Start pepper seeds about eight weeks before planting outside. This is earlier than you would normally start tomato seeds. Plant seeds one-fourth inch deep in flats containing sterile, soilless germination mix. Use a heating mat to keep the flat at 80°F to 90°F until seedlings emerge.
Using your trowel, dig a planting hole just deep enough to cover the root-ball of the plant. Space in-ground holes 18 inches apart for most peppers; some of the larger bells may need 24 inches.
Hi Reid -- absolutely, peppers will form roots along their stems so go ahead and bury them. I do the same thing, especially when they grow crooked like that (pretty common for me!).
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).
A pepper plant needs ~12" between plants and 18" between rows for a traditional garden. In a raised garden bed though, you don't need rows! In a 4x4 Raised Garden Bed, when planting by area you can grow 16 pepper plants. Using traditional row gardening, you'll only be able to fit 12 pepper plants.
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.
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. Mix compost or other organic matter into the soil when planting. Water immediately after planting, then regularly throughout the season.
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.
How deep does a raised bed need to be for peppers? Even though peppers are fruiting plants, they typically don't need quite as much room below the soil as tomatoes or eggplants do. A 12-inch-deep raised bed should be great for peppers.
Hardening Off Your Pepper Seedlings
Harden off the seedlings before transplanting. When the seedlings are about 7–8 weeks old, they should be 6–8" tall. Ideally, they will have some buds but no open flowers. Harden off the plants by decreasing the day temperature to 60–65°F (16–18°C) for 1 week before transplanting.
Water your plants thoroughly until water begins to drain from the bottom, then allow the top inch or two of soil to dry out before the next watering. Adapt your watering schedule to accommodate the climate in your area. In hot and dry conditions, you may need to water every two to three days.
When plants are about two feet tall, prune out the foliage from the bottom 12" of larger pepper varieties like bell, cubanelle, and poblano peppers. For smaller varieties such as jalapeno, shishito, and Thai peppers, remove foliage from the lower 6-8" of stems.
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.
Water peppers deeply and infrequently, applying 1-2 inches per week. Use drip irrigation if possible. Mulch around the plant will help conserve soil moisture and reduce weed growth.
Sunscald on Peppers
It can affect both leaves (leaf scorch) and fruits. Tender plants that are not adjusted to direct sunlight are the most vulnerable. Pepper plants require a gradual transition from their indoor environment to their home outdoors.
If you grow sweet peppers in containers (and they're a good veggie for that), your potting mix should contain ample amounts of organic material. Miracle-Gro Performance Organics All Purpose Container Mix is great for your container peppers.
For potted plants, Scott recommends applying the Epsom salt solution once per month. When planting a magnesium-loving plant in your garden, such as roses, Scott recommends adding a light sprinkle of Epsom salt to the soil before planting it into the garden.
While not necessary, you can soak pepper seeds prior to planting them to encourage faster germination. Place pepper seeds in a bowl or jar of room temperature water for up to 24 hours to soften the seed coat and break dormancy.
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.
It's probably about an eighth of a cup for each plant. They do fantastic!
If you prefer to make your own mixture, go with 1/3 good garden soil (don't go with clay soil as it compacts badly), 1/3 composted cow manure or similar growing medium, and 1/3 sand. Hot pepper plants LOVE sand as many varieties originate in areas with sandy soil. Also it provides excellent drainage.
SPACE. Peppers are considered medium-size plants, so they'll need some garden space to spread out. Ideally, your raised bed should be at least 12 inches deep so that the roots of your pepper plant have plenty of room to dig down deep.