Ornamental pepper

How to Grow Ornamental Pepper Plants

If you can grow tomatoes, you can grow ornamental peppers. Both are members of the Solanaceae family, and both enjoy full sun and hot weather. One of the most common mistakes in growing ornamental peppers is planting them outdoors too early. Plants are often sold in garden centers before the weather is agreeable for them to go in the ground. If you feel like going to the pool, it's probably the right time to grow ornamental peppers outdoors. Not only should the chance of all frost be past, but nights should be warm too, with temperatures at 60 degrees F or above.

Light

Ornamental peppers need full sun for the energy to produce flowers and colorful fruit. If you grow these plants indoors, you should use supplemental artificial lighting for healthy plants and good fruiting.

Soil

Plant your ornamental peppers in a rich, loamy soil. Generous soil amendments of compost and manure will both improve tilth and add trace nutrients for healthier plants. If your soil is heavy clay, plant your peppers in raised beds or use containers for good drainage.

Water

While ornamental peppers exhibit limited drought tolerance, they do not like to be waterlogged either. Water whenever the soil's surface feels dry, and aim for a moisture level like that of a wrung-out sponge.

Temperature and Humidity

Like their flavor, ornamental peppers like it hot. Temperatures of 75 degrees F and up stimulate rapid growth. Humidity is a less important growth factor, as long as roots stay moist.

Fertilizer

Ornamental peppers are moderate feeders, and need a steady stream of nutrients to keep up with blooming and fruiting. A 5-10-10 fertilizer with more phosphorus and potassium than nitrogen will encourage fruit and bloom production without making plants too leafy.

Potting and Repotting

As an annual, the root system of ornamental peppers is small and shallow. A six-inch container is big enough to hold a pepper plant, but smaller containers also dry out faster. A larger container that holds multiple plants or a mixed planting will be more successful outdoors. Indoor pepper plants will tolerate smaller containers. It's time to repot if you need to water the plants more than once per day.

Varieties of Ornamental Pepper

When it comes to ornamental peppers, you can go bright and cheerful or dark and moody. 'Chilly Chili' has long yellow and red peppers that extend straight up from the tops of plants like fingers. 'Black Pearl' has midnight purple foliage and shiny dark fruits that give the plant its name. 'Aurora' bears peppers that ripen from green to purple to orange and red, giving you a rainbow of color on one plant.