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This is the VOA Special English |
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Agriculture Report. |
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Some people say |
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eating hot chili peppers |
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can help you breathe easier |
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if you have a cold. |
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Others believe that chilies |
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give you more energy. |
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All we know is that people |
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have been growing chilies |
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for centuries. |
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And there are plenty |
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of different kinds |
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of chili peppers to choose from, |
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along with different levels of heat. |
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Want to spice up your meals |
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with homegrown chilies? |
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They need a warm climate. |
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If you plant the seeds outside |
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when the weather is cool, |
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place a glass over them. |
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That will add warmth |
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from the sun and |
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protect them from wind. |
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You can also start the seeds |
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in your home or a greenhouse. |
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If you plant chili peppers |
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inside, fill an eight-centimeter |
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pot with soil. |
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The pot should have holes |
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in the bottom |
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so water can run out. |
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Tap the sides of the pot |
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to settle the soil. |
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Drop several seeds |
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over the surface of the pot |
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and cover with a thin layer |
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of vermiculite. |
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Vermiculite is a material |
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that can hold air, |
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water and nutrients. |
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Then cover the top of the pot |
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with a see-through plastic bag. |
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Hold the bag in place |
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with a rubber band. |
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Place the pot in a warm area. |
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When the chilies start growing, |
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take off the bag. |
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When the plants have reached |
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about two centimeters high, |
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place each one carefully |
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in its own eight-centimeter pot. |
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When the roots show |
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through the holes |
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in the bottom of the pot, |
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transplant each seedling |
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into a twelve-centimeter pot. |
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When the plants are |
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twenty centimeters high, |
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tie the plants to a stick placed |
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in the pot to support them. |
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When the chili peppers |
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are thirty centimeters high, |
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pinch the tops off |
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with your fingers. |
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That should get |
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new branches to grow. |
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When the first flowers show, |
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give the plants |
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some potash fertilizer. |
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When the weather is warm, |
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put them into five-liter pots |
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and place them outside. |
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Make sure they get |
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a good amount of light and water. |
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Some people like mild chilies, |
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others like plenty of heat. |
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Some like to harvest the plants |
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when the chilies are green. |
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Others like their chilies red. |
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Either way can give color |
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and taste to many different foods. |
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And that's the VOA Special English |
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Agriculture Report, |
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written by Jerilyn Watson. |