Growing peppers in a home vegetable garden is as rewarding as it is fun. 

Peppers can be grown all year long in containers. It is suitable for apartment dwellers and gardeners who live in cool regions where the number of growing days are limited. Many pepper enthusiast grow peppers in pots so they can have fresh peppers all year long. Its best to use 5 gallon containers so the roots do not get too overcrowded!

Sowing Pepper Seeds:  start their own pepper plants indoors.

Pepper seeds require 14-21 days to germinate.  Seedlings grow slowly, at first. Start pepper plants indoors, eight to ten weeks or more before the last frost date for your area. Pepper seeds can be a difficult seed germinate. We recommend using a seed germination mat, to shorten the germination time and increase the germination rate.

If you live in a warm area, like in the south, you can start your seeds directly into your garden. This is called the "direct-sow" method.  Don't live in a warm or hot climate but maybe you have a greenhouse? This will work beautifully for starting your seeds outdoors using natural light and the warmth from the sun.

Tip: Provide bottom heat or heat lamps to raise the soil temperature to 80 degrees. This will promote better and quicker germination.

Peppers, like tomatoes, grow in well-drained fertile soil. Almost all peppers have the same requirements for successful growth. Plant them in good, well-drained, fertile soil – and make sure they get lots of sunlight and a good inch of water per week. In many ways, they mimic the same requirements needed for growing great tomatoes.

Days to Maturity:

70 to 90 days or more, depending upon the variety. A quick Google search on the variety you choose is a good idea for anyone growing peppers.