Capsicum is a vegetable that is grown and used as a spice worldwide. It can be grown both conventionally and by hydroponics.
When growing capsicum hydroponically, monitor the growth of the crop from transplanting to the flowering stage and then to the maturity stage. After maturity, harvest, grade and pack them ready for market. In hydroponic trough system, the troughs are fitted with drip lines to ensure that the plants get nutrient rich water.
Advantages of hydroponics
When capsicum is grown hydroponically, you save on the land space needed, save on water because there is water and nutrient recycling, labour demand is cut down since there is no need for weeding and pest and disease control is reduced by 80% and there is no need for crop rotation.
Hydroponic capsicum has a better quality and shelf life compared to conventional capsicum. This is because using hydroponics, capsicum has access to all nutrients needed for growth. Wrapping the capsicum with a clean film paper increases its shelf life.
Value addition
You can add value to grade 3 tomatoes or capsicum that do not make it to the market. Value added products have a higher shelf life and fetch a better value on the market.
Red capsicum can be used to make pasta sauce, meat balls sauces and others.
Yellow capsicum can be canned or pasted into powder while tomatoes can be used to make canned sauce.
