7 mistakes to avoid when growing peppers, according to a botanist

Peppers are a wonderful addition to any garden. Not only are they versatile and tend to be pest resistant, but they also make a great companion to other garden favorites. But as with any plant, there are some mistakes you could make when growing peppers. These mistakes can affect the flavor of the pepper, welcome pests and diseases, and minimize yield. To help you avoid these mistakes, we spoke with a botanist who shares several mistakes he should avoid when caring for his pepper crop.

Caring for Pepper Plants When They Are Wet

Avoid caring for your pepper plants after you have watered them or after heavy rain. “This could lead to disease outbreaks, since most fungi and bacteria are transmitted through thin films of water and water splashes,” says Cubian. To ensure this doesn’t happen, wait a day or two after the last rain before caring for your peppers.

Working with wet plants doesn’t necessarily mean they will get diseases, but doing so increases the chances. If you’ve worked on the plant when it’s wet and notice leaf blight or fruit rot, cut them off immediately with pruning shears disinfected with alcohol, Cubian says.

Do not harvest the peppers

Leaving too many peppers on the plant can drain it of energy. If you don’t reduce the number of peppers on the plant, the quality and quantity will decline. “Limit four to six fruits per plant to increase fruit size and quality,” Cubian says. Regularly harvesting peppers encourages a second cycle of flowering and then fruiting.

Lack of soil preparation

Soil that is too compact or lacking in nutrients can make peppers more prone to disease. Do a soil test to see what nutrients your soil is missing and then add amendments that increase those nutrients. If you’ve already planted your peppers, you can still save the soil. “Place a 2 to 3-inch layer of organic matter on top of the soil,” Cubian says. “Just avoid dumping the compost too close to the stem to prevent rotting.”

Plant when the soil is cold

When growing peppers from seeds, make sure the soil is warm enough, between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. When the soil is too cold, seeds can rot and never sprout. To avoid this problem, plant peppers when the soil is warm enough. But if you’ve already planted your peppers in cold soil, consider purchasing soil warming mats or seedling mats to warm the soil in your garden. Keep in mind that using it can dry out the soil too much, so daily watering is essential.

Transplant too early

Peppers can suffer shock when transplanted. To avoid this, harden off pepper plants before transplanting them outdoors. This means placing potted seedlings outside in half sunlight before planting. On the first day, leave the peppers out for an hour, the second day for two hours, and so on until a full week has passed. If your pepper plants suffer transplant shock, cover the rows with covers for a week or two to help the plant adjust to its new home.

Planting with insufficient light

Without enough sunlight, pepper plants will not produce fruit. Avoid this by ensuring your plants receive 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight each day. If you’ve already planted your peppers and the area isn’t bright enough, try cutting tree branches that may be blocking the light, Cubian says.

Not spacing your plants enough

When pepper plants are grown too close together, they end up competing for nutrients and sunlight, which can cause them to grow spindly and leggy and produce fewer fruits. “Plant peppers about 30 to 36 inches apart.” If your peppers are already growing on top of each other, practice plant thinning. “This is accomplished by removing less healthy plants in the same rows that are planted too closely,” says Cubian.