Transplanting Hot Pepper Plants
It’s probably around Mother’s Day, the weather is looking fine, and your plants are probably screaming to go outside. The golden rule is to wait until the night-time temperatures stay above 55 degrees. But first, let’s talk about hardening off.
Hardening Off
This is a real thing, I assure you. I have damaged plants in the past by not doing this correctly. Take a look at my reaper after 3 hours in direct sunlight!
Your plants have been indoors for 2-3 months acclimated to the fake light you’ve been giving them. If you were to put them outside in direct sunlight for too long they would fry up like bacon. The damaged leaves will never recover and if most of the leaves get damaged the entire plant will fail. They need to get used to the powerful rays of the sun a little each day.
How to harden off hot pepper plants:
Day 1: Put your plants in direct sunlight for one hour, then put them in the shade for the rest of the day. If it gets too cold out at night you can bring them back inside. If you have a lot of plants this is going to be a huge pain in the ass so it’s best to start when the outside temps never dip below 55 degrees. To make the process easier, you can get some shade cloth and hang it above the plants when they’ve had their daily fill of the sun.
Day 2: Put your plants in direct sunlight for 2 hours then in shade the rest of the day.
Day 3: Put your plants in direct sunlight for 3 hours then in shade the rest of the day. You get the idea. Do this until they can be out there all day. This is a general rule. Obviously, some plants will tolerate the sun better than others. Some can’t even last an hour. Keep an eye on them.
Transplanting – Where should you put them?
After your plants have been properly hardened off and can withstand a full day of sunlight, it’s time to put them in their final home. You’ll want to find a spot that gets 5 or more hours of direct sunlight per day. Some peppers like more, some less, some like some shade in the afternoon – they’re all a bit different so just put them in a spot that gets the most amount of sunlight. Near a water bib would be convenient.
Grow bags, Containers, In-ground, Oh My!
There’s a lot to choose from these days, each with their own pros and cons. *Keep in mind, most of this comes from my experience, in my climate. YMMV! (Your mileage may vary). I bolded the biggies below:
Planting Hot Peppers In the Ground
Pros
- Much larger harvests. Plant growth is indefinite. Roots cannot be bound. (bigger plant = more peppers)
- Fertilization is usually easier and is not wasted.
- Less compost needed (less $).
- Possibly less watering and less diseases*
- Encourages earthworms and beneficial insects.
Cons
- Requires more space (less plants).
- More maintenance (weeding)
- More susceptible to insects.
- Harder on the back.
- Plants cannot be moved.
- Can take longer for plants to fruit (compared to containers/bags).
- Not ideal if your earth soil is crap.
- Need to rotate your crops every year.
Planting Hot Peppers In Containers
Pros
- They’re mobile baby! (allowing you to move them closer together to fit more plants).
- You can control the soil, fertilization, and water for each individual plant. Complete control!
Cons
- Smaller harvest. Overall size of the plant is limited by the size of the container (resulting in smaller harvest).
- Requires more dirt and effort mixing the dirt, potting the plant, etc.
- More frequent watering & constant attention to watering needs.*
- More nutrient maintenance required.* Need to constantly monitor for fertilizer needs.
- Can be difficult to stake.
- Increased cost due to materials.
Grow Bags For Hot Pepper Plants
Grow bags are relatively new. They are pots made out of a wool-like fabric. This material claims all sorts of benefits; they allow for more oxygen to the roots and they encourage a process called “Air Pruning”. Instead of the roots becoming “root-bound” (winding in a circular ball at the bottom of a plastic container), the roots stop growing when they reach the side of the bag. Then, a new root emerges from the tap root and the process continues. In my experience, I am not entirely convinced that the benefits of the fabric grow bags have any effect on harvest yield. *Furthermore, I have found fabric grow bags challenging to water. The soil tends to dry out much quicker than plastic pots, requiring daily watering (and 2-3 times a day during hotter days). Also, due to their fabric material water has a tendency to pour out of the side of bag which raising the question of how much water actually got down to the roots. As with any pot or bag, you will also need to pay close attention to the nutrient levels since excess water from heavy rain can flush the soil of nutrients.
Alternatives to Fabric Grow Bags
An alternative to fabric grow bags are the Vivosun plastic grow bags. They won’t encourage air pruning, however they hold a true 5 gallons of dirt compared to Trade Gallons which is usually what plastic pots and fabric grow bags are measured in. The plastic grow bags are also MUCH cheaper than fabric grow bags, and can be reused for multiple seasons!
Updates to this content
As of April 2022, I left my plastic grow bags outside all winter here on Long Island NY, and they held up through the freezing weather and snow. They look and work just like the day I purchased them! You can definitely reuse these bags for years.
How to Transplant Hot Pepper Plants in Containers
Materials
- Soil
- Perlite
- Mulch
- Support Stakes
- Label stakes
Soil For Hot Pepper Plants
A lot depends on how may plants you are growing. You could buy ready-made soil like Pro-Mix, FoxFarm’s Ocean Forest or Happy Frog, Espoma soil, etc., or you can make your own soil by mixing organic compost with perlite. You can purchase compost in bags at a local store or It may be cost effective to have a local landscaping or nursery company deliver a few yards to you. There may be free compost supplied by your local town or ecology site. I try to look for organic without fertilizer since I like to add my own. You’re basically looking for plain compost. You will also need to add a cup or so of perlite to encourage draining. Otherwise the soil will compact and water will not soak in.
Mix about 3/4 of a solo cup of perlite with the soil (per 5gal bag). If you use too much perlite water will drain through too quickly!
Leave about 2″ of space at the top of the bag to allow for mulch. Push the dirt away from the middle making a hole about the same size of the starter pot. Take your plant out of it’s starter pot and gently massage the roots a little to try and slightly break up the root ball. Pop the plant in level with dirt. Take the dirt that you pushed away and cover the roots. Press down firmly. Water the plant thoroughly.
Now fill the bag to the top with natural mulch on top of the soil. No black, red or other dyed mulch. Mulch is an absolute necessity for containers since it will keep your soil moist and prevent it from drying out too quickly. Mulch can also prevent disease by acting as a barrier again soil-born bacterial that could splash up onto your plant during watering. I cannot overstate the importance of using mulch on containers. There should be at least 2″ of mulch on top of the soil.
Fertilizing
If your soil does not contain fertilizer wait 1-2 weeks before adding your own. If it does contain fertilizer wait one month. Visit the fertilizer page for more information.
How to Transplant Hot Pepper Plants in the Ground
When planting your hot pepper plants in the ground or in raised beds it’s very important to plan out the spacing correctly. If plants are spaced too close together they will grow into each other and things will get very messy. Making sure there is enough space between your plants will allow for adequate airflow which will help prevent disease. I recommend a 2’ stem to stem spacing (minimum). Some plants might require more. I also encourage you to stagger your plants so that different varieties are planted next to each other. For example, planting an orange jalapeno next to a red Savina will ensure you do not pick and bag the wrong type of pepper.
Soil for in-Ground Beds
I recommend natural organic compost. Depending on how big your garden is and whether you’re looking to fill new raised beds or top off existing beds, you can purchase compost in bags at a local store or have a local landscaping or nursery company deliver a few yards to you. There may be free compost supplied by your local town or ecology site. I look for organic without fertilizer since I like to add my own. You’re basically looking for plain compost. You do not need to add perlite to in-ground beds. Earthworms and other insects will aerate the soil for you.
Measure your spacings and dig a hole about the same size as the starter pot. Take your plant out of it’s starter pot and gently massage the roots a little to try and slightly break up the root ball. Pop the plant in the hole level with dirt, cover it up and press down firmly. Water the plants thoroughly.
I like to apply a 2″ layer of natural mulch on top of the soil. No black, red or other dyed mulch. Mulch will help to keep your soil moist and prevent it from drying out too quickly. Mulch can also prevent disease by acting as a barrier again soil-born bacteria that could splash up onto your plant during watering.
Fertilizing
If your soil does not contain fertilizer wait 1-2 weeks before adding your own. If it does contain fertilizer wait one month. Visit the fertilizer page for more information.