How to grow Peppers
Capsicum annuum
Sweet or hot — they love a warm summer.
Peppers are heat-lovers — wait until nights stay reliably above 55°F before setting them out, whatever your climate. In short-season areas, choose early varieties and start with transplants; in long, hot summers they’ll produce until frost.
Grow Peppers with step-by-step help for your exact yard.
Start free in Seededly →Peppers at a glance
| Sun | Full sun |
|---|---|
| Soil pH | 6.0–6.8 |
| Spacing | 18 in |
| Harvest | Jul → frost |
| Plant | After last frost |
| Note | Frost-tender |
How to grow Peppers, step by step
Start warm
- Buy transplants or start seed indoors 8 weeks before your last frost — peppers are slow.
- Don’t rush them out; cold soil stalls them for weeks.
Plant in heat
- Set out only after nights stay above 55°F, in full sun.
- Space about 18 in apart; a little support keeps heavy plants upright.
Feed & water steadily
- Even moisture prevents blossom-end rot and bitter fruit.
- Go easy on nitrogen once flowers set, or you’ll get leaves, not peppers.
Harvest
- Pick green, or leave them to ripen red/yellow for more sweetness.
- Frequent picking keeps the plant producing.
Peppers problems & fixes
Peppers — Dark sunken spot on the bottom: what's wrong and how do I fix it?
Blossom-end rot from uneven watering. Mulch and water steadily.
Peppers — Flowers drop, no fruit: what's wrong and how do I fix it?
Nights too cold or days too hot (above ~90°F). Usually corrects as weather settles.
Peppers — Leaves curl and stipple: what's wrong and how do I fix it?
Aphids or thrips. Spray off with water and check undersides of leaves.
Recommended peppers varieties
- California Wonder — Best for beginners. The dependable blocky sweet bell — turns red if you wait.
- Jalapeño — Mild heat. Productive and forgiving — the gateway hot pepper.
- Carmen — Sweet Italian. Long, sweet frying pepper that ripens early — great in short seasons.
Peppers month-by-month
| January | Plan & order seed. |
|---|---|
| February | Start seed indoors under a light. |
| March | Pot up seedlings; keep them warm. |
| April | Harden off late in the month. |
| May | Plant out after frost when nights warm. |
| June | Flowers set; keep evenly watered. |
| July | First peppers — pick or let them color. |
| August | Peak harvest; preserve the surplus. |
| September | Keep picking; bring potted plants in if cold. |
| October | Last harvest before frost. |
| November | Beds cleared. |
| December | Off-season — plan next year. |