🌿 Peppers

Grow peppers in fertile, well-drained potting soil or high-quality potting mix with good aeration and even moisture retention. Add mature compost or well-decomposed manure to improve structure, nutrient supply and water retention, while keeping the root zone aerated. Aim for slightly acidic to neutral soil (approx. pH 6.0-6.8). Avoid heavy, compacted or waterlogged soils; use raised beds and/or amend with coarse organic matter and perlite, pumice or fine sand to improve drainage. In containers, use a peat and coir-based planting mix, with added perlite, and provide plenty of drainage holes.

Start bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) seeds indoors 8-10 (up to 12) weeks before last expected frost. Sow at a depth of 0.5-1 cm in a sterile sowing mix, press lightly and keep evenly moist (not soggy). For optimum germination, maintain a soil temperature of 25-30°C (use a heating mat if necessary); germination is slow and irregular if kept cool. As soon as the seedlings emerge, provide bright light (12 to 16 hours a day under lamps or a very sunny window) and good air circulation; maintain warm temperatures (around 20 to 25°C during the day, 16 to 18°C at night). Transplant or repot plants once they have true leaves and roots fill the cell; grow in individual pots to avoid overcrowding and control growth. Harden off for 7-10 days before planting, gradually increasing outdoor exposure while protecting from wind and cold. Peppers are sensitive to cold and growth is slowed in cold soil. Plant in full sun in fertile, well-drained soil amended with compost; plant at the same depth as in the pot (do not bury the stems deeply). Typical spacing is 45-60 cm between plants and 60-90 cm between rows (closer spacing for small cultivars, wider for large-fruited types) to allow air circulation and facilitate harvesting. Water regularly, especially during flowering and fruit set, and mulch after warming up the soil to conserve moisture and keep root zones warm.

Before planting, incorporate 2-5 cm of finished compost or composted manure into the bed and apply a soil-tested pre-planting fertilizer. If no analysis is available, use a moderate, balanced plant fertilizer (e.g. approx. 5-10-10 or similar) rather than high-nitrogen turf-type products. After plant establishment, apply a light lateral application of nitrogen or a complete fertilizer about 3 to 4 weeks after transplanting, then again at fruit set and at the start of harvest. Once flowering and fruiting begin, the emphasis should be on potassium (and adequate phosphorus) to promote fruit filling; avoid excess nitrogen, which promotes lush foliage, delayed fruiting and increased pest/disease pressure. Maintain regular soil moisture to promote nutrient uptake (especially calcium). Flower rot is generally linked to irregular watering and calcium availability; maintain regular watering, avoid over-fertilization (salts can worsen absorption) and correct calcium-poor soils with lime (if pH is low) or gypsum (if pH is already adequate) based on a soil analysis. In containers, use a controlled-release fertilizer at planting or feed with a diluted liquid fertilizer regularly (e.g. every 1-2 weeks), and rinse pots periodically to prevent salt build-up.

Mulching peppers after soil warming (and after plants are established) conserves moisture, eliminates weeds and reduces soil splatter on leaves and fruit. Use 5-8 cm of clean organic mulch (straw, shredded leaves, composted bark) or consider early black plastic mulch to increase soil warmth in cool climates. Keep mulch a few centimetres from the stem/crown to improve air circulation and reduce crown rot and slug/snail hiding places. Maintain an even layer and top it up as it decomposes, especially during hot, dry periods; ensure that irrigation water can penetrate the mulch to keep the root zone evenly moist.

Support bell pepper plants with a sturdy stake, tomato cage or short trellis to prevent lodging and stem breakage under the load of fruit. Place the support at the time of planting (or as soon as possible) to avoid damaging the roots later. For single stake training, drive a 3- to 5-foot (0.9 to 1.5 m) stake 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm) from the stem and tie the main stem every 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30 cm) with soft, flexible, loose figure-of-eight ties; add ties as growth continues. For cages, place a 30-45 cm diameter cage and guide stems inside; secure cages to a stake in windy sites. Add additional ties/supports as fruit begins to form, and keep branches and fruit off the ground to reduce breakage and rot.