How to Grow Gol Mirch in India | Growing Black Pepper Plant

Gol Mirch is a must-have in every Indian kitchen and the best part is, that you can easily grow it in pots! Growing Black Pepper Plant is that easy!

India is a major producer, consumer, and exporter of Gol Mirch, which is also popular as King of the Spices. It is generally grown in the southern parts of India, mainly in states like Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Pondicherry. If you want to have your own fresh supply of it, then you can easily grow it in your garden or pots!

Botanical name: Piper nigrum

Other Names: Blanc Poivre, Extrait de Poivre, Grain de Poivre, Hu Jiao, Kali Mirchi, Kali Mirch, Kosho, Krishna, Marich, Maricha, Pepe, Pepper, Pepper Extract, Pepper Plant, Peppercorn, Pfeffer, Pimenta, Pimienta, Pimienta Negra y Pimienta Blanca, Piper, Piper nigrum, Piperine, Poivre, Poivre Noir, Poivre Noir et Blanc, Poivre Noir et Poivre Blanc, Poivrier, Vellaja, White Pepper.

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Gol Mirch in English

Gol Mirch in English is popular as black pepper in India. Gol Mirch in Hindi is famous as Kaali Mirch but people call it by its regional names. Black pepper in Hindi is famous in many regional languages in India.

Growing Conditions for Gol Mirch in India

If you live in a warm area, you can easily grow Gol Mirch. The plant has beautiful heart-shaped foliage, which also makes it a great addition to the garden. The hot climate of India makes it perfect to grow this spice. If you live in a northern area, then it might be a little difficult to cultivate Gol Mirch there.

Here’s 6 Quick Mirchi Plant Growing Tips!

Best Pot Size to Grow Gol Mirch

You can start the plant in an 8-10 inches pot. As it grows and sizes up, you can re-pot it into one size bigger container in 2-3 years.

Propagating Gol Mirch in India

This delicious spice can be grown easily using fresh seeds from the nursery. All you need to ensure is that they are new as they are viable for a specific period. Sow the seeds in a well-draining potting mix, water well, and keep the pot in bright light. The Gol Mirch seeds will germinate in 2-4 weeks.

Requirements for Growing Gol Mirch

Gol Mirch 2 — shutterstock/MERCURY studio

Location

While planting Gol Mirch in India, you have to be specific about the location, as it is an important aspect of the healthy growth of the spice. Your location should be humid and must get direct sunlight.

Avoid planting it in the shade as it will result in little to no harvest. Remember, the plant needs to get a minimum 5-6 hours of direct sunlight on daily basis.

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Soil

Use well-draining soil amended with plenty of organic matter and vermicompost. While starting the plant, it would be a good idea to add a bit of cow dung manure to the growing medium. The pH of 4.5–6.0 is optimum for healthy growth.

Watering

Keep the soil a little on the moist side for the best growth. Do not let the growing medium dry out completely as it will wilt the plant. Water when the topsoil feels a little dry to the touch.

Gol Mirch Care

Fertilizer

Fertilize it with a balanced liquid 10-10-10 or 20-20-20 blend. Do refer to the label for dosage and instructions. The application of Epsom salt, once in 2 months is also beneficial. Use 1 small teaspoon per pot.

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Pests and Diseases

Keep the plant safe from aphids, slugs, spider mites, and scales. Use an insecticidal soap solution to get rid of them. To keep most of the potential diseases at bay, avoid overwatering the plant and wetting the foliage.

Harvesting Black Pepper

As black pepper price can get quite expensive in India, it is a good idea to grow it at home. The plant takes around 7-9 months to ready the peppers after flowering. Pick the spikes of berries and then dry them up in the sun. You can then store them in an airtight container. Making black pepper powder is also a great way to keep them for long.

You can use black pepper powder on eggs and other veg or nonveg dishes of your choice!