Do you enjoy mild peppers that don't make the inside of your mouth peel? As you learn to grow your own food, consider adding Anaheim peppers to your yard.
Some people may mistake them for poblano peppers or Hatch chiles on sight. However, these peppers aren't nearly as hot as those, and with the right growing methods, your Anaheim peppers can grow up to 10 inches long. Unfortunately, a sudden freeze, poor soil, and bugs can hinder growth.
@catchfishcookfisheatfish This is how we're saving our pepper plants during the winter. #plants #peppers #fypシ #fyp #homestead #garden #fall #tips #tricks #farmlife ♬ original sound - catchfishcookfisheatfish
TikToker Wendy (@catchfishcookfisheatfish) shared a simple hack to prevent these issues and produce large and healthy peppers year after year: unearthing and repotting.
The scoop
In the video, Wendy sits near a leafy row of Anaheim peppers while holding one they have just unearthed. They proudly proclaim how well the peppers did this year but that they "don't want to wait so long for peppers." The video cuts away and back to reveal that Wendy has cut most of the pepper plant off, as leaves cover the ground.
"Wendy, what have you done?" asks a voice off-camera. "It looks like I killed it, but I actually saved it," Wendy states, having clipped 90% of the plant before putting the remaining healthy plant in the potted soil with worm castings.
The plan is to place it in the greenhouse until spring when it's warm enough to retransfer to the garden. It should bloom a few weeks later and produce peppers faster.
Why unearth, greenhouse, and replant? Well, the voice off-camera asks, "So we don't have to start from seeds again?" "Nope," Wendy answers.
How it's helping
These peppers may be simple to grow from seedlings but take a long time to fully sprout. You have to wait three weeks for seeds to germinate and at least six weeks for them to be large enough to go outside.
By working with a repotted plant that you transfer from a greenhouse back to the garden, you cut out the annual seeding process and save time. Plus, as you practice more gardening methods, you learn what works for your crops while getting healthier through physical activity. Over time, you may adjust these hacks to create your own.
What everyone's saying
In general, reactions to the hack were positive, with commenters wishing Wendy luck with the process.
One user who tried this method already stated that only "5 out of 10 made it. I didn't notice a sooner harvest but they were the healthiest and BIGGEST pepper plants, so they put off more fruit!"
Another commenter mentioned that they practiced overwintering peppers by keeping them a little damp and out of freezing temperatures.
Even with hit-or-miss results, gardening is worth trying as it aids your mental health and lets you know what you're eating.
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