the opposite effect of what is desired - the plant will grow but not bear fruit. More phosphorus and potassium strengthen vegetables and promote fruit production.
Recognizing nutrient deficiencies: These are the signs!
Discolored leaves, wilted plant: You should be able to recognize these nutrient deficiencies quickly. This is the only way the hobby gardener can fix them in time. We list the most common defects.
- Stunted and smaller new leaves: calcium deficiency
- Yellow white new leaves: iron deficiency
- Leaves with yellow edges: potassium deficiency
- Light green, stunted leaves at the top of the plant: nitrogen deficiency
- Yellow spots and long cracks between the veins: manganese deficiency
- the lower leaves turn yellow from the outside in: magnesium deficiency
Nutrient deficiencies can develop quickly, but only become noticeable after some time. To prevent them, you should fertilize your plants regularly during fruit formation and ripening. Most home remedies can be used as a replacement for liquid fertilizer, although some can also be used as long-term fertilizer. If you want to provide your pepper plants with additional care, you can use sprays with seaweed extract and also spray the leaves of the plants. Alternatively, you can use a liquid fertilizer with fish scales or compost tea.
Fertilize peppers: Coffee grounds promote flower formation
Coffee grounds contain valuable minerals, phosphorus and potassium and can promote fruit formation. However, it should be administered sparingly and only in the flowering phase. Because coffee grounds also contain high amounts of nitrogen. It is best to work the coffee grounds directly into the root area. It will act like a long-term fertilizer and gradually release nutrients.
Peppers grow faster with tea than liquid fertilizer
Tea has a similar effect to coffee grounds, but contains less nitrogen and its effect is equivalent to that of liquid fertilizer. It is best to pour hot water over 2 tea bags and let them steep for about 20 minutes. Then add the tea to the water and work the contents of the tea bags into the soil.
Brew made from banana peels and crushed eggshells keeps the plants healthy
Banana and eggshells provide calcium and potassium and keep pepper plants healthy during fruiting. You can prepare a decoction for this purpose. First, the banana peels are chopped and added to 2 liters of water. Leave them covered in the bucket for about 3 days. Then either water in which eggs were boiled is added to the broth or you crush eggshells and add them to the banana water. In the first case, the brew is ready immediately and you can fertilize the plants with it. It’s also great for othersHeavy eaters like tomatoes. In the second case - if you add raw, crushed eggshells to the water - you have to wait about 20 days.
Improve the taste with worm tea
Every hobby gardener has experienced it at least once - the peppers actually look ripe, but have a watery taste. Worm casting supports the formation of flavoring substances and the fruits contain more fructose, glucose, magnesium, calcium and vitamin C. So they taste better and are healthier. Another benefit of worm tea is that it provides beneficial microorganisms to the soil that can improve it.
So that it can develop its full effect, the worm tea is administered as a liquid fertilizer shortly after preparation. For this purpose, 1 tablespoon of worm castings is placed in an empty tea bag and then added to 1 liter of decalcified, non-chlorinated water. Leave it in the water for up to 10 hours and stir it every hour. Then you fertilize the plants with it. Over-fertilization is not possible with this method.
Epsom salt provides magnesium to pepper plants
Epsom salt is ideal for potted peppers, which often suffer from a magnesium deficiency. The trace element is gradually washed away from the potting soil with every watering and every rain. To cover the needs, you can dissolve 1/4 teaspoon of Epsom salt in 1 liter of water and give it to the plants.
Papika plants often suffer from a magnesium deficiency - sure signs of this are discoloration of the leaves and slow growth. To remedy this, you can administer Epsom salt every two weeks. But be careful - more than 3 doses in summer can damage the plants.
Fertilize peppers with fish scales and shorten the ripening time
There are also home remedies that can surprise you with their effect. Fish scales contain calcium and phosphorus, which plants need for cell division. Especially during fruit formation, fish scales canprovide valuable nutrients. It's best to work about half a handful of fish scales into the soil right at the start of fruit formation.
Another variant is to put the fish scales in 500 ml of water and let it steep for about 2 hours. Then remove the fish scales from the water, add neem oil and spray the leaves of the pepper plants with it early in the morning. On the one hand, the neem oil can help with an aphid or caterpillar infestation and on the other hand it ensures that the spray does not drip off but sticks to the leaves.
Wood ash for strong roots in dry conditions
Wood ash can support root formation. It contains potassium, an important mineral that supports the transport of water and nutrients in plants. However, you shouldn't overdo it, because too much of a good thing can damage the plant.
Avoid over-fertilization
Brown or reddish leaves and yellow veins are a sign of overfertilization. If the leaves look burnt and are stunted, you should stop fertilizing for a short time. Yellow or even white leaves are a sign of nutrient deficiency. So you should take a close look and check the plant regularly so that problems can be solved in a timely manner.
Regular watering is also very important so that the plants can absorb the nutrients properly. The effort is definitely worth it - because at the end you can enjoy the large, red fruits.
