Bell peppers, also called sweet peppers, are the most mild of all the pepper varieties. They come in shades of red, orange, yellow, and green and tend to be about the size of a fist. Grow these to eat raw or add to many dishes. Hot peppers come in many different varieties. The most mild of all the hot peppers is the anaheim pepper, but other popular varieties include the jalapeno and the serrano pepper. [1] X Research source
You will grow the largest peppers in full sunlight, but they can grow in a bed that has a little shade. Avoid planting peppers in an area in complete shade. If your soil is very rocky or tends to flood in the rain, consider using pots or building a raised bed for your peppers.
This step isn’t mandatory, but could help you determine the most effective strategy for keeping your soil and plants healthy.
Fertilizers include fishmeal, chicken manure, or a pre-mixed fertilizer available for purchase at a local gardening center. Hand pick any weeds that may be present to prevent them from overrunning your pepper patch.
Peppers don’t grow in cold or frosty soil, so wait to plant them until the weather has warmed enough. Plant peppers outside at least one month after your last day of frost for the best temperature of soil. You can look up the last frost date in your area on the Internet or in a farmers’ almanac Choose a date that you feel matches the temperature requirements of outdoor soil for you peppers, and count back 8-10 weeks from that date; this is when you will start your seedlings. Memorial day is typically a good time to plant peppers, meaning that you start your seeds in early March.
Make a cup of weak chamomile tea to disinfect the seeds and break down the seed coats. Mix two tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide with a cup of lukewarm water to soak the seeds in if chamomile tea is unavailable.
Use a store-bought seed tray for the easiest place to sow your seeds, or make your own using an old plastic or cardboard milk jug with holes poked in the bottom. [3] X Research source Fill the bottom of the seed tray with pebbles or small rocks and then cover with potting soil. Plant seeds half an inch apart just under the surface of the soil, and water well.
True leaves are the leaves you see on full-sized pepper plants, large and pointy, as opposed the the rounded cotyledons that sprout from the seedling first.
About two weeks before you plan to transfer your plants outdoors, you need to gradually expose the plants to the outdoor climate. Start by placing your seedlings outdoors for a few hours each day, in an area protected from direct sunlight and wind. Slowly extend the number of hours the plants stay outside as they continue to grow. Avoid leaving the peppers outside overnight until you’re almost done hardening them off.
This is the same process if you grow your peppers from seeds or if you transplant a store-bought pepper plant. Plant the peppers as deep in the garden soil as they were in the pots. Space rows of peppers about 10–15 inches (25. 4–38. 1 cm) apart. [5] X Research source
Straw and grass clippings make great mulch for pepper plants. Add a layer about two inches thick to all of the soil between and around each pepper plant.
Later on in the season when your plant is nearing the end of the production season, however, you can allow them to mature a bit longer before harvesting. The richer the color, the riper the fruit. Cut the pepper at the top of the stem. Pulling on your peppers can damage the fragile stalks and roots. If you are expecting a frost, be sure to pick all of the fruit, even if it is a bit under-ripe. A frost will damage any leftover fruit. [6] X Research source
