How to Grow the Perfect Hot Pepper

Hot peppers are hot because of an ingredient called capsaicin.

Pepper plants are native to North America, Central America and Asia. The hottest peppers usually come from Central America. The most popular types of pepper plants to grow are banana peppers, green bell peppers and cherry peppers. Almost anyone can grow a pepper plant with no problems, but the best varieties are usually started indoors well before the last frost because they do not germinate quickly.

Things You'll Need

• Pepper seeds
• Heat lamp
• 5-10-10 fertilizer
• Manure
• Compost
• Mulch

Instructions

1. Start pepper seeds indoors about eight weeks before the last frost of the winter season. Use a heat lamp to increase soil temperature for faster germination.

2. Choose a sunny area in your garden to transplant the seedlings after the last frost.

3. Prepare the soil before planting pepper seedlings. Use 5-10-10 fertilizer, manure and compost to ensure that the dirt is healthy.

4. Space pepper plants 18 inches apart. Rows should be no greater than 24 inches apart.

5. Water the soil thoroughly just after planting peppers and regularly during the summer months.

6. Apply mulch to the base of the pepper plants to lock in moisture and to prevent weeds from growing.

7. Fertilize pepper plants with a 5-10-10 fertilizer high in phosphorous as soon as they begin to bear fruit.

8. Harvest peppers when they are green. If left on the vine, they will eventually turn red and have a sweeter taste. Some people prefer not to pick them until they reach this stage.

Tips & Warnings

• Aphids and spider mites are attracted to pepper plants. An insecticide will quickly take care of the problem.

• Peppers should be refrigerated and eaten no more than two weeks after harvesting.

References

• The Gardeners Network: How to Grow Pepper Plants
• Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet: Growing Peppers in the Home Garden