Pepper trees are considered an industrial crop grown in many places in the Central Highlands and Southeast regions. At the same time, pepper is also a valuable medicinal plant in Oriental medicine. The plant has a vine shape, long, smooth stem without hair, clinging to other plants with roots. The stem grows in coils and bears alternate leaves. The leaves are like betel leaves, but longer and more oblong. The tree is very brittle. If you are not careful when transporting it, the tree may die. The fruit has a single seed.
Black pepper harvest time plays a significant role in determining the quality of pepper. That’s why people must pay close attention to these steps. To avoid the situation where you put in effort all season but get nothing.
Harvesting time and method for high yield
After flowering and fruiting, black pepper usually takes 8-10 months to ripen. Depending on different weather conditions, times may vary. Normally, pepper grown in the Central Highlands and Southeast regions will be harvested in February or March. Almost the same as the cashew season.
Picking pepper in the garden
Pepper harvesting techniques are also very important to note. Pepper is usually harvested by hand and divided into 2 or 3 batches per crop. We usually pick the whole bunch when ripe or old fruit appears. Do not pick young green bunches unless it is the last batch of the season. Because when picked early, the pepper will be flat, leading to poor quality.
Before harvesting, farmers often clean the grass so that the pepper picking process goes smoothly. At the same time, we will spread a tarpaulin at the foot of the pepper pillar to make collecting easier, without worrying about the pepper falling out. Usually pepper trees are grown on straight poles or grown in symbiosis with cashew trees. Often when harvesting, you have to use a ladder to climb up to pick pepper.
