[ti:Growing Chili Peppers A Heated Subject] [ar:Steve Ember] [al:Agriculture Report] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]This is the VOA Special English [00:03.19]Agriculture Report. [00:05.19]Some people say [00:06.93]eating hot chili peppers [00:09.37]can help you breathe easier [00:11.96]if you have a cold. [00:13.80]Others believe that chilies [00:16.49]give you more energy. [00:18.63]All we know is that people [00:21.63]have been growing chilies [00:23.33]for centuries. [00:25.22]And there are plenty [00:26.81]of different kinds [00:27.76]of chili peppers to choose from, [00:30.76]along with different levels of heat. [00:34.17]Want to spice up your meals [00:36.85]with homegrown chilies? [00:38.94]They need a warm climate. [00:41.33]If you plant the seeds outside [00:44.53]when the weather is cool, [00:46.42]place a glass over them. [00:48.87]That will add warmth [00:51.37]from the sun and [00:53.99]protect them from wind. [00:56.45]You can also start the seeds [00:59.30]in your home or a greenhouse. [01:02.95]If you plant chili peppers [01:05.79]inside, fill an eight-centimeter [01:09.24]pot with soil. [01:10.68]The pot should have holes [01:13.37]in the bottom [01:14.52]so water can run out. [01:17.08]Tap the sides of the pot [01:19.82]to settle the soil. [01:21.51]Drop several seeds [01:23.95]over the surface of the pot [01:26.19]and cover with a thin layer [01:28.84]of vermiculite. [01:30.68]Vermiculite is a material [01:33.12]that can hold air, [01:34.96]water and nutrients. [01:37.91]Then cover the top of the pot [01:40.99]with a see-through plastic bag. [01:43.83]Hold the bag in place [01:46.12]with a rubber band. [01:47.76]Place the pot in a warm area. [01:50.75]When the chilies start growing, [01:54.04]take off the bag. [01:55.43]When the plants have reached [01:57.92]about two centimeters high, [02:00.06]place each one carefully [02:02.26]in its own eight-centimeter pot. [02:05.40]When the roots show [02:07.59]through the holes [02:08.83]in the bottom of the pot, [02:10.93]transplant each seedling [02:13.12]into a twelve-centimeter pot. [02:16.50]When the plants are [02:18.65]twenty centimeters high, [02:20.64]tie the plants to a stick placed [02:23.63]in the pot to support them. [02:26.07]When the chili peppers [02:28.26]are thirty centimeters high, [02:30.83]pinch the tops off [02:32.52]with your fingers. [02:33.76]That should get [02:35.72]new branches to grow. [02:37.51]When the first flowers show, [02:40.36]give the plants [02:42.10]some potash fertilizer. [02:44.10]When the weather is warm, [02:46.49]put them into five-liter pots [02:49.68]and place them outside. [02:51.63]Make sure they get [02:53.98]a good amount of light and water. [02:56.96]Some people like mild chilies, [03:00.62]others like plenty of heat. [03:03.55]Some like to harvest the plants [03:06.01]when the chilies are green. [03:07.81]Others like their chilies red. [03:10.65]Either way can give color [03:13.49]and taste to many different foods. [03:17.23]And that's the VOA Special English [03:21.36]Agriculture Report, [03:23.33]written by Jerilyn Watson. [03:25.67]You can find more gardening advice [03:28.85]and share your own stories [03:31.54]from the garden at 51voa.com. [03:36.97]You can download transcripts [03:39.81]and MP3s of all of our programs. [03:43.31]You can also find captioned videos [03:47.10]of Special English reports [03:49.04]at the VOA Learning [03:51.59]English channel on YouTube. [03:54.43]I'm Steve Ember.