Do Peppers Make Good Container Plants?

Do Peppers Make Good Container Plants?

Both hot and sweet peppers make excellent container plants. Containers allow you to move peppers to follow seasonal changes in sun, to shaded areas during hot summers, warmer areas during winter, and to protected areas when necessary in response to winds or other environmental factors. Fruits may crack or develop blossom end rot easily as soil dries out quickly in containers, especially during warm-to-hot weather, so pay extra attention to irrigation or manual watering when growing peppers in containers.

Grow peppers in a container that is at least 5 gallons in size, with well-draining, light, fertile soil.

Hot peppers from the Capsicum frutescens group are popular for growing in containers; they provide many small fruits on a plant that is usually bushy and compact. Try growing Thai pepper varieties; they are colorful and produce abundantly. Other varieties recommended for containers include Tunisian Baklouit, Patio Fire, or Fish Pepper.

There are also many excellent choices for sweet peppers. The heirloom Sweet Cherry Blend has cherry-tomato-sized yellow and red fruits that are great for pickling or eating fresh. For hybrids, consider Golden Baby Belle Hybrid or the 2015 All-American Selection Pretty and Sweet, an ornamental plant with sweet peppers that taste as good as they look.

GardenZeus has customized growing information by plant and zip code. To get started, enter your zip code here.

Other articles of interest include:

GardenZeus Tips for Container Vegetable Gardening

Hot and Sweet Peppers: Do They Make Good Companion Plants?

Organic Pest Repellent: Make it Yourself From Hot Peppers

By continuing, you are agreeing to the GardenZeus Affiliate Policy, Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.