Growing Pepper Plants (Step by Step)

Growing pepper plants is easy and – following a few basic guidelines – most growers will see good results. While our Growing Overview provides the basics, here we detail the step-by-step approach we use to maximize results and avoid potential issues.

Getting Started!

Choosing the desired varieties and where to plant them is a good (and fun!) place to start. Mature chile varieties range from six inches to over four feet tall. They do well in gardens and as outdoor potted plants – where a couple of vibrant plants can yield a few hundred peppers. Or, simply scattering pepper seeds into a small patch of bare soil can also turn out nicely.

Acquiring Seeds

Local garden stores tend to have seeds for common pepper varieties, such as jalapeno, habanero, cayenne, etc. To find the more unique chile varieties – lemon drop, black pearl, datil, white ghost – you'll likely need to shop online.

You can also harvest your own pepper seeds as a free, and abundant, source of seeds – for yourself, and to share or trade. Going further, growers can use hybridization and selective breeding to take their hobby to another level. It's even possible to create brand new pepper varieties and contribute to an ever-growing list that some estimate to be over 50,000 strong!

Starting Seeds Indoors

While it's typically recommended to start seeds 6-8 weeks before transplanting outside, we prefer 8-12 weeks of lead time. This provides more time for varieties that take longer to sprout and the ability to replant failed seed cups.

We use 4-inch pots with good drainage holes. Disposable plastic drinking cups with three 1/4" holes drilled in the bottom also work. Good drainage is important, as waterlogged soil is not good for pepper plants. Either of these should provide enough room for a couple of months of growth.

We've seen our best germination rates using organic potting mixes. We leave about an inch of clearance at the top of the starter cup, so the plastic wrap covering doesn't interfere with seedlings as they sprout.

To assist germination, we make a seed starter solution with one tablespoon of Miracle-Gro® mixed in a gallon of distilled, or non-chlorinated, water. Using this solution, we water each starter cup prior to planting the seeds as overhead watering can be disruptive – potentially pushing the seeds deeper than intended. Each starter cup is then planted with 3-4 seeds about 1/8 inch deep. Sowing multiple seeds improves the odds of each cup having at least one seedling.

Once planted, we cover the starter cups with plastic wrap to retain moisture and heat. While normal indoor temperatures will work, warmer temperatures are better in achieving quick and robust germination. Using heating mats or an incubator to maintain a soil temperature between 80-85°F during the day and normal household temperatures at night is ideal. Alternatively, placing the seed containers on top of the refrigerator, in a furnace closet, or on a high shelf – for an added couple of degrees – also works reasonably well.

If soil dries before seeds sprout, briefly remove plastic wrap and water with starter solution. A disposable coffee cup with sippy lid, or a cocktail shaker with strainer top, can help to water gently with minimal soil disruption.

Caring for Seedlings

Most of the viable seeds should sprout in 6-14 days – though, sometimes it can take upwards of 30 days, depending on the variety and conditions. Once seedlings appear, remove plastic wrap or any moisture retaining cover on sprouted cups and place in sunny location indoors or under a grow light.

Discontinue use of seed starter solution and use regular tap water that has sat out for at least 24 hours to remove the chlorine. Spring water, distilled, and rain water will also work.

Seedlings should partially dry out in-between watering – soil should still be moist, but not damp. Young seedlings can be knocked around by overhead watering, if not done gently. If seedlings get stuck to soil, use a pencil or toothpick to gently lift them off the wet soil a little. They'll usually straighten out again pretty quickly.

Choosing the Strongest Seedling

When seedlings are couple of inches high – if you like – choose the strongest seedling in each container and cut the rest to free up room for the chosen seedlings to grow.

Or, Transplant Extras into New Cups

Let soil dry out moderately and use a fork to gently loosen soil around the seedling(s) to be relocated. In most cases, extra seedlings should be able to be gently pulled and removed with roots intact and transplanted into another container. It’s best to wait until seedlings are around 2" inches" tall. Younger seedlings are easily damaged and may not survive transplanting.

Or, Let Them All Mature in the Same Cup

If there is enough room, seedlings can continue to be kept in the same cup. When transplanting outside – using care – they still should be able to be separated. Or, the seedlings can be kept together and transplanted as a group into the same pot or garden square. Two or three peppers placed in close proximity won't yield as much as they would if given proper spacing, though, a pepper plant grouping will usually produce more than a single plant.

Hardening Pepper Starts

Once pepper starts are around 3-5" tall, it's a good time to start to harden them – weather permitting. Peppers transplanted directly outdoors without a transition period can experience significant shock from wind, changing temperatures and direct sunlight – so this should be done gradually.

A screenroom/sunroom is a great place to start the process. When transitioning outside, start with 15-20 minutes a day in a shaded area with filtered light, and avoid overly windy/rainy conditions. Gradually increase outside time and the intensity of sun they receive.

Soon, they can be left outside for long periods – even overnight – with continued monitoring. Small starter cups offer little protection for young pepper plants, making them vulnerable drying out and prolonged periods of cold. If plants get droopy, bring inside or to a sheltered spot – and if dry, water immediately.

Brief nighttime temperatures down to 40°F should be fine for mostly hardened plants – ours have handled brief dips to 35-37°F on occasion – though, a prolonged period in that range can kill them. We keep our starter cups in a shallow tray for easy transport during the hardening period.

If the pepper starts are destined for pots that are easily moved, they can be transplanted and hardened in those pots.

Transplanting

Once hardened and about 4-6" tall, pepper starts are ready for transplanting outside. It's best to wait until nighttime temperatures are consistently above 50°F – though, they can deal with lower temperatures, if not prolonged. As a general guideline, we'll wait at least until the vast majority of the predicted nightly lows in the 15 day forecast are above 50°F with nothing below 45°F.

Peppers can be transplanted at a smaller size with consistently favorable weather. In years with good weather, we've planted ours as small as 2", with good results. However, we've transplanted 3" plants during years where the weather turned unexpectedly cold and they were significantly stunted for the next month or so.

Choose a spot where plants will receive full sun, have enough room to grow, and have good drainage. Pepper plants love sun and like to dry out a little between watering. You'll see a significant difference in size and fullness between pepper plants in a sunny spot versus shade. Shady locations also tend to increase exposure garden slugs and disease. If transplanting into pots, our Peppers in Pots Guide offers help on choosing pot sizes.

1. It's best to transplant in the evening – giving the plants a night to adjust before receiving full sun. Transplanting when the forecast calls for a day or two of cloudy weather is even better.
2. Dig holes to roughly starter cup depth. For a stringy or bent plant, use a deeper hole to bury more of the plant to straighten it – clip any leaves that would be buried.
3. Squeeze starter cup a few times and slide pepper plant and roots out of cup. Break up the root ball a little to free roots.
4. Place root ball into hole and cover roots with soil.
5. Gently press plant into soil to firm it in an upright position.
6. Add a layer of straw, grass clippings (unless herbicides are used on lawn) or wood chip mulch around plant to suppress weeds and conserve water. Pull mulch away from plant stem slightly.

To inoculate our peppers with beneficial microbes, we like to dispense a little compost tea into the starter cups about an hour before transplanting. When transplanting, we add a 1/2 tablespoon of our soil amendment into the hole and work it into the soil.

Pepper plants are vulnerable to wilting and sun-scalding after transplanting. A little wilting is fine, though if significant, provide shade and water the ground around them – taking care to avoid directly watering wilted leaves. Caught early, plants should bounce back and can be reintroduced to full sun in a few days.

Growing, Flowering, and Fruiting

Depending on the soil, a nitrogen based fertilizer can now be used. Weak growth or pale leaves, at an early stage, could be a sign that more nitrogen is needed. We use mostly compost and organic-based soils, so our our peppers tend to have sufficient nitrogen. That, combined with the soil amendment we use is usually enough.

Newly transplanted pepper plants should be focused on growing. Sometimes peppers overgrow their starter cups and become root bound. This may encourage the plant to start forming flower buds prior to, or shortly after, transplanting. Being constrained, the plant entered the flowering and fruiting stage early as a survival strategy. While pepper plants are small, flower buds should be pinched off to encourage more plant growth.

As fruit ripens, it's best to pick soon afterward to encourage further growth and to increase the yield. Plants regularly maintained and harvested should continue to produce peppers through the end of the growing season – usually until the first hard frost.

Speaking of which… pepper plants are, in fact, perennials – provided they don't experience a hard freeze. It's fairly easy to overwinter them inside. They can be brought outside again the following spring and, in many cases, can be even more enjoyable in their second year.

Additional Resources

• Basic Growing Guide / Quick Growing Tips
• Planting Pepper Plants in Pots
• Hybridization of Pepper Plants
• Maximizing Yield When Growing Pepper Plants
• Solutions to Common Issues w/ Pepper Plants