Peppers

Here are my tips for growing great peppers:

Site, soil type:

Peppers need moderate (for small peppers) to high (large peppers) soil fertility.   They need full sun

Use well-drained soil with abundant phosphorus and calcium.

Planting requirements:

Plant when the soil is at least 65 degrees.  Peppers like warm summer weather.     To get a headstart, plant indoors 10-12 weeks ahead and then transplant 2-3 weeks after tomatoes.  Ideal transplants have buds but no open flowers.

Peppers will not tolerate frost.

Nutrition/Fertilizer needs:

Use ½ cup of a complete organic fertilizer per plant.   Foliar feed occasionally with diluted fish emulsion for extra nutrition.

Water needs:

Keep the soil moist at all times.

Other tips:

Peppers like heat.  Use row covers after planting to give them increased warmth if it’s cool.  Use hoops, don’t allow row cover to touch plants.

Put olive colored plastic down one week before planting to warm soil.  Put holes in the plastic and put plants in the holes.  Olive plastic suppresses weeds but allows sun to warm the soil.