7 Mistakes That Are Ruining Your Pepper Crop—and How to Fix Them

Peppers are a wonderful addition to any kitchen garden. Not only are they versatile and tend to be pest-resistant, but they are also a great companion to other garden favorites. But like with any plant, there are some mistakes you could be making when growing peppers. These slip-ups can impact a pepper’s flavor, welcome pests and diseases, and minimize yield. To help you avoid these mistakes, we spoke to a botanist who shares several pitfalls you should avoid when tending to your pepper crop.

Tending to Pepper Plants When They're Wet

Avoid tending to your pepper plants after they've been watered or following a heavy rainfall. "This could lead to a disease outbreak, as most fungi and bacteria are transmitted through thin water films and water splashes," says Cubian. To make sure this doesn’t happen, wait one to two days after the last rain before tending to your peppers.

Working with wet plants does not necessarily mean they will get diseases, but doing so does increase the chances. If you have worked on the plant when it’s wet and notice leaf blights or fruit rot, trim them immediately using alcohol-disinfected secateurs, Cubian says.

Not Harvesting the Peppers

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

Lack of Soil Preparation

Soil that is too compact or lacking nutrients can make your peppers more disease-prone. Do a soil test to see which nutrients your soil lacks, then add amendments that will boost those nutrients. If you have already planted your peppers, you can still salvage the soil. “Put a 2- to 3-inch layer of organic matter over the soil,” says Cubian. “Just avoid dumping the compost too close to the stem to prevent rotting.”

Planting When the Soil Is Cold

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

Transplanting Too Soon

Peppers can go into shock when they're transplanted. Prevent this from happening by hardening off your pepper plants before transplanting them outdoors. This means placing your potted seedlings outside in partial sunlight before planting them. On the first day, leave the peppers outside for an hour, the second day for two hours, and so on until a full week has gone by. If your pepper plants are experiencing transplant shock, use row covers over the plants for a week or two to help the plants adjust to their new home.

Planting in Insufficient Light

Without enough sunlight, pepper plants won't produce fruit. Avoid this by ensuring your plants receive six to eight hours of direct sunlight each day. If you 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 thin and leggy and produce less fruit. “Plant peppers approximately 30 to 36 inches apart," says Cubian.

If your peppers are already growing on top of each other, practice plant thinning. “This is done by removing less healthy plants in the same rows that are planted too closely,” he adds.