How Much Room Is Needed to Plant Peppers?

Season

• Peppers are frost-sensitive summertime plants and require warm temperatures and protection. They fail in frost and temperatures below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Plant them after frost lifts and temperatures warm to 65 degrees F. The Ohio State University Extension recommends temperatures of 70 to 80 degrees F for best pepper growth and production, but warns that temperatures over 90 degrees F damage both plants and fruit.

Site

• Choose a large, wide-open site for pepper plants, which need full sunshine, quick drainage and good air movement. If you're planting the peppers in an established and populated garden, plant them away from taller plants, which may crowd or shade out the peppers. Allot at least 4 to 5 square feet of space for four to five pepper plants, or allot only 2 square feet of space for one to two plants.

Spacing

• Pepper plants don't grow very tall, but they require wide spacing for air movement and sun exposure. Give each plant 18 inches in the row, and leave at least 2 feet of space between rows. Keep peppers away from other Solanaceous crops such as tomatoes, eggplants and potatoes, as these crops share soil-borne fungi.

Soil, Nutrition and Water

• Peppers require more than space, air and sun for growth. Turn 4 to 5 inches of organic compost into the top 6 to 8 inches of natural soil for rich, moist and quick-draining foundations. Incorporate 5-10-10 or 8-16-16 fertilizer, according to the manufacturer directions, for quick rooting. Water peppers with 2 inches of water every week, and feed them again at midseason with 12-12-12 fertilizer for blooming. Lack of water, nutrition or sun leads to small, dry and hot peppers.