9 Helpful Tricks for Planting Peppers

Whether you prefer them sweet or spicy, homegrown peppers are a delicious treat. This post will cover everything you need to know about how to grow peppers in your vegetable garden. From when to plant peppers to harvesting and storing them, you’ll discover all the essentials for planting peppers.

Pepper plants, or Capsicum annuum by their botanical name, grow in a wide range of colors and flavors. There’s something for everyone to enjoy, from sweet bell peppers to fiery chili peppers.

One thing that all pepper varieties have in common is a love for heat. They perform best with a long, warm growing season, consistently moist soil, and plenty of direct sunlight.

Most sweet pepper varieties mature in 60-90 days. Hot peppers may take up to 150 days to ripen, depending on the type. Start your pepper seeds indoors in late winter or early spring for the best possible results. Or, purchase nursery-grown plants from your local garden center once it’s warm enough to transplant them outdoors.

What You Need to Know About Planting Peppers

Pepper plants flourish in hot climates with long daylight hours. If conditions allow, they can be perennial plants that continue producing fruit for many years. Some gardeners prefer growing peppers in pots and overwintering them indoors.

No matter what kind of peppers you’re growing, select a location in your garden with full sun. For optimal fruit production, pepper plants require eight to ten hours of direct sunlight daily.

Keep the soil consistently watered, but don’t let it become waterlogged. On average, peppers need about an inch of water per week or more during especially hot or dry periods. Ensure that your garden beds have adequate drainage and the soil is rich in organic matter.

Place several inches of mulch around the plants’ base to insulate the soil, suppress weeds, and protect against wind erosion. However, don’t pile the mulch directly against the stem, as doing so could lead to stem rot and other fungal diseases.

Planting Peppers from Seeds

Start your pepper seeds indoors eight to ten weeks before your average last frost date. Germination usually takes six to twelve days. If you don’t have a south-facing windowsill available for your seedlings, use grow lights to promote strong stem growth and prevent them from becoming elongated or “leggy.”

First, fill a seedling tray, peat pots, or a cardboard egg carton with well-draining and nutrient-rich potting soil. It’s helpful to pre-saturate the soil to avoid disturbing your newly planted seeds.

Sow the seeds a quarter-inch deep and lightly cover them with soil. Top the seedling tray with a humidity dome or sheet of plastic wrap to hold in moisture.

The soil temperature for germinating pepper seeds ranges between 80-85℉. Utilize a heat mat to maintain consistently warm soil during germination and while the seedlings develop. The seeds won’t germinate below 55℉.

Pepper plants are very cold-sensitive. Avoid transplanting them outside too soon in the springtime. Begin hardening your pepper seedlings off once daytime temperatures are consistently 65℉ or higher. First, leave them outside in a sheltered location for short intervals. Over one or two weeks, let them stay out for progressively more extended periods at a time to acclimatize them to the elements gradually. Doing so helps to prevent transplant shock.

When to Plant Peppers Outdoors

Transplant pepper seedlings into your garden or raised beds two to three weeks after your region’s average last frost date. Apply a generous layer of dark-colored mulch or a sheet of black plastic over your planting area a week before transplanting to warm the soil. The soil temperature should ideally be above 65℉.

If you’re wondering how deep to plant peppers, it’s critical not to bury the bottom part of the stem, like you would with a tomato plant. Dig your planting hole slightly wider than the plant’s root ball. Carefully place the root ball in the center of the hole and fill in around it with equal parts compost and garden soil. Spread two tablespoons of organic, all-purpose fertilizer around the plant’s base, gently work it into the top inch of soil with your fingers, and thoroughly water it in.

Planting Peppers in Containers

Pepper plants are ideal for growing in containers. Most pepper cultivars stay relatively compact, averaging three to four feet tall and 18-24 inches wide. Staking pepper plants isn’t usually required.

Plant peppers in a pot that holds at least five gallons of soil and has drain holes at the bottom. Using a dark-colored container helps to keep the soil warmer, which is advantageous in cooler climates.

Select a sunny, sheltered location for your pepper pots. It’s beneficial to place them near a wall to take advantage of the extra radiant heat.

Growing peppers in containers allows the gardener to adapt more easily to changing growing conditions throughout the season. If your zone gets early frosts in the autumn, bring your potted pepper plants inside when nighttime temperatures drop below 55℉ to extend your harvest time. You can even keep them growing all winter to get a head start next spring.

A grow light is usually necessary to keep pepper plants fruiting all winter. Otherwise, it’s possible to overwinter them in a vegetative state by providing air temperatures consistently over 70℉ and at least six hours of bright light daily.

Pepper Plant Spacing in Gardens and Raised Beds

Spacing between pepper plants should be about 18-24 inches. Check the specific instructions for the variety you’re growing on the seed package or plant label. Overcrowding results in stunted growth and diminished fruit production.

Plan the spacing and layout of your garden or raised beds with each plant’s mature size and requirements for water and nutrients in mind. Try to pair plants with similar needs together to make the best use of your available space.

For reference, a four-foot by four-foot raised bed can fit four to six pepper plants along with a few complimentary leafy greens and herbs. Refer to the companion planting section below for ideas.

Best Soil for Planting Peppers

Pepper plants thrive in well-draining soil that’s rich in organic matter. Apply several inches of organic compost topped with a thick layer of mulch to your garden soil before transplanting your pepper seedlings.

If you happen to have sandy or heavy clay soil, you may need to till more compost and/or manure into your garden. Adding compost helps sandy soil retain moisture and works to break up heavy clay soil so the roots get enough nutrients and oxygen.

When growing peppers in containers, use potting soil that’s well-draining and rich in nutrients. Look for a soil blend with added perlite for drainage, coconut coir or peat moss for moisture retention, and compost or fertilizer for nutrition.

Choosing the Right Fertilizer for Pepper Plants

In addition to planting peppers in nutrient-rich soil, it’s essential to fertilize your plants every four to six weeks throughout the growing season. For the best results, use an organic slow-release fertilizer.

There are three primary macronutrients found in plant fertilizer: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). Nitrogen encourages leafy growth, phosphorus promotes robust root systems, and potassium supports the fruiting and flowering processes.

After transplanting your pepper seedlings in late spring or early summer, use all-purpose organic fertilizer until the plant develops flower buds. At that point, switch to a fertilizer with higher phosphorus and potassium levels. To avoid problems with blossom end rot, ensure your plants get enough calcium by mixing bone meal or lime sulfate into the soil when transplanting.

Harvesting and Storing Homegrown Peppers

When harvesting peppers, it’s best to use a clean, sharp pair of garden shears or scissors. Pulling them off the plant may lead to accidental damage. Be sure to disinfect your tools after each use to avoid accidentally spreading plant diseases.

For the best overall flavor and quality, use your peppers as soon as possible. They’ll typically stay fresh for several days when stored on the kitchen counter or in the refrigerator. To retain your peppers’ juicy quality and rich flavor for longer, freeze them or preserve them in oil.

Companion Plants for Peppers

Companion planting is a time-tested garden design technique that utilizes mutually beneficial interactions between various plants to create a healthy garden ecosystem. Certain plants attract pollinators and helpful predatory insects, while others repel pests. However, some plants don’t make good companions for peppers and should grow elsewhere.

Aromatic herbs and flowers are remarkably effective for natural pest control. Basil repels flies, mosquitoes, and thrips. Parsley flowers attract predatory wasps that prey on aphids, beetles, and caterpillars. Tansy deters ants, cutworms, flea beetles, deer, and rodents. Chives, garlic, and onions ward off aphids, spider mites, rodents, and deer.

Numerous plants make good companions for peppers based on their root depth and growth habits. Low-growing leafy greens like lettuce, spinach, and arugula grow quickly and help suppress weeds. Root veggies like beets, carrots, parsnips, and radishes fit well between pepper plants and work to loosen compacted soil.

Avoid planting fennel, pole beans, and brassicas like cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli near your peppers. These plants reportedly stunt one another’s growth.

Since peppers are part of the nightshade family, along with tomatoes, eggplants, and potatoes, it’s best to keep these plants in separate areas of your garden. They’re susceptible to many of the same pest and disease problems, which tend to spread faster through similarly vulnerable plant pairings.

Common Pest and Disease Problems for Pepper Plants

Closely monitor your plants for any signs of distress throughout the growing season. Look for discoloration of leaves and stems, curled or wilted leaves, and flowers or fruit falling off the plant prematurely.

Commonplace insect pests that feed on pepper plants are aphids, cutworms, flea beetles, and spider mites. Spray the affected plants with an organic pesticide like horticultural oil, neem oil, or insecticidal soap.

Powdery mildew and Septoria leaf spot are some of the most frequent pepper plant diseases. Powdery mildew appears in white, fuzzy patches on leaves and stems. Septoria leaf spot starts with tiny dark spots that soon grow larger and often have a light-colored center.

First, remove all the damaged foliage, and remember to disinfect your tools thoroughly. Then, spray all parts of the plants with an organic copper or sulfur fungicide.

Peppers aren’t as challenging to grow at home as they might seem at first. As long as you’re able to provide them with plenty of heat and sunshine, consistently moist soil, and fertilize regularly, you’ll enjoy a bountiful harvest of delicious homegrown peppers. With so many different tasty varieties to choose from, growing sweet and hot peppers is a fantastic way to add vibrant flavor and color to your veggie garden.

Do you have any questions or suggestions? Feel free to post them in the comments section! If you found these gardening tips helpful, please share this article about planting peppers with your green-thumbed friends and family.