Choose a location in your garden where you have not grown tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, eggplants and tomatillos for the past three or four years. Space pepper plants 18 inches apart, in rows 30 to 36 inches apart.
At their mature size, the leaves of the pepper plant should be just touching the leaves of its neighbor plants on either side. Anything closer and they're too crowded, anything farther apart means you could have fit more plants in that space.
If peppers are planted too close, they'll grow into their neighbors. This reduces air circulation around the plants and the foliage won't dry off as quickly after watering or rain. Wet foliage is an invitation to disease.
Set pepper plant seedlings out after the last spring frost. They grow well in raised beds, containers, and in-ground gardens. Plant them 18 to 24 inches apart in a sunny, well-drained spot. Pepper plants need at least 6-8 hours of sunlight per day.
Yes. Pepper plants prefer to be holding hands with one another. I always grow a pair of the same pepper plants about 6 inches from each other then about 2' to the next pair. I get incredible yields doing this. I also put a metal post in between them and loosely tie the main stem to the post every foot of height or so.
Brassicas: Brassicas such as broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage are not good companion plants for peppers as they require similar nutrients from the soil, which can lead to competition and reduced yield.
Peppers need at least six to eight hours of full sun during the growing season. Ideally, soil should be well drained and contain high organic matter. However, peppers can thrive in moderately fertile soil.
Before planting, fill the holes with water and let it soak in. Into each planting hole, put two or three wooden matchsticks (for sulfur) and 1 teaspoon of low-nitrogen, high-phosphorus fertilizer (too much nitrogen will reduce fruit set).
The fact of the matter is that YES the plants are related and YES they share some common diseases but most people do not have the space in their garden to separate them. The reality is that because the two have similar growth requirements, they can in fact be grown quite successfully together.
The Dangers Of Planting Too Close Together
If you plant flowers too close together, the plants get stressed and are prone to diseases, Kole says. If air can't properly circulate and the plants can't dry out between waterings, fungus sets in. Roots can rot. And once plants are weakened from stress, insects move in.
Transplanting Your Peppers
When the weather has settled and the threat of frost has passed, the peppers can be transplanted into the field or hoophouse or greenhouse. Bury them a bit deeper than the root ball to encourage additional root growth that will make them sturdier.
A general rule of thumb is to water deeply once or twice a week, though this can vary based on weather conditions and soil type. For example, sandy soils may need more frequent watering, while clay soils retain moisture longer and may require less frequent watering. It's best to water your peppers in the early morning.
Thrifty cayennes are happy in small, lightweight cages, while big, main season peppers need tomato cages made with heavy-gauge wire. Some gardeners take a different approach by planting three or four peppers in a circle around the outside of a tomato cage.
We like to use 5-7 gallon pots for peppers, as we find that too small of a pot, they dry out too quickly and hinder the growth. Some people plant up to 3 plants per five gallon bucket, but we've found that they won't do as well as if each one had their own bucket. The bigger the pot the better the yield!
In a raised bed, various herbs such as basil, parsley or dill are good companions for peppers. Lettuce, carrots and onions also make good neighbours for peppers in a raised bed.
Space pepper plants 18 inches apart, in rows 30 to 36 inches apart. Grow plants closer together if temperatures are below 60°F. Closer spacing requires fertilizer at planting and during the summer.
Bell Peppers: Vulnerable to damping-off disease, it is advisable to avoid using coffee grounds to deter fungal growth. Instead, consider using well-draining soil and proper spacing for optimal plant health.
Peppers & Epsom Salt
By adding one or two tablespoons to the area before planting for seeds, starter plants and full-grown plants, and then adding it twice a week based on the height of the plant (see above), you can give your pepper plants a much-needed magnesium boost.
We also recommend putting a handful of pure worm castings in the bottom of the hole. We amend our beds with worm castings and we also spray a worm casting tea on the plants while they grow.
Plant 4-6 pepper seeds ½ inch deep and 18 inches apart in the row. After the seedlings have two leaves, thin to a single plant Transplants should be planted 18 inches apart in row, with rows 18-24 inches apart. Transplants that are stocky, dark green, have 6-9 leaves and are 5-8 inches tall, grow most rapidly.
For pepper plants, a balanced fertilizer with equal proportions of Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K) is recommended. However, pepper plants respond positively to higher nitrogen concentrations during the flowering stage.
Watering your pepper plants can be a major focus area for them not growing adequately. Underwatering pepper plants - especially young seedlings or newly transplanted plants - definitely stunts their growth and dries them out completely.