How to grow spicy Jalapenos at home in the balcony garden

Feb 28, 2025

Aakanksha Sharma

Grow Jalapenos at home

Jalapenos are one of the best chili peppers with perfect spicy kick and sour notes. It goes well in pizzas, soups, curries, and so much more, but is also pretty expensive which makes people think twice before buying them. And so, here are the perfect steps to grow them at home.

Germinate the seeds

First things first, germinate the seeds. Pick out and slice open a Jalapeno brought from the market, carefully take out the seeds, and soak these seeds in water for an hour or two.

Add to soil

Now, in a mix of garden soil, some cocopeat, and some compost, add these seeds. For the germination stage, it is best to add these to small pots, or some make-shift pots in the form of egg crates or old teacups. Add only one seed per crate or cup for best germination.

How to make the perfect soil

Be it the germination stage or the Jalapeno-producing one, the right soil is very important. And Jalapeno needs a mix of garden soil, cocopeat, organic compost, and some perlite to maintain moisture.

Sunlight needs

While the seeds germinate, humidity is more important than sunlight. When the seeds are in the germination stage, place polythene or a cover over the small pots to maintain humidity. At this stage, the germination will start in about 20 days and you will see small leaves.

Transplanting the plant

Once there are atleast 4-5 leaves in each small pot, it is time to add them to the bigger pots. Loosen up the soil from the sides and with the root ball pick the plant and add it to the bigger container with the same soil mix.

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Sunlight needs

Once the plant is added to the bigger pot, it will now need more sunlight as well to grow. Keep the plants in a space where they get 4 hours of direct, but light sunlight so that the leaves don’t scorch.

Watering the plant

Once the Jalapenos start producing more leaves, with atleast 10-12 large leaves from each seed, the watering also increases. If the area is warm and the sunlight shines bright, it is best to water the plant everyday, preferably early morning.

Adding a trellis

Soon, you will see that the plant will begin to droop as the stems can't support its weight. So, add a natural trellis, in the form of a bamboo stick or the likes, and tie the plant around it for support.

Fertilisation needs

When the plant starts growing taller and you start seeing some flowers, this is the right time to fertilise it. Most gardeners prefer to add liquid fertiliser mixed in water so that it targets the roots beneath the soil.

The first Jalapeno

As the days go by, the first small Jalapeno will grow in about 100 days. With the right amount of sun, water, and fertilisation, the plant will start producing Jalapenos and at this stage, add another trellis if possible.

Harvest

About 10-20 days more and the small Jalapeno will turn into a mature one and it will be hard from the outside. When the Jalapeno matures, harvest it by the stem, or wait for another 20-30 days for them to turn red and then harvest.

Thanks For Reading!

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