Pepper Planting Tips

 

• Planting. Plant peppers where they will succeed. Peppers want full sun and deep, sandy or gravelly loam–meaning rich and well drained. Add plenty of aged-compost and organic matter to planting beds in advance of transplanting peppers. A pH of 5.5 to 7.0 is optimal.

 • Transplants. Plant transplants with strong stems and dark green leaves. Watch out for leggy or spindly plants; they may not have had enough light getting started.  The root system of a pepper seedling is not strong enough to support flowers and fruit while it is getting started in life. If buying plants, look for those with stout stems, dark green leaves, no flower or fruit, and no blemishes.

• Starter Feeding. Give peppers a good boost at planting time. At the bottom of the planting hole add a handful of compost. Set peppers in a hole about six to eight inches deep and space plants about 15 inches apart–so that the leaves just touch at maturity.

• Watering. Water deeply to encourage deep root development. Too little water can result in bitter-tasting peppers. Peppers want even, moderate moisture around their roots.  Avoid overhead watering especially when peppers are in bloom, overhead water will wash away pollen and any chance of fruiting. Do not overwater. Overwatering will cut off the supply of oxygen to pepper roots.

• Mulching. Mulch with straw or grass clippings around plants. A thick mulch will stop weeds from growing and keep moisture in the soil when the weather gets hot. Use hay, straw, leaves, or grass clippings to mulch peppers.

• Weeding Regular weeding will keep weeds from getting a foothold in the garden. Avoid damaging roots by gently hand-pulling weeds. Most young weed roots will not reach more than an inch deep into the soil.

• Feeding. Feed peppers with manure or compost tea. Pale leaves and slow growth are signs your peppers need a boost. Peppers are heavy feeders so a side-dressing of manure or compost tea a few times during the growing season is a plus

• Harvest. Harvest peppers at the height of maturity. Early in the season pick the first blossoms or set of fruits to encourage the plant to keep bearing and grow larger fruits later in the season. Most sweet and hot peppers require about 70 days from transplanting until the first fruits are ready. From the start of harvest, peppers can take another 3 to 4 weeks for reach full maturity–that is to turn their mature color–usually red, but sometimes yellow or orange. The hotter peppers can require anywhere from 90 to 200 frost free days to reach harvest. Keep in mind that the cooler your growing season, the more time must be added for peppers to mature.

• Cut Don’t Pull. Cut peppers off the plant, don’t pull them. Use a sharp scissors or shears to cut peppers away from the stem.

Happy Gardening.