You shouldn't sow pepper seeds outside since peppers thrive in hot conditions. Start planting them eight to ten weeks before the last predicted frost date, or buy seedlings from a greenhouse.
Also, peppers take around two or three months to fully mature, so it's best to grow them as seedlings rather than seeds.
Pepper plants, especially young ones, are sensitive to cold. Put them outside during the day to acclimate them to being outside, then bring them inside at night to protect them from the cold. You should be able to plant them after a couple weeks.
4) Sow pepper seeds.
You may sow pepper seeds in the garden when nighttime temperatures reach 15 degrees Celsius. To prepare the soil for planting pepper plants, cover it with black plastic and let it sit for one week.
Plant them at a depth equal to or less than their potted height. Planting peppers too deeply can kill them. Give them a 45 to 60 cm gap.
Fifthly, what plants go best with peppers in the garden
Arrange the pepper plants close to the tomato plants. To keep soil bugs and beetles at bay, plant peppers near tomatoes.
Cucumbers, carrots, eggplants, and onions are companion plants that peppers may thrive in. Plant petunias or geraniums close to peppers to ward off insects.
Peppers and basil go hand in hand, and basil also deters pests. In addition to warding off aphids, parsley entices pollinators and even some wasp species.
Peppers shouldn't be planted near cabbage, broccoli, or mustard. Peppers shouldn't be planted close to fennel or green beans either.
six) Backs
Though it's not strictly necessary, staking the peppers will help them stay off the ground. Pests and soil bacteria will have an easier time getting to your plants if they droop.
Produce high-quality mulch
Mulching the plants is vital for peppers since they appreciate warm soil with good drainage. Soil is kept warmer by a dark mulch because it absorbs more solar heat.
Mint is a favorite of peppers as well. Mulch your lawn to slow weed growth and protect your plants' roots from grubs and other garden pests.
8) Irrigation done properly
Water your pepper plants frequently; they require 2–5 centimeters of water weekly. Keep an eye on the amount of water collected by using a rain gauge. If needed, add more water.
You might have to water twice a day if you reside in a hotter region or if it's really hot outside. Peppers may turn bitter if left out in the sun for too long.
But you can ruin your blooms or hurt your plants' roots if you water them too much.
9) Pepper plant pruning
Pick off the first blooms on every plant. This makes the plant work harder to produce more of its desired fruit rather than focusing on producing a single fruit.
You may see an improvement in the harvest quality and quantity of peppers produced by the plant if you do this.
ten) Plant food
Hold off on fertilizing your garden until you see peppers starting to take shape. Choose a fertilizer that is low in nitrogen content; peppers dislike it. If a plant has an excess of nitrogen, it may start to put forth more leaves than usual.