Pepper
Capsicum annuum
Solanaceae · nightshade family
Origin · Mesoamerica
- Matures
- 2–3 months
- Harvest
- Continuous · Annual
- Sun
- 6–8+ hrs
- Spacing
- 12–18 in
Planting window
When to sow, by microclimate — foggier blocks run a different calendar than sunnier ones.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foggy | ● | ◐ | ||||
| Sunny | ◐ | ◐ | ● | ● |
| Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foggy | ||||||
| Sunny | ◐ |
Well-suitedMarginalNot suited
See in planting calendarSunlight
How well it does at each level of direct sun per day.
<2 hrsNot suited
2–4 hrsNot suited
4–6 hrsMarginal
6–8 hrsWell-suited
8+ hrsWell-suited
Well-suitedMarginalNot suited
Soil depth
Root room it needs — useful for sizing raised beds and containers.
6–10"Not suited
10–15"Marginal
15–18"Well-suited
18–24"Well-suited
Well-suitedMarginalNot suited
Soil pH
The soil acidity it grows best in — most crops sit just below neutral, so this mostly matters for heavily amended or long-reused beds.
- Preferred range
- pH 6.0–6.5
Spacing
Room each plant needs — along the row and between rows — for sizing beds.
- In-row
- 12–18 in
- Between rows
- 36 in
Growth habit
The shape it makes in the bed and how tall it gets — what tells you whether to give it a trellis, a stake, or just room.
- Habit
- Upright
- Mature height
- 1.5–3 ft
Stands on its own; the tallest types appreciate a stake in wind.
Growing in containers
Whether it does well in a pot, planter, or window box — the SF balcony-and-deck question, weighing its footprint, form, and staying power, not just root depth.
Thrives in pots
Happy in a pot, planter, or window box — no garden bed required.
How to start it
Sow it where it grows, or raise it under cover and set it out — and how far ahead to start the seedlings if it's the latter.
- Usually
- Transplant
- Start indoors
- 8 weeks ahead
Direct-sowNot suited
TransplantWell-suited
Started under cover, then set out as a seedling.
Well-suitedMarginalNot suited
Getting started
How it goes in the ground — how deep to sow or set it, and the soil temperature it needs to wake up. The cold-soil floor is the real limiter for direct-sowing in a foggy SF spring.
- Started from
- From seed
- Ideal soil temp
- 65–75°F
- Sow depth
- 0.25 in
- Time to emerge
- 13–25 days
Germinates between 60–95°F; happiest around 65–75°F.
30°F110°F
IdealWorkable
Watering & feeding
How thirsty and how hungry it is — the water it wants and how much feeding the bed needs to keep it producing. In the fog belt even a thirsty crop drinks less than it would inland.
- Water need
- Moderate
- Feeding
- Moderate feeder
Wants steady, even moisture — roughly an inch a week, a little more in a heat spell.
A balanced feed worked into the bed at planting usually carries it through the season.
Water evenly — swings cause flower drop and blossom-end rot; mulch to steady the soil. A moderate feeder (too much nitrogen grows leaves over fruit).
Pests & diseases
What tends to trouble this crop — what it is, what you'll see, and what to do about it, least-toxic first.
Pests14
Aphids
- What it is
- Aphids have soft pear-shaped bodies with long legs and antennae and may be green, yellow, brown, red, or black depending on the species and the plants they feed on. A few species appear waxy or woolly due to the secretion of a waxy white or gray substance over their body surface.
- What you'll see
- Low to moderate numbers of leaf-feeding aphids aren't usually damaging in gardens or on trees. However, large populations can turn leaves yellow and stunt shoots; aphids can also produce large quantities of a sticky exudate known as honeydew, which often turns black with the growth of a sooty mold fungus.
- What to do
- Before planting vegetables, check surrounding areas for sources of aphids and remove these sources. On the other hand, these aphid-infested weeds can sometimes provide an early source of aphid natural enemies.
Armyworms
- What it is
- Armyworm larvae feed in groups, which distinguishes them from other vegetable pests such as corn earworms and loopers. Markings on newly hatched armyworms are usually hard to distinguish from those of other caterpillars; older larvae have distinct lengthwise stripes.
- What you'll see
- Armyworms may feed on the crowns of seedlings. On larger plants, armyworm caterpillars skeletonize leaves.
- What to do
- Handpick. Virus diseases, parasites (Hyposoter and Trichogramma), and general predators may be effective on caterpillars.
Corn Earworm or Tomato Fruitworm
- What it is
- The corn earworm or tomato fruitworm is a common caterpillar pest of many vegetables and flowers. Newly hatched larvae have several rows of dark bristles on their backs.
- What you'll see
- Earworms feed on leaves, buds, and flowers of many vegetable crops. They destroy seedlings, bore into lettuce heads and bean pods, make deep watery cavities in fruit, and leave frass.
- What to do
- Handpick, and avoid spraying with insecticides. Bacillus thuringiensis may kill 40 to 60% of the population but must be applied just after eggs hatch and before caterpillars enter fruit.
Cucumber Beetles
- What it is
- Adult beetles are shiny with black heads, long antennae, and about 1/4 inch long. Adults may be striped or spotted, depending upon species.
- What you'll see
- Adults feed on the leaves of many vegetables as well as on soft fruit. Shoots and blossoms may also be consumed.
- What to do
- Management of cucumber beetles is difficult. The best strategy for most vegetable gardens may be to place protective cloth over emerging plants and remove it when plants are old enough to tolerate damage.
Cutworms
- What it is
- Cutworms are dull brown caterpillars ranging in length from 1 to 2 inches when fully grown. They curl into a C-shape when disturbed.
- What you'll see
- Cutworms feed on blossoms and leaves of many ornamental plants and attack most garden crops. They clip off seedling stems near or just below the soil level.
- What to do
- Cutworms are pests mainly in the spring. Destroy crop residues; keep garden weed-free in winter.
Earwigs
- What it is
- The adult earwig is readily identified by a pair of prominent appendages that resemble forceps at the tail end of its body. Used for defense, the forceps are somewhat curved in the male but straighter in the female.
- What you'll see
- European earwigs feed on a variety of dead and living organisms, including insects, mites, and growing shoots of plants. They are voracious feeders on soft-bodied insects such as aphids and insect eggs and can exert significant biological control under some circumstances.
- What to do
- Management of earwigs requires an integrated program that takes advantage of their habitat preferences. Initiate a regular trapping program.
Flea Beetles
- What it is
- Their small size, enlarged back legs, characteristic shot-hole damage, and habit of jumping when disturbed make flea beetles easy to identify. There are numerous flea beetle species.
- What you'll see
- Adults feed mostly on leaves, leaving tiny pits or small holes at their feeding sites. Flea beetles feeding together can cover leaves with bleached, pitted areas or ragged holes.
- What to do
- Remove debris in the fall to remove any overwintering beetles. Reflective mulches applied very soon after planting and before plants become infected can be helpful.
Hornworms
- What it is
- Tomato hornworms are likely to be the largest caterpillars you see in the vegetable garden. Their striping pattern makes them hard to spot despite their size.
- What you'll see
- Entire leaves and small stems may be consumed. Large pieces from green fruit may also be chewed.
- What to do
- Handpick or snip hornworms with shears. Natural enemies normally keep populations under control.
Pepper Weevil
- What it is
- Adult pepper weevils are dark, robust snout beetles 0.13 inch long, with beaks longer than their head and thorax. Larvae are less than 1/4 inch long, white, legless, and found inside fruit.
- What you'll see
- Buds or fruits turn yellow. Buds or young pods may drop from the plant.
- What to do
- Destroying pepper plants as soon as the harvest is over should reduce weevil problems the following year. Destroy nightshade plants, an alternative host, wherever they occur.
Snails and Slugs
- What you'll see
- Snails and slugs feed on a variety of living plants and on decaying plant matter. They create irregular holes with smooth edges on leaves and flowers by scraping with their rasp-like tongues.
- What to do
- It will not be possible to eliminate some shelters, such as low ledges on fences, the undersides of wooden decks, and water meter boxes, so make a regular practice of trapping and removing snails and slugs from these areas. The survivors congregate in the remaining shelters, where you can more easily locate and remove them.
Spider Mites
- What it is
- To the naked eye, spider mites look like tiny, moving dots; however, you can see them easily with a 10X hand lens. Adult females, the largest forms, are less than 1/20 inch long.
- What you'll see
- Mites cause damage by sucking cell contents from leaves. A small number of mites usually isn’t reason for concern, but very high populations—levels high enough to show visible damage to leaves—can damage plants, especially herbaceous ones.
- What to do
- Cultural practices can have a significant impact on spider mites. Midseason washing of trees and vines with water to remove dust may help prevent serious late-season mite infestations.
Thrips
- What it is
- Most adult thrips are elongate, slender, minute (less than 1/20 inch long), and have long fringes on the margins of both pairs of their long, narrow wings. Immatures (called larvae or nymphs) are oblong or slender and elongate and lack wings.
- What you'll see
- Thrips feeding on plants can damage fruit, leaves, and shoots and very noticeably affect plants’ cosmetic appearance. However, thrips rarely kill or threaten the survival of trees and shrubs.
- What to do
- Thrips species that feed on many different plant species often move into gardens and landscapes when plants in weedy areas or grasslands begin to dry in spring or summer. Avoid planting susceptible plants next to these areas, and control nearby weeds that are alternate hosts of pest thrips.
Vegetable Leafminers
- What it is
- Adult leafminers are small, active, black flies often with a prominent yellow triangle between the bases of the wings. The head behind the eyes is mostly black.
- What you'll see
- Leafminers attack many different vegetable and flower hosts, including cole crops, cucurbits, tomatoes, peas, beans, aster, begonia, dahlia, impatiens, lily, marigold, petunia, and verbena. Adult female leafminers puncture leaves and sometimes petals to feed on exuding sap.
- What to do
- Leafminers rarely require treatment in gardens. Clip off and remove older infested leaves.
Whiteflies
- What you'll see
- Whiteflies use their piercing, needlelike mouthparts to suck sap from phloem, the food-conducting tissues in plant stems and leaves. Large populations can cause leaves to turn yellow, appear dry, or fall off plants.
- What to do
- Whiteflies have many natural enemies, and outbreaks frequently occur when these natural enemies have been disturbed or destroyed by pesticides, dust buildup, or other factors. General predators include lacewings, bigeyed bugs, and minute pirate bugs.
Diseases4
Mosaic Viruses of Peppers and Eggplants
- What you'll see
- Peppers and eggplants are susceptible to several different viruses. Many are spread by aphids, and some are spread by seed or mechanically.
- What to do
- Minimize plant handling and damage to reduce the dispersal of some viruses that can be spread mechanically. Reflective mulches may reduce or delay infections as it helps repel insects from plants.
Phytophthora Root and Crown Rot on Peppers and Eggplant
- What you'll see
- P. parasitica Above ground symptoms of rot on peppers or eggplants include rapid wilting and death of affected plants. Tap roots and smaller lateral roots show water-soaked, very dark brown discoloration of cortical and xylem tissue.
- What to do
- Plant on raised beds with well-drained soil. The disease can be effectively prevented by a program integrating crop rotations of 2 years that excludes susceptible plants (corn, beans, or strawberries would be good rotation choices), with irrigation management, clean seed, and transplants.
Spotted Wilt Virus on Peppers
- What you'll see
- Symptoms on plants infected with spotted wilt virus include overall yellowing (chlorosis), dead spots on leaves or terminal shoots, and general stunting. Fruits show chlorotic spots, red and/or green areas surrounded by yellow halos, and concentric rings that may become necrotic.
- What to do
- Although spotted wilt virus is extremely widespread and very damaging in greenhouses on ornamentals, it is not usually a serious problem in gardens. Destroy infected plants.
Verticillium Wilt on Peppers and Eggplant
- What you'll see
- Wilting of leaves is a common symptom of plants infected with Verticillium wilt. Eventually the margins and tips of leaves become dry and turn brown.
- What to do
- Verticillium wilt is caused by a soilborne fungus and can survive in the soil indefinitely as microsclerotia that germinate in the vicinity of roots. Where Verticillium has been a problem, follow good sanitation practices and avoid ground previously planted with potatoes, tomatoes, or cucurbits.
Disorders1
Blossom End Rot
- What you'll see
- Blossom end rot affects tomatoes, peppers, and cucurbits. Plants with blossom end rot show small, light brown spots at the blossom end of immature fruit.
- What to do
- Blossom end rot results from a low level of calcium in the fruit and water balance in the plant. It is aggravated by high soil salt content or low soil moisture and is more common on sandier soils.
Harvest & storage
How to tell it's ready to pick, and how to keep it once it's in.
- Keeps
- WeeksHolds a week or two in the fridge.
- Ready to harvest
- Cut at full size while green, or leave on the plant to colour and sweeten; most hot peppers ripen to full colour.
- Storing
- Chilling-sensitive: keep at cool room temperature, or briefly in the fridge; keeps a week or two.
Culinary use & nutrition
What it's for in the kitchen, and the nutrients a 100 g raw serving is a notable source of.
In the kitchen
- Raw
- Boiled / steamed
Nutrition highlights
- Excellent source
- Vitamin C
- Good source
- Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Folate, Vitamin E
Share of the Daily Value in a 100 g raw serving (USDA FoodData Central).
Pollinators & wildlife
What this crop offers the garden's wildlife once it flowers — often the payoff for letting a bolting plant stand.
- Bees
- Honeybees and natives — bumble, mason, and sweat bees — working the flowers for pollen and nectar.
Another nightshade whose pollen comes free to a buzzing bumble bee, though honeybees and solitary bees work pepper flowers too.
Companion planting
What grows well nearby, and what to keep apart.
No research-backed companion pairings for this crop — folk pairings without evidence are left out on purpose.
Transplants neatly into a bed just vacated by early greens like lettuce or spinach — a simple succession that keeps a warm-season bed earning all year.
Sources
Growing data on this page is drawn from Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, UC Master Gardeners, San Mateo–SF Counties, and the other references on our sources page.