Simple tips that will help you grow lots of peppers, keep your plants healthy and increase your yield.
Peppers are common in vegetable gardens. Peppers do not contain capsaicin, so they are not hot like some varieties of peppers. Peppers can be eaten raw but are usually used in other recipes.
Peppers are quite easy to grow but there are a few tips for growing peppers that will give you a better yield.
With these tips, you’ll enjoy a bountiful harvest of sweet, crunchy peppers to feed your family this summer.
1) The different colors of pepper
When you go to your grocery store, you will see several different colors of peppers but red peppers and green peppers are the most commonly available.
Red peppers and green peppers are actually the same plant, the color actually depends on how ripe the fruit is. First they will be green then if left on the plant they will then turn red. Since red peppers are on the plant longer, they are higher in vitamin C and tend to be sweeter than green peppers.
There are purple, yellow, orange, brown or white varieties of peppers. They are different plants and you can plant more than one variety to get a whole range of colors in your recipes.
2) Choosing where to plant peppers
Peppers like a lot of sun so choose a spot in your garden where they can get all day sun. Make sure they won’t be shaded by trees or other tall plants like sunflowers or tomatoes.
Peppers like soil that is well drained. They don’t like to wade in water so make sure the area is well drained. They prefer intermediate soil with sand and clay.
They like a soil pH between 6.0 and 7.0. If you don’t know the pH of your soil, get a test kit and make adjustments as necessary.
Before planting your peppers, add compost or fertilizer to the soil and till it in. This will help improve drainage and provide nutrients to the peppers.
Do not plant peppers where you recently planted tomatoes, eggplants or potatoes. These plants attract the same diseases that can be harmful to peppers. Viruses and fungi can live in the soil for a few years so wait at least three years before planting in the same area.
3) When to plant peppers
Peppers like heat, so you don’t want to start them from seed in the garden. Plant them to start about 8 to 10 weeks before the expected last frost date or purchase seedlings from a greenhouse.
Peppers also take about two to three months to mature so planting them from seedlings gives them a head start compared to planting from seed.
Young peppers don’t like cool temperatures. Get them used to being outside by putting them outside during the day and bringing them inside at night so they aren’t out in the cold air at night. After a few weeks they should be ready to be planted outside.
4) Planting pepper plants
Once it is at least 15°C at night, you can plant your peppers in the garden. You can warm the soil by covering it with black plastic for a week before planting your pepper plants.
When planting, do not plant them any deeper than they were in the pots. Peppers do not like to be planted deep. Space them about 45 to 60 cm apart.
5) Choose the right pepper garden companions
Plant your peppers near your tomatoes. Tomatoes help keep beetles and soil microbes away to protect the peppers.
Peppers can also be planted near cucumbers, carrots, eggplants and onions. If you have a problem with beetles, plant geraniums or petunias near your peppers.
Basil grows well near peppers and keeps insects away. Parsley attracts pollinators and certain types of wasps which repel aphids.
Avoid planting broccoli, cabbage or mustard plants near your peppers. You should also avoid planting peppers near fennel or green beans.
6) Supports
You don’t need to stake the peppers but it can keep them off the ground. If your plants fall over, they are more susceptible to pests and soil microbes.
7) Make a good mulch
Peppers like to be kept warm and have well-drained soil so making a good mulch around the plants is essential. Dark mulch absorbs more heat from the sun to keep the soil warm.
Peppers also like mown grass. Grass mulch helps prevent weeds from quickly entering your garden and damaging plant roots.
8) Proper watering
Peppers need a lot of water, about 2 to 5 cm of water per week. Observe the amount of water obtained from rain with a rain gauge and top up with water if necessary.
If you live in a hot climate or on very hot days, you may need to water twice a day. If your peppers become too dry, they can become bitter.
However, overwatering can damage the roots or rot the flowers.
9) The size of pepper plants
Remove the first flowers from each plant. This forces the plant to use its energy to grow the whole plant and not just one fruit.
This can help the plant produce more peppers later and you will get a better harvest.
10) Fertilizer
If you add fertilizer to your garden, wait until the peppers begin to form. Peppers don’t like a lot of nitrogen, so look for a fertilizer that doesn’t contain a lot of nitrogen. Too much nitrogen can cause the plant to produce more leaves instead of flowers and peppers.
11) Pests
Flea beetles and aphids love peppers. If you notice these pests on your peppers, use an organic insecticide that is safe for vegetable plants.
12) Harvesting peppers
Green peppers are ready to pick about 60 to 90 days after planting. Harvest the peppers when they are the size and color you want. They will first be green then turn red. The longer the pepper stays on the plant, the sweeter it will be and the more vitamin C it will contain.
To avoid damaging the plant, use a knife to cut the fruit, leaving about 2 cm of the pepper stem on the plant.
With these tips, you’ll enjoy a bountiful harvest of peppers this year. Peppers are fairly easy to grow but these simple tips will help keep your plants healthy and increase your yield.