Description
Pepper
Peppers are one of the most rewarding plants grown in an edible garden. They are very productive — giving gardeners all the fruit they can eat, and then some — and the fruit look gorgeous as they develop. Peppers are in the nightshade family along with tomatoes and eggplants. Not only are peppers easy to grow, there are countless varieties to choose from, ranging from sweet, like bell peppers, to spicy, like jalapeno peppers, to unbelievable hot, like the Carolina Reaper. Once a plant is established, it will continue to produce right up until the first frost of fall and many types of peppers can be dried or pickled to enjoy in cuisine all year long. Pepper plants cannot tolerate frost and are adverse to cool weather. Pepper plants require full sun — a minimum of six hours of direct sunlight daily — and well-drained soil with a pH between 5.5 and 7.0. Peppers are heavy feeders, so start by amending the soil with plenty of compost and a light application of rotted manure. However, don’t go overboard with the manure because excess nitrogen will lead to more foliar growth at the expense of fruit production.
