This is an in-depth look at Location Selection for Growing Peppers. This is part of the How to Grow Peppers Series.
When selecting a location to grow peppers it is important to note a few things.
- Numbers of hours of direct sunlight
- Soil type
- Elevation in comparison to surrounding areas
8+ Hours of Direct Sunlight for Peppers
In general, once established peppers are fairly undemanding plants. However, one thing that they are demanding of is direct sunlight. Peppers require at least 8 hours of direct sunlight a day. Many plants will do well with direct sun all day.
The easiest way to determine how much sunlight a location in the garden gets is to monitor it through out the day and track the suns path with a map
- Make a simple drawing of the garden
- At first light plot on the map where the sun is hitting
- Every 2 hours while the sun is out check the garden and plot where the sun is hitting
- When the sun sets the map will tell how long the sun hits all parts of the garden.
- Make sure to be aware that as the seasons change, the sun will be coming in at a different angle, it will move progressively north until the peak of summer, then back south.
Soil Type
Because most pepper plants have shallow root systems loose soil is required. Select an area that has soil that is loomy and rich in organic matter. If an area like this is not available it is best to work and amend the soil to match preferred conditions.
- Sandy Soil – Add large amounts of organics (high quality compost is best)
- Clay – Add sand and compost, work vigorously with a fork or til
- Hard packed soil – work vigorously with for or til to loosen
Elevation in Comparison to Surrounding Areas
Pepper plants do not require massive amounts of water, and in fact do poorly when the soil is overly damp. An area in the garden that is at a lower elevation compared to the surrounding areas will often have significantly wetter soil due to rain and aggregation run off. This run off causes very damp soil that will lead to root rot in plants.
- Select a place in the garden that gets ample sun
- Survey the area for slopes or small hills
- Select an area above the slopes/hill or that are devoid of either
Conclusion
The best location for growing peppers will receive at least 8 hours of sun a day, have the right soil type and not be the lowest area in the garden. When selecting a location to grow peppers spending a little extra time to find the ideal location will pay off in the long run with bigger more productive plants.
*** Back to How to Grow Peppers ***
