The most popular peppers in vegetable gardens are sweet bell peppers, banana peppers and pungent Hungarian wax peppers. Peppers are normally harvested in the immature green stage for use in relishes, salads, stuffings and for flavor in many cooked dishes.

Climatic Requirements:

As peppers are of tropical origin, plants thrive best when temperatures are warm. Peppers are very sensitive to cold, and planting should be delayed until all danger of frost is past in the spring. Ideal temperatures are 70 to 80 degrees F during the day, and 60 to 70 degrees F at night. Extremely high temperatures (90 degrees F or above) during flowering often results in blossom drop. Fruit that set when temperatures average above 80 degrees F may be small and poorly shaped due to heat injury to the blossoms. Temperatures below 60 degrees F at night will also result in blossom drop.

A shortage of water at bloom time can also result in blossom drop or failure to set fruit. Pepper plants usually set satisfactory crops when temperatures are between 65 and 80 degrees F and the soil is well-supplied with moisture. Avoid soggy, water-logged soil when growing peppers.

Soil Requirements:

Pepper plants grow best in warm, well-drained soils of moderate fertility and good tilth. The plants are not particularly sensitive to soil acidity, but best results are obtained in the 6.0 to 6.8 pH range. Adjust soil fertility as indicated by soil test results. Fertilizers of a 1-2-2 ratio, such as 5-10-10 or 8-16-16, are often used for growing peppers.

Establishing the Planting:

Peppers are usually grown by using transplants rather than by direct seeding. Select stocky, sturdy plants that have 3-5 sets of true leaves. Avoid plants that already have flowers and fruit.

Space plants 18 inches apart in rows 24 inches apart or more, depending on the type of cultivation used. Water plants thoroughly after transplanting.

Cultural Practices:

After the plants are well established, apply a mulch to conserve soil moisture, prevent soil compaction and help suppress weed growth. Once fruits have begun to set, an additional sidedressing of fertilizer will help promote greater plant productivity. Use a 12-12-12 analysis fertilizer or other high nitrogen fertilizer at the rate recommended on the package.

Control weeds by hand-pulling or shallow cultivation to avoid injury to the plant roots. The incidence of disease can be reduced with proper spacing, by watering early in the day so leaves dry quickly and with the use of soaker hoses.

Aphids should be controlled as they may carry viral diseases that can affect peppers. European corn borers may make small holes near the stem of the pepper and cause internal rot of the fruit.

Harvesting and Storage:

Bell peppers are usually picked once they have reached full size and are firm, but are still green and immature. They will be sweeter and higher in vitamin content, however, if allowed to ripen on the plant. Other peppers are usually harvested at full maturity.

Care should be taken when breaking the peppers from the plants, as the branches are often brittle. Hand clippers or pruners can be used to cut peppers from the plant to avoid excessive stem breakage. The number of peppers per plant varies with the variety. Bell pepper plants may produce six to eight or more fruit per plant.

In general, peppers have short storage life of only one to two weeks. Cool, moist conditions (45 to 50 degrees F) and 85 to 90 percent relative humidity are the ideal storage conditions for peppers.

Adapted from Marianne Riofrio, Ohio State University Extension, 2000