Peppers are often a touch tricky to grow. So, albeit you’ve got a garden, you would possibly want to grow your peppers in containers. That’s because you’ll control temperature, water, and fertilizer more easily in containers—which means you would possibly just recover pods from peppers planted in pots.
PEPPER VARIETIES
Most sorts of peppers grow well in containers given the proper conditions. Recommended varieties include Yolo Wonder, Keystone Resistant Giant, Canapé, Red Cherry, Jalapeno, Fat’n’Sassy, and Early Thickset. Hot pepper devotees have had success growing many various sorts of specialty peppers in containers.
Peppers require warm air and soil, so it’s best to start out seedlings indoors instead of plant seeds. you’ll buy seedlings or grow your own. One advantage of growing your own seedlings is that you simply will more varieties to settle on from. Select thick, compact, bushy plants for your containers, and provides each plant about one foot of space altogether directions.
You can transplant seedlings outdoors when temperatures remain above 55 degrees F in the dark and hit 70 degrees during the day. If you expect a chilly snap, move your containers indoors or to a hotter spot outside, or cover them in the dark.
GROWING PEPPERS IN CONTAINERS
Peppers have moderately large root systems, therefore the containers got to be a minimum of 14 inches deep, the deeper the higher in terms of productivity. Small peppers (less than one foot high) grow well in two-gallon containers, but bigger plants need a minimum of five-gallon pots.
You can grow peppers in any sort of container as long as it’s large enough and has good drainage. you’ll drill holes if your container doesn’t have already got them. Cover drainage holes with mesh to stay soil in and pests out. Some growers put a layer of gravel on top of the mesh. Don’t set your pot during a saucer or outer container without drainage, or you’ll defeat the aim of the holes.
Some pepper varieties with pendulous habits, like hard candy, make attractive and productive hanging baskets. you would possibly even try a number of the smaller varieties in window boxes.
Experienced gardeners suggest using white or silver containers in extremely popular and sunny climates to reflect the sun and stop roots from overheating.
PLANTING MIX FOR PEPPERS
Most gardening professionals recommend against using garden soil in containers, because garden soil is heavy, slow to empty, and should contain pests which will harm the plants. They recommend using commercial potting mixes or making your own from equal parts of perlite, compost, and potting soil. Some gardeners, however, report success with using soil right from the garden, either by itself or as a part of a potting mix.
Depending on your climate, peppers may prefer partial shade, morning sun, or full sun. they have warmth but can get overheated in hot climates. One great advantage of gardening in containers is that you simply can move your plants to raised conditions as required.
Dry soil is disastrous for peppers; it’ll slow or maybe stop production. Your challenge is going to be to stay the soil evenly moist but not wet. Mulching will help retain soil moisture and keep weeds down.
Starting early within the season fertilize with a weak solution of a balanced liquid fertilizer, a time-release release fertilizer, or fish emulsion. an excessive amount of nitrogen will create plants with lush foliage and few peppers.
Key an eye fixed out for aphids and flea beetles. If you smoke or handle tobacco wash your hands before you touch the pepper plants because peppers are susceptible to the mosaic virus.
To harvest, use a clean knife to chop the stem of the pepper. Pulling or twisting can damage the plant and leave it vulnerable to insects or diseases.
