How do you grow peppercorns?

Peppercorns (Piper Nigrum) are the dried fruit of a vine that grows in tropical climates.

The berries grow up to 5 centimeters long and 3 millimeters wide, with a papery skin which is either red, black or green.

These peppercorns come from all over Southeast Asia and India.

There are many different varieties of peppercorn: white, pink, brown, orange and green. But they all have one thing in common – a spicy flavor.

Peppercorns can be grown in your own home. They grow well indoors and outside and flourish in warm climates. When planting pepper plants outdoors, make sure to provide them with an area that receives full sun and fertilize their soil before planting. Water regularly during dry spells. If you grow in pots then bring them indoors before frost to extend the growing season.

Where to get peppercorn for planting

Finding peppercorn can be quite a challenge and you will not be able to grow peppercorns that you get from the store.

Most garden centers won’t sell peppercorn seeds or plants and you may struggle to find suppliers that stock these.

I have managed to find some suppliers on Amazon that provide peppercorn seed for growing and also young peppercorn plants. Both are suitable for home or commercial growing.

You’ll find both options here on Amazon.

How do you grow peppercorns from seed?

With a heat loving plant like pepper it is best to sow the seeds indoors in pots.

Fill small pots or seed trays with good quality seed compost and water the compost thoroughly.

Sprinkle the pepper seeds thinly onto the surface of the and then cover with a thin layer of compost.

Leave the seed trays in a warm area covered with a sheet of glass or plastic bag.

As soon as you see germination remove the cover and place the tray in a light spot, out of direct sun, to help the seedlings to grow.

When the seedlings are large enough to handle transfer them into their own pots that contain good quality compost and then grow them on until they are large enough to be moved outdoors.

Is it best to grow peppercorns from seed or should I get a small plant?

It is always a good choice to buy a plant if you are able to find one.

A small plant will take away the work and time involved in getting seed to germinate, plus you will not end up with lots of seedlings to take care of.

Plants will always cost more than seeds but the extra investment will make your life easier.

What type of soil do peppercorns need?

Your peppercorn plant needs well draining soil or compost that has been enriched with organic matter.

If you are growing in your garden soil then you can mix in compost and things such as bark to aerate and warm the soil.

Unless you live in a hot area the best choice will be to grow your pepper in containers or pots which will mean that you can control the soil quality more easily.

How long does peppercorn take to grow?

Pepper plants will take up to 18 months before they produce any fruit.

It is best to plant the seeds or buy young plants from a reputable supplier that has started the plants off in nursery pots.

These will be well established with their roots already growing through potting mix and into containers.

When do you harvest peppercorns?

Pepper flowers all year round but you will probably have to wait until the second year before you see any flowers and fruit.

You can harvest the peppercorns as soon as they swell up, the quality of the pepper changes the longer you leave the peppercorns on the plant.

For black, fiery pepper you will need to harvest while they are still green, for milder pepper leave them on the plant until they turn a red/pink color.

Final words

There are not many gardeners who grow peppercorns outside of Asia, but this does not mean that pepper cannot be grown.

If you choose a warm spot for a container grown plant then you will have an attractive addition to your vegetable garden, that will provide both spice and an interesting talking point for your guests.

Pepper plants can be found online to help you get started.