Growing peppers

Peppers, plant peppers, Care for Pepper Plants, Growing Peppers in Containers, Container Growing Techniques

 

        Peppers are grown in very much the same way as tomatoes. They are set out after all danger of frost is over and the weather is warm. The row spacing is usually 2 1/2 to 3 feet apart, depending on cultivation equipment The plants are set about 18 inches apart in the row. Pepper plants require continuous growth for satisfactory results, are very sensitive to unfavorable weather though, of course, the gardener has little control over the weather. Peppers will often drop their blossoms when temperatures are high and humidity is low. Cool weather can also keep the plant from flowering. Deep cultivation that Cuts the roots causes a water stress on the plant that frequently makes blossoms drop. Even a short dry period can cause the same conditions.

 

        Growing peppers is going to be so easy you will wonder what took you so long to start them in your home garden. To get the best growth from your garden, always prepare the soil well in advance of planting time. The soil for growing peppers should be enriched by working compost into the top 6-inches.

 

        Look for a sunny spot for growing peppers or, if you live in a climate where the temperatures will top 90 degrees, you will need to find an area that gets afternoon shade. The pollen needed to produce peppers will be killed by high heat and the heat will also cause blossoms to drop.

 

        The stems and branches of pepper plants are quite fragile and will need some protection from the wind. Also, the growing peppers get very heavy and will need support. One of the best ways to support your pepper plants is to use tomato cages. (See our article on tomato cages.) These round wire supports are perfect for keeping your plants from breaking either from the wind or from the weight of the growing peppers.

 

        Cutworms do find the stems of tender pepper plants quite tasty. It's a good idea to protect your now growing peppers by encircling the base of the plant with a 2-inch plastic pot that has had the bottom cut off. Just ease the plastic pot into the soil around the plant.

 

        A good thing to keep in mind when growing peppers is that they do have oils that can get on your hands as you pick them. So, if you touch your eyes with your pepper picking hands, it's not going to feel good at all!

 

        You can choose from hundreds of different pepper varieties to grow from seed. Peppers range in flavor from sweet and mild to so hot they could qualify as a deadly weapon! You will be the one growing peppers, so just choose your heat and eat.

 

        Good soil for pappers

 

        Peppers require an even supply of water to prevent stress in dry periods; therefore, they should be set in soil high in organic matter. If available, apply 15 tons of manure per acre. (60 to 70 pounds per 1000 square feet) A good sod of red, sweet or crimson clover, or alfalfa, plowed down, is one of the best practices to insure high yields. A small grain crop plowed under every year is a very good practice.

 

        Fertilize well and as recommended, after having soil tested. A general recommendation is 1500 pounds of 10-10-10 per acre or 40 pounds per 1000 square feet. Of this amount, broadcast 1000 pounds per acre or 25 pounds per 1000 square feet before plowing. If possible, the remainder should be applied in bands on either side of plants. If band application cannot be made, broadcast the remaining portion after plowing and disk or harrow into the soil.

 

        When to plant pappers

 

        Set plants in as soon as danger of frost is past. Pepper plants need a long growing period and moisture levels in the soil are usually more favorable in the spring season. Start with Good Plants Good thrifty plants about 6 weeks old are best for transplanting.

 

        Setting Plants

 

        Set plants about 1 inch deeper in the soil than they grew in the plant bed. They should be watered in using a good starter solution. A commercially prepared starter solution is best, but an adequate one can be made by dissolving a cup of 5-10-10 or 10-10-10 fertilizer in 4 gallons of water.

 

        Sidedressing. If plant growth is not as vigorous as desired or plants are a light or pale green, apply a tablespoonful of nitrate fertilizer around each plant after several blossoms have set. Do not apply if plants are very vigorous or show excessive vegetative growth.

 

        Weed Control. Herbicides: after the soil has been prepared and before transplanting date, the field should be sprayed with diphenamid at the rate of 4 pounds per acre on light soils (1.5 oz. per 1000 square feet), and 5 pounds per acre on heavy soils (1.9 oz. per 1000 square feet). For small plantings, such as a home garden, a more practical method of controlling weeds is cultivating and hoeing. Only shallow cultivation should be practiced (1 inch deep). Deep cultivation cuts many of the feeder roots which in turn diminishes the water supply and often causes blossom or fruit drop.

 

        Contact your local county extension office for current pest control recommendations.

 

        Care for Pepper Plants

 

     - Once the plants start to come up, thin them so they are 14 to 18 inches apart when they start to come up. Grow the plants indoors until the nighttime temperatures stay above 55 degrees.

     - When transplanting outdoors, dig the garden or use a raised garden of well-draining soil mixed with a good-quality vegetable fertilizer. Plant the pepper plants at a level that is comparable to the level in which they sit in the containers.

     - Wet the soil after planting. Water daily if there is no rain. The plants do not like to be completely dry. Try to keep the moisture level consistent; this will produce the most peppers on the plants.

     - Fertilize again when you see the first sign of peppers. Use a fertilizer that you can place on the top of the soil. This will provide the plant with nutrition a little at a time. Place it alongside the plant and not right up against the trunk of the plant.

     - Use an insecticide if you start to see a sticky dew on the bottom of the leaves. This is a sign of aphids that can destroy your plant. Follow the manufacturer's directions for use of the insecticide.

 

        Growing Peppers in Containers

 

 

        There are many advantages to growing peppers in containers. People who live in apartments and townhouses without gardens can grow peppers and other plants on their balconies, patios, or even in a closet under lights. Fresh pods from potted peppers are available all year long. The peppers can be moved around easily, transforming the peppers from patio plants to ornamental houseplants. They can be rescued from heavy downpours or hail, or moved to areas of varying light levels. In pots, peppers are easier to isolate for plant breeding or to produce pure seed. Treasured varieties can be wintered over in a greenhouse or sunroom and returned to the garden the following year.Some pepper enthusiasts become so fond of their potted peppers that they turn them into pets. They give them nicknames, take pictures of them to send to relatives and friends, and freely share their pods. This kind of behavior is seems to be unique to pepper growers, so it seems to us that pepper gardening has become a very popular hobby in the U.S.

 

        Fortunately, we've been in contact with a number of these pepper hobbyists. During our research, we did not come across any studies done on potted peppers, so we've had to depend entirely on our own experiences and those of the hobbyists across the country.

 

        Choosing the Containers

 

        Virtually anything that will hold soil can be used to grow peppers. If the reason for using containers is to expand the size of the garden rather than eventually to bring the plants indoors, then size and appearance is not a problem and the gardener can use fairly large containers such as plastic trash cans, wooden boxes or barrels, styrofoam picnic coolers, and the large plastic, fiber, or metal pots used by greenhouses for shrubs and trees. The ideal size for peppers is five gallons or larger for outdoor growing.

 

        Gardeners can use their imaginations when selecting containers. For example, Florida pepper lover Diane Chamberlain reports good success in growing a peperoncino in a hanging pot in her kitchen window when she lived in Japan. "It usually had peppers hanging on it," she said, "and I used them for cooking."

 

        Container Growing Techniques

 

        Drainage and Soil. Good drainage is essential regardless of the type of containers chosen for growing peppers. The containers should have large drain holes. To prevent soil from washing out of the holes, plug them with irregularly shaped stones. Some early sources suggest placing a 3-inch layer of gravel to aid in drainage, but this practice is discredited today. Do not place the container in a jardinere or in a saucer because of the risk of the roots sitting in water. Indoors, of course, saucers are a necessity, so just make sure the pot doesn't sit in water.

 

        One of the biggest problems with container gardening is the tendency for the plants to dry out and wilt between regular waterings. The major cause of the quick drying is plant transpiration, which is greater than one might expect when the plant has a well developed root system. Another cause of drying is evaporation from the top of the soil, which can be controlled with a mulch of grass clippings--but then it's hard to see how wet the soil is. The third cause is the type of soil chosen for the container.

 

        It is commonly believed that commercial potting soil is the best choice for containers because many garden soils contain too much clay for use in pot. However, commercial potting soils often contain so much sand, perlite, and milled sphagnum moss that they drain too fast and dry out too quickly.

 

        Some gardeners have had success with simply digging soil out of the garden and putting it in a pot. Most pepper gardeners add some garden soil to a mix that includes commercial potting soil and other soil expanders. We have had good luck with the following formula: 1 part perlite, 1 part sand, 1 part vermiculite, 3 parts commercial potting soil, and 3 parts garden soil. Another good mixture is 1 part loamy soi, 1 part peat moss, and 1 part sand. Daphne Gould of Boston reports excellent results with a mixture of two parts compost, one part perlite, and one part garden soil, mulched with grass clippings.

 

        Gardeners will have to make some mixes with their own garden soil and judge for themselves what mixture works best. Many sources suggest pasteurizing garden soil before using it in a pot, but that is a tedious process that tends to smell up the kitchen.

 

        Location. Outdoors, peppers in containers seem to do best in partial shade or in locations receiving full sun only in the morning. There is a tendency for pots in full sun to absorb solar radiation and heat up the roots too much. However, if the pots are quite large, painted white or aluminum to reflect solar energy, and are well-mulched, many varieties will thrive in full sun. Indoors, the plants will be partially shaded by the movement of the sun, so place them in the sunniest window. In the summer, it's usually an east or west window; in the winter, a south window is best.

 

        Fertilizing. Peppers in pots generally need a little more feeding than those outdoors growing in aged manure. About once a week early in the growing season, use a balanced liquid fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, diluted even more than the instructions suggest. Fish emulsion seems to work well for organic gardeners. A good slow-release fertilizer is Osmocote, which does not burn the plants and provides a steady supply of nutrients. If the growth of the potted pepper seems more vigorous than that of the same variety in the garden, or if blossoms are dropping, stop using the fertilizer. If blossom drop continues, too much nitrogen has been applied, and the pot should be flushed by running a lot of water through it.

 

        Problems. One of the biggest problems with growing peppers indoors is pets. The plants are chewed by cats, dogs, and birds. Some gardeners put netting over their peppers to keep the cats off, but then they have hidden their favorite plants. Another problem with growing peppers indoors or in greenhouses is that they are more susceptible to the usual houseplant attackers: spider mites, whitefly, and aphids. The best control is to wash the plants at least once a week with soapy water, then rinse them. You can even put them under the shower to spray them off. Be sure to wash the underside of the leaves.

 

        Adequate light is needed in the winter, or the plants will cease flowering and begin to drop leaves. Jeff and Nancy Gerlach report they had excellent success with rocotos and other varieties in the south-exposed window of their office in Albuquerque. The light and heat was so intense that the peppers continued to produce pods all winter long. In our north-exposed greenhouse in Albuquerque, however, the peppers went into dormancy and lost many of their leaves.