1. Module I: About Chili Pepper
Lesson 3: Growth of Chili Pepper plant
After completing this lesson, you have learned to answer:
1. In how many days after germination the flowering initiation starts?
How can you identify flowering in chili pepper?
What is physiological maturity in chili pepper?
How can you identify physiological maturity in chili pepper?
In how many days chili pepper plant matures?
What is the optimum stage to harvest chili pepper?

2. Module I: About Chili Pepper
Lesson 3: Growth of Chili Pepper plant
The first stage of that is to get them to germinate. The main requirements for a seed to germinate are heat, moisture and oxygen.
It is possible to germinate your seeds in everything from tissue paper to rock wool cubes, but the easiest growing medium is soil.
Chile plants generally produce sets of leaves in pairs. The first set are called the seed leaves, the next set will be the first true set of leaves.

3. Module I: About Chili Pepper
Lesson 3: Growth of Chili Pepper plant
When your plants produce flowers you are in business. This is where the fruit comes from.
Depending upon which variety you have decided to grow, usually 3 to 4 weeks take to initiate flowering after germination of seeds.
Chili pepper flowers are white. Flowerings starts when plant get vigorous and healthy.

4. Module I: About Chili Pepper
Lesson 3: Growth of Chili Pepper plant
Physiological maturity of chili pepper comes one weeks after flowering but depends on type purposes.
Green chili matured when pods looks dark green. Maturity also indicates if you touch green chili on your tong.
Red ripen chili get harvested only for storage purpose and ready to harvest when looks complete red.

5. Module I: About Chili Pepper
Lesson 3: Growth of Chili Pepper plant
Plant measurements were made on regular 14-day intervals and the following growth stages were also identified: pre-bloom, early bloom, peak bloom (also corresponded to early pod development), physiological maturity (green chili), and red harvest (complete phenological maturity).
Harvest the bagged pepper fruits when their color indicates that they are ripe.

6. Module I: About Chili Pepper
Lesson 3: Growth of Chili Pepper plant
Normally the bagged fruits are harvested and kept in a cool, dry place (25ºC and 50% RH) for a week to allow any slightly immature fruits to ripen fully.
Chili pepper is hand harvested into baskets, then transported to the packing shed. The crop is ready for harvest when the fruits reach a size of 2 to 3 inches in length.
The first fruits may be ready to harvest 65 to 80 days after transplanting. The crop will continue to bear for two to three months. Chili peppers are harvested two or four times during the season.