In summary:

  1. Have a maximum of 2-3 plants in your Auk at once.
  2. Shake your plants to help with pollination.
  3. Chili and bell peppers are typically ready for harvest within 10-14 weeks (depending on the type and temperature).
  4. Trim the plant if it grows taller than the plant light.
  5. If you harvest more than you can use, you can easily freeze or dry them.
  6. Auk works great for pre-cultivating chili and bell pepper plants.

1. Have a maximum of 2-3 chili plants in Auk at once

Both chili and bell pepper plants grow large and require a lot of light to produce fruit. We recommend having only one plant per pot and a maximum of 2-3 plants in Auk at once. If they don't get enough light, they may produce fewer flowers and give less fruit.

You can sow a couple of seeds in the same spot in a pot. If more than one seed sprouts, remove the extra plants, leaving only one. If you don't want to discard the removed plants, you can repot them outside of Auk.

 

2. Shake your plants to help with pollination

For chili and bell peppers to grow, the flowers need to be pollinated. Although chili and bell pepper plants are self-pollinating, meaning the flowers pollinate themselves, it's still a good idea to assist them when flowers appear to make sure that the maximum number of flowers are pollinated. You can do this by shaking the plant or blowing on the flowers 2-3 times a week.

 

3. Chili and bell peppers are typically ready for harvest within 10-14 weeks (depending on the type and temperature).

You can harvest chilies or bell peppers when they have stopped growing in size and have a clear and vivid color (typically red).

It's best to cut or pinch them off to minimize damage to the plant. Usually, pulling them off is fine as well, but it can be easy to pull too hard. You can simply cut off the entire stem where the fruit grows out:

Here, we're harvesting peppers from the office – they have a great taste!


4. Trim the plant if it grows taller than the plant light

If the top shoots grow beyond the light, trim them. Try to retain as many flower clusters as possible (you may need to remove some to reduce the height). Here, we are pruning just above a flower cluster:

Try to prune the plant before it gets too tall so you don't have to cut off flower clusters :)


5. If you harvest more than you can use, you can easily freeze or dry them.

To freeze chili and bell peppers, simply put them in a bag right after harvesting and place them in the freezer. When you take them out of the freezer, they may be a bit softer, but they taste just as good as when they are fresh.

To dry them, you can:

  1. Cut them in half lengthwise and place them on a rack.
  2. Put the rack in the oven at 50°C (122°F) for at least 1.5 hours (they are ready when they are crispy - we recommend checking every hour).
  3. Pour them into a blender or spice grinder and crush them into powder.
  4. Transfer the powder to a sealed glass container, and it can last for several years.

6. Auk works great for pre-cultivating chili and bell pepper plants.

You can pre-cultivate chili and bell peppers in Auk and then re-pot them for further growth outdoors or in a greenhouse.

When pre-cultivating, we recommend 1-5 plants in each of the six pots. The number depends on how large you want the plants to be before repotting.

The plants can be repotted anytime after sprouting. If they are going to grow outside or in a greenhouse, it depends mostly on when the outdoor temperature is suitable. The nighttime temperature should be a minimum of 8°C (47°F), and if they are not in a greenhouse, they should be in a protected sunny area to thrive.

 

Don't hesitate to contact us at hello@auk.eco if you have any questions :)