VOA慢速英语:Growing Chili Peppers: A Heated Subject

Some people say eating hot chili peppers can help you breathe easier if you have a cold. Others believe that chilies give you more energy. All we know is that people have been growing chilies for centuries. And there are plenty of different kinds of chili peppers to choose from, along with different levels of heat.
如果你感冒了，有人会说吃一些红辣椒可以让你呼吸更加顺畅。还有一些人相信红辣椒可以让你获得更多能量。我们所知道的是，人们种植辣椒已有几个世纪的历史。并且有许多不同种类的辣椒可供选择，辣的程度也有有所不同。

Want to spice up your meals with homegrown chilies?  They need a warm climate. If you plant the seeds outside when the weather is cool, place a glass over them. That will add warmth from the sun and protect them from wind. You can also start the seeds in your home or a greenhouse.
想不想用自己种植的辣椒来做调料？这需要温暖的气候。如果天气凉爽的时候在室外播种，在他们的表层覆盖一层玻璃。这样有助于吸收阳光的热量和避免风吹。还可以在家中或温室中育种。

If you plant chili peppers inside, fill an eight-centimeter pot with soil. The pot should have holes in the bottom so water can run out. Tap the sides of the pot to settle the soil.
如果你在室内种植红辣椒，将一个八厘米深的花盆装满泥土。花盆的底部要留有小孔，有利于将水排出。轻拍花盆的边缘，好让土壤沉淀。

Drop several seeds over the surface of the pot and cover with a thin layer of vermiculite. Vermiculite is a material that can hold air, water and nutrients.  Then cover the top of the pot with a see-through plastic bag. Hold the bag in place with a rubber band. Place the pot in a warm area.
在花盆的表层撒下几粒种子，然后盖上一层薄薄的蛭石。蛭石是一种可以保持空气，水分和养料的材料。然后将花盆的顶部用一个透明的塑料袋覆盖，用橡皮筋将塑料袋固定。然后将花盆放在比较温暖的地方。

When the chilies start growing, take off the bag. When the plants have reached about two centimeters high, place each one carefully in its own eight-centimeter pot.
当辣椒开始生长的时候，将袋子取下。当植株长到两厘米高的时候，分别将每一株幼苗栽种到单独一个花盆中。

When the roots show through the holes in the bottom of the pot, transplant each seedling into a twelve-centimeter pot. When the plants are twenty centimeters high, tie the plants to a stick placed in the pot to support them.
当根系穿过花盆底部的小孔时，将他们移栽到12厘米深的花盆中。当植株涨到20厘米高的时候，将植株绑在插在花盆中的木棍上，起到固定作用。

When the chili peppers are thirty centimeters high, pinch the tops off with your fingers. That should get new branches to grow. When the first flowers show, give the plants some potash fertilizer. When the weather is warm, put them into five-liter pots and place them outside. Make sure they get a good amount of light and water.
当红辣椒植株长到30厘米高的时候，用手指将植株的顶部掐掉。这样有利于新的枝干生长。当第一次开花时，给植株施一些碳酸钾肥。当天气变暖的时候，将植株移栽到5升的容器中，放到室外。确保植株能够获得足够的光照和水分。

Some people like mild chilies, others like plenty of heat.  Some like to harvest the plants when the chilies are green. Others like their chilies red. Either way can give color and taste to many different foods.
有的人喜欢微辣，有的人喜欢超辣。有的人喜欢在辣椒还是绿色的时候采摘，有的人却喜欢红辣椒。无论哪种方式，辣椒都可以为许多不同的食物增添颜色和味道。