Peppers, especially the sweet varieties, are a popular pick to grow in the vegetable garden. They are close relatives of tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes, and even tobacco, all being in the Solanaceae family. While tomatoes and potatoes are fairly easy to grow, peppers can be challenging in some areas, because they need a good deal of heat and sun to set and ripen their fruits. Pepper plants will sit in the garden and wait for the right conditions before they really start to grow.
Description
Pepper plants all look pretty much alike, some taller and bushier than others. There the resemblance ends. The fruits of sweet peppers can be boxy, stocky, round, or long and thin, and in shades of green, red, yellow, orange, and purple.
Additional Info
All peppers are short-lived tropical perennials that prefer moderately warm days and nights and do not really start producing until 2 months into the growing season.
Peppers are not terribly fussy about soil. They like a good amount of organic matter, good drainage and a neutral soil pH of about 6.0 to 6.8.
Peppers are slow starters. Start seed 8 to 12 weeks before your last frost date. Seed can take a while to germinate, although sweet peppers are usually faster than hot peppers. Using some type of bottom heat, either with a heating pad or simply placing the flats on top of the refrigerator, will speed germination. It will also dry out the soil faster, so remember to water.
Watering
The most important thing you can do for your peppers is to make sure they get regular water. Drought stress will cause their flowers to drop. (They will also drop their flowers in prolonged cool weather, extreme heat and low humidity.)
Fertilizing
Start with rich, organic soil. You can feed your pepper plants when you plant them and again when the first flowers appear. Use a well-balanced fertilizer labeled for edible plants. Many gardeners add a small handful of Epsom salts to the soil at planting, as a magnesium boost.
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