Redberry cheery peppers (Capsicum annuum) are small red peppers about one and a half inches in diameter that are shaped like cherries. They are between 5,000 and 15,000 Scoville heating units, which makes them an average chili. Paprika is most commonly used for pickling. They are slightly sweet and take around 80 days to be harvested. The growing time can be extended by covering the bed with black plastic about two weeks before planting to heat the soil.
A step by step growing guide
Planting
1. The pepper should be started indoors about eight weeks before the last frost in spring.
2. Sow a centimeter deep in a well-drained starting medium.
3. Provide heat for the seeds. The seeds need a lot of heat to germinate; The middle should be between 80- and 85-degrees Fahrenheit. The use of a warming mat available in the home and garden stores and elsewhere can help ensure ideal conditions.
4. Provide light for the seeds. Young starters will do much better with additional light. Place the device near a window or in a sunny place that is exposed to a lot of sunlight in the south or southwest. If possible, consider adding artificial light.
5. Plant the seedlings 2-3 weeks after the last average frost when the soil warms up, and the weather has calmed down. Peppers can be picky when it comes to laying fruit when the temperatures are too high or too low. Night temperatures below 60 or above 75 degrees Fahrenheit can reduce fruit production.
Growing cherry peppers
1. Plant them between 12 and 24 inches from one another, in rows of between 24 and 36 inches, or between 14 and 16 inches from one another in the raised beds. Don’t be too quick to transplant your beginnings outside. Choose a place that receives a lot of warmth and light, and hasn’t been utilized for potatoes, tomatoes, or other plants in this category for many years. Paprika is best suited for fertile, light, slightly acidic, and well-drained soil.
2. Wait until the floor temperature exceeds 50 F before placing it on the floor. The hot cherry pepper plants should be close enough so that there is light contact between the plants.
Maintenance
1. Peppers need a constant water supply for optimal performance. When fertilizing, be careful not to overdo it with nitrogen as this can prevent fruit growth. Organic fertilizers and soils must be rich in phosphorus, potassium, and calcium.
2. Padding with black plastic or the like is a great way to keep the floor warm and moist. Also, floating blankets on your beds can protect you from the cold at the beginning of the growing season. Pay attention to the row covers so as not to overheat the plants and lose their flowers.
3. Use large varieties for earlier and heavier harvests.
Harvesting
1. The peppers turn green when they reach maturity. At this point, they can be harvested or ripened on the plant.
2. When harvested early, the hot cherry pepper plants will continue to bloom and grow more often, although this early harvest, when used fresh, can result in taste differences.
3. Cut the branches off with scissors or a hair clipper and harvest the peppers. Do not remove it by hand as the plants can easily be damaged.
Drying Hot Red Berry Cherry
1. The shelf life of your peppers can be extended many times by drying them and storing them in an airtight container.
2. To speed up the process, a home dehydrator can be used to remove moisture from your peppers safely. Otherwise, put the fresh peppers on a baking sheet and “bake” at the lower most level of about 150 degrees Fahrenheit for many hours to gradually dry the peppers.
3. Rotate the peppers frequently, being careful not to overheat them.
4. If no dehydrator is available, sun-dry the peppers or place them in a lit window to dry naturally. This process can take days, even in dry heat.
5. The peppers can be placed on a flat surface in a sunny place.
6. Turn periodically to ensure they dry evenly.
7. Once the peppers have become somehow brittle and hard, one can store them in an airtight container for use in the future. That’s all!
