The Best Soil to Use for a California Wonder Bell Pepper

Drainage

• California Wonder bell peppers thrive in well-draining soil. When soil doesn’t drain effectively, whether due to a dense clay content or a high water table, pepper roots cannot absorb enough oxygen and will suffocate. Check the drainage in your planting site by digging a 12-inch hole and filling it with water. Once it drains, refill it and measure the depth of the water. After 15 minutes, measure how much water has drained and multiply the result by four; this calculation tells you how much water will drain in an hour. Sites that drain from 1 to 6 inches per hour are well-draining. Anything less is poorly drained, while faster rates indicate drought-like conditions. If your site has poor drainage, amend the soil with a mix of sand, loam and compost or create raised beds. A sandy, loamy soil with good drainage is your goal.

Soil pH

• Soil pH levels determine which minerals and nutrients peppers can absorb. Before planting California Wonder peppers, test the soil to determine its pH. Levels below 7.0 are acidic, while levels above 7.0 are alkaline. Pepper plants grow best in slightly acidic soil with a level of 6.0 to 6.8, though according to Oklahoma State University, they tolerate pH levels to 5.5. If the soil pH is low, apply lime sparingly. If pH level is too high, amend the soil with fertilizer that contains ammonium-N, sulfur-coated urea or ammonium sulfate.

Moisture

• Pepper plants grow best in consistently, uniformly moist soil. Though pepper root systems can grow to 3 or 4 feet deep, many plants tend to have shallow root systems, so provide peppers with moderate, regular irrigation. Soil that is too dry leads to stunted fruits, while too much moisture can cause root rot and other diseases.

Preparing the Soil

• Sites that have been used to grow eggplants, potatoes, peppers or tomatoes within the last two years may increase disease in peppers, so avoid sites that have housed these crops. Several weeks before planting, prepare the soil for your California Wonder bell seedlings. Texas A&M University recommends tilling the soil to 10 inches deep and breaking up any large pieces. Amend the soil with organic material; appropriate choices for peppers include compost, rotted hay and peat moss. After peppers are planted, add a layer of mulch to conserve moisture and amend the soil with fertilizers containing a nitrogen-phosphate-potash ratio of 1:2:2.