NightshadesSolanaceae
Peppers.
At a glance
The spec sheet.
- Indoor start
- Mar 10 – 20
- Direct sow / out
- May 20 – Jun 1
- Germ
- 10–20 days (needs heat mat)
- Days to harvest
- 70–90 from transplant
- Spacing
- 15" apart, rows 24"
- Depth
- ¼"
- Square-foot
- 1 per square
- Qty target
- 10–15 sweet + 4–6 hot for a household that cooks Mexican/Italian.
Plant
Wait for warm soil — 65°F+. Cold soil stalls peppers for weeks. Heat mat is essential for germination.
Care
Cage or stake — heavy fruit sets can topple plants. Mulch. Consistent water. Peppers respond to warmth: black plastic mulch adds heat units.
Harvest
Pick green for continuous production, or leave to ripen to red/orange/yellow for sweetness. Hot peppers usually best when fully colored.
Freeze whole, roast and freeze, pickle, ferment into hot sauce, dry (hot peppers), pepper jelly.