This is an in-depth look at Location Selection for Growing Peppers. This is part of the How to Grow Peppers Series.
Like most plants, pepper plants prefer a loamy soil that is well drained and high in organic material. Because they have shallow root systems the soil should be fairly loose to allow for healthy root growth.
Soil Requirements
In general, pepper plants are undemanding. They prefer soil that is slightly acidic, in the pH 6.0-6.8 range, balanced nutrients and slightly moist soil. Pepper plants do not do well in wet areas and should only be planted in soil that is well drained.
Amending the soil
For soil that is low in nutrients the single best way to amend it is by adding a large amount of high quality compost. This compost adds many nutrients, including micro nutrients, that the pepper plants will use to grow and produce. To add the compost simply layer it on top of the soil and then mix it in with a shovel or a large fork.
If high quality compost is not available there are a few other options:
- Add garden soil, obtained through a garden shop, to the existing soil
- Add peat moss, cow manure and other organics
- Simply add a high quality, well balanced organic fertilizer
To till or not to till
Tilling has been a popular method of preparing a garden bed for many years. It takes what ever is growing on the surface, shreds it and buries it in the soil, allowing it to compost in place and add nutrients to the soil.
Recent studies have shown that tilling CAN have an adverse impact by killing some of the mico-organisms that live in the soil. Using a shovel or large sturdy fork to turn the soil is the alternative that is less destructive but significantly more work.
Spacing considerations
Spacing will be determined by the type of plant being grow, but in general pepper plants do well with about 14 inches of spacing in rows that are about 2 feet apart. When prepping the soil for peppers it is important to keep spacing in mind.
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