I grew up eating Hatch chili from New Mexico, so it is no surprise I planted peppers in my garden. The local nursery was selling the Big Jim variety so I decided to give them a try. Big Jim peppers are on the small side but pack a lot of heat. After tasting one sliver I was reaching for the honey.
Peppers can grow in containers just as well as in garden beds. Give them enough room and fertilizer, though. Pepper plants will branch out over a large area if not pruned back. Look for the joint of a new branch and use shears to cut just below this joint. If there are too many branches and leaves all energy will go into these parts of the plant instead of growing fruit. Like with basil be sure to trim no more than 30 percent at one time as this stresses the roots.
Even with regular trimming, pepper plants will need stake support especially when the fruits develop. The branches become so heavy that they can snap. You can find small stakes for this at the nursery. I’ve also re purposed chopsticks. When harvesting the fruits, use shears to cut the peppers just above where the stem is attached. This helps the peppers last longer and minimizes damage to the plant. The more they mature and turn color, the more they develop their flavor.
Peppers love the sun and do well in hot summers. They also love plenty of water. Feed them fertilizer regularly (they like liquid tomato fertilizer). A good rule of thumb is every two weeks when the fruits first appear. Once the fruits mature back off a bit on the fertilizer or else you will be feeding the stems and leaves.
Pepper plants, despite their abundance of branches, can be stripped overnight by a tomato hornworm. I was astonished to walk out one morning and find my pepper plant reduced to what looked like sticks. Unlike when my basil plant was similarly devoured, I could not find the culprit and seek vengeance. I recommend doing inspections early in the morning by turning the leaves over and looking for those bright green squiggles of destruction. I also recommend keeping pepper plants in their own containers and at a distance from each other so that you aren’t planting an all-you-can-eat buffet.
Characteristics: Grow equally well in containers and garden beds; Benefit from frequent trims; Need stake support
Water: Plentiful water and fertilizer
Sun: Love being in the sun
Companions: Basil; Onions; Spinach; Tomatoes; Chives; Carrots; Chard; Lettuce; Radishes; Oregano
Enemies: Brassica