Plant peppers where they will receive some late afternoon shade and cool down your plants with a water spray during hot, dry weather. Very hot temperatures, especially when evening temperatures are above 75 degrees F., will slow or stop pod production.Plant stems can become brittle and should be supported with cages or short trellises.Slow, early season growth can usually be attributed to growing plants under cool conditions or purchasing over-grown, stressed transplants.Therefore, saving seed from year to year can lead to unpredictable results unless plants are screened from insects or separated by 500 ft. Pepper plants are largely self-fertile but insects may be responsible for considerable crossing within and between species.Pinch out early flower buds and small fruits to produce stronger, more prolific plants.Set out transplants after the soil has thoroughly warmed in the spring.Peppers generally have a long growing season and suffer slow growth during cool periods.Planting sweet types next to hot types will not make the sweet peppers hot. Pungent types, referred to commonly as chile peppers, are mostly in the same species as sweet pepper types, Capsicum annum.Southwestern/Mexican varieties, such as numex, poblano, pasilla, mulatto.Hot varieties, such as serrano, jalapeno, cayenne, habanero, piquin, tabasco and.Sweet varieties include bell, banana, sweet cherry, Italian frying.Peppers can be divided into three groups that can all be grown successfully in the mid-Atlantic region:.They also grow in a variety of sizes, shapes, and flavors. All fruits are green in color at first and ripen to a variety of colors, like red, orange, yellow, brown, green, and purple.in height. Plant stems become semi-woody when mature and the growth habit may be compact, erect or prostrate. Peppers are produced on bushy plants that can reach 3-4 ft.Plant peppers in well-drained soil or containers (5-gallon minimum).Normal Plant Characteristics of Vegetables Approximate yield: 2 to 8 lbs. per 10-foot row.

Fertilize prior to planting, use starter fertilizer for transplants side-dress after first fruits set. Refer to Fertilizing Vegetables for details.

Fertilizer needs: Medium requirement for nutrients, either from soil organic matter or fertilizers.

Spacing: 12'- 24' in-rows x 30'- 36' between row double, staggered rows in 2-ft.Habanero types ripen 90-120 days from transplanting. Days to maturity: Most sweet and hot types, 70-85 days from transplanting. Bell peppers may reach a mature green stage 70-80 days after transplanting and require an additional 2-3 weeks to fully ripen.will cause plants to “just sit there.” Full sun requires direct light at least 6 hours/day prefers 8 - 10 hours/day. Planting: Set out transplants after the soil has thoroughly warmed in the spring start seed indoors 8 to 10 weeks before the average frost-free date (some types and cultivars require 12 weeks). Planting before soil temperature reaches 65 degrees F.Frost will injure top growth needs warm weather to grow. Hardiness: Very tender warm-season perennial, grown as an annual plant in Maryland.

Pepper plant seedlings