Instructions for tying pepper

Tying the string correctly helps the pepper stem stay close to the pole, the roots attached to the nodes grow quickly and the tree soon produces fruit branches. Instructions on when to tie, tying style, rope material and errors that can tighten the stem and break the young rope.

Summary: Pepper is a climbing plant with attached roots growing at the stem nodes. When the pepper vine is still young, the roots are not strong enough, so you have to tie the vine evenly so that the stem is close to the pole. If the vines are allowed to fall out, the tree will grow slowly, the vines will become thin, and the fruit branches will develop poorly. This article shows how to tie ropes simply but correctly during the basic construction phase.

Applies to: Newly planted pepper orchards until the vines are stable; living pillars, concrete pillars, brick pillars.
Duration: Check and tie the rope every week during the growing period.
Difficulty level: Basic. Need to do it gently and evenly.
Estimated additional costs: 0.5-1.5 million VND per hectare per year for ties and care depending on density.

Why do we have to tie pepper strings

There are roots attached to the pepper stem segments. When these roots come into contact with the post, they cling to the surface of the post and help the vine climb high.

But in the early stages:

The pepper vines are still soft.
The roots are not yet developed enough.
Wind, rain or care operations can easily cause the wire to come loose from the post.
The branches are growing quickly but have not yet fixed themselves.

Tying a string helps the main stem stay close to the pillar, the roots stick to the right position and the tree soon produces fruit branches.

If you don't tie the rope in time

Pepper plants can have problems:

The wire falls out, doesn't hold.
The main body is curved and weak.
The stem does not have good roots.
Fruit shoots and branches develop poorly.
The tree climbs slowly, its canopy is lopsided.
The rope breaks easily in strong winds.

This mistake seems small but slows down the entire basic construction phase.

When to start tying

After descending the tree, when the rope begins to stretch towards the post:

Check every 5-7 days.
No matter how long the rope is, tie it securely there.
Priority is to tie the main body.
Do not wait for the rope to be too long before pulling it into the post because it can break easily.

During the rainy season, pepper vines stretch faster, requiring closer inspection.

Fastening material

Recommended use:

Soft nylon strap.
Soft fabric strap.
Specialized wire used in agriculture.
Soft dried banana strings if available.

Should not be used:

Bare zinc wire.
Hard monofilament line.
The wire is too small and can easily cut into the body.
The material rots too quickly, causing the rope to unravel before the tree is attached.

The tying material must be soft enough not to scratch the body of the target.

How to tie properly

Only tie the main stem

No tie:

Leaves.
Fruit branches.
Bunches of flowers.
The buds are too soft.

Only tie the main body or the wire that needs to lead up to the post.

Self-loosening tying

Can be tied as a scarf or tie:

One ring holds onto the post.
A ring gently holds the body of the target.
Do not squeeze too close to the body.
Leave a little space for the body to grow.

This type of tying helps prevent the rope from tightening around the body as the ridge and spine grow larger.

Tie point distance

Young rope: every 20-30 centimeters there is a tie point.
The wire has become stiffer: every 30-40 centimeters.
After rain/strong wind, check for loose tie points.

The tie points are too sparse, causing the hammock rope to stick out; Too thick is a waste of effort and can easily injure the tree.

Tie on each type of pillar

Concrete pillars or brick pillars

The surface of the pillar is hard, the roots attach more slowly than the living pillar.
Need to tie evenly for a longer time.
Do not pull the string too tight on the sharp edge.
Soft material can be used to line the tie point if the post is rough.

Living pillar

When the spinal column is still small, a temporary column or guide wire needs to be inserted.
After a few months, the pepper roots have firmly attached to the cylinder shell.
You must check and cut the old tie to avoid tightening the target stem or cylindrical stem.
Do not tie it to a branch that can break easily.

With live pillars, a common mistake is forgetting to cut the wire. The pillar grew, the old rope tightened on both the pillar and the pillar.

Post-tying care

Check wires after heavy rain.
Loosen or cut the wire when you see any cracks in the body.
Adjusting the misaligned target wire.
Remove weak and diseased wires.
Combining with unnecessary pruning allows the tree to focus on feeding the main stem.

Tie the rope inseparably to create a canopy. If the wire is guided in the right direction, the resulting canopy will be lighter.

Inspection schedule

1-3 months after planting

Check every week.
Tie as soon as the rope reaches 20-30 centimeters.
Temporarily cover the sun if the young vines wilt.

4-12 months after planting

Check every 7-10 days.
Remove the old wire.
Choose a strong wire as the main body.
Remove weak or misdirected wires.

When the tree is well established

Cut off the old tie.
Keep the necessary tie points at the unattached section.
Change focus to creating canopy and pruning branches.

Monitor periodically

[ ] Is the main line close to the tower yet?
[ ] Is there any tie point to tighten the body?
[ ] Does the rope slip after rain/wind?
[ ] Are the roots attached to the nodes yet?
[ ] Wires growing crooked or falling out need to be adjusted.

Newly planted orchards should be checked row by row to avoid missing plants at the end of the plot.

Common mistakes

Tying too tight: the pepper stem will become tight as it grows, easily blocking nutrients and breaking.

Tying all leaves/fruit branches: damages young parts and slows plant growth.

Wait until the rope is long before tying it: pulling on the pole can easily break the rope.

Use wire or hard wire: cut into the pepper stem.

Forgot to cut the wire on the vertebral column: the wire tightens as the ulnar and vertebral column grows.

Take notes

Starting date of tying.
Number of tying times in the first month.
Proportion of trees that have taken hold well.
The tree has a broken vine, has lost its vine, or is slow to climb.
Time to cut/loothe old wire.

Simple notes help you know which lots need extra work during the basic construction phase.

References

*Instructions for tying strings for pepper* — Hainong technical document.
*Training materials on good pepper production techniques* — National Agricultural Extension Center.
*Technical process of planting, caring for and harvesting pepper* — Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.