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mike_kowalski83

Piper Nigrum light requirements

9 years ago

Im growing Piper Nigrum in a container and its indoors now due to cooler weather (zone 5-6). It is currently in a eastern window and getting 2-3 hours of direct sunlight (other windows in the house do not get good lighting.

I received the plant on 9-11-15 2" pot with 5 leaves as of 10-2-15 it now has 8 leaves

Im concerned with the temps getting cooler as right now the soil temp is at 63 degrees

Now finally for my question lol ,

Can this plant be placed directly under HO T5 florescent light or place off to the side of the light (indirect light)? There are so many conflicting posts out there that say full sun, shade, etc...


Moving it to the new location will place it in much warmer conditions

any advice will be greatly appreciated. I will post progress pictures as I take them

Thank you




Comments (3)

  • 9 years ago

    You need to keep in mind that in your winter even direct sun will be quite weak. Pepper does well in partial shade in the tropics but also in full sun if humidity is very high. This is perhaps where the varying information about it originates. It doesn't like temperatures below about 20C so indoors it will depend on how warm you keep your house. The important factor of humidity is always a problem in heated houses, relative humidity can get quite low which is more ideal for people but not so much for plants. A greenhouse would be a more ideal environment for it. So you do have some challenges ahead, though not an impossible task by any means.

    I've been growing it for years now and have 3 plants. 2 are fairly large and the other is a small one I originally gave away as a cutting. But the recipient lost interest in it so I got it back and it's doing well now. One of them produced its first peppercorns earlier this year. Hopefully I'll soon be in full production, LOL. Good luck with yours.

    M K15010 thanked tropicbreezent
  • 9 years ago

    I don't (yet) have specific experience with piper nigrum, but my ginger and turmeric and super dwarf banana plants thrive under the red-blue (mostly red) led grow lights.

    I've tried Phillips Agro lights (incandescent reflector 'flood' lights), various T8 and T5 "grow lights" and I haven't found any that my plants (especially the tropicals) really thrive under. They sometimes do OK if the bulb is really close to the plants, but if you have the light what looks like 'normal' distance above the plants, all my plants seem starved for light with the fluorescent or incandescent lamps.

    You can find the LED light bulb units online for $20-$25 or so. Look for E26 base or 'medium base,' so they fit a standard light socket. I use those bulbs in the clamp on light sockets you get at home depot for $8 or so for work lights, or some old (antique) floor standing "reading lamps" I got at the thrift store.

    I've had great results with PAR 38 size LED units from ABI lighting (12W and 18W) and Apollo Horticulture (claims 24W, but actually closer to 15W), and I've heard good things about Taotronics.

    If nobody is looking at the things, all of those bulbs are great for the plants. Plants don't care if the light is "funny looking" to humans. If it's where people see it, you might want one like the ABI 18w unit, with some white in the mix. Those are (slightly) less 'funny looking' to people. My plants don't care, but for the one I have in the living room on display, I use the bulb with the white in the mix.

    I'm about to try starting some piper nigrum from seed (I couldn't find cuttings at a reasonable price), and I'll be using one of my LED grow lamps (on a programmable timer set for sunrise and sunset times for 23.5 degrees north latitude) , a heating pad under the seed starting pots initially.

    From what I've been told, Piper nigrum needs warmth (temps over 70F are ideal, under 65F can be harmful), and also needs high humidity. My tropicals spend the winter in a heated area that also has a hot-plate with simmering water on it (refilled daily).

  • 9 years ago

    Plant seems to be doing well under the light 2 more leafs have sprouted in 10 days.

    Little leaf deformity on one but im guessing that is normal.



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