Most people who grow vegetables in their yards choose to grow chili pepper plants. They are fun to grow and tasty to eat because they have pretty flowers, bright fruits, and different levels of heat. This guide will help you find and grow chili pepper plants for sale, no matter how much gardening experience you have or how new you are to it.
Where to Buy Chili Pepper Plants
Chili pepper plants can be purchased from a few different sources:
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Local Nurseries or Garden Centers – Many independent garden stores will carry a selection of pepper plants during the growing season This allows you to see and choose specific plants in person
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Online Retailers – Specialized pepper seed sellers like ChilePlants.com and PepperJoe.com have a wider selection of chili varieties available online and ship live plants nationwide. They often carry rare, exotic peppers not found locally.
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Seed Catalogs – Some seed companies like Burpee, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, and Territorial Seeds sell small pepper transplants by mail order in spring.
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Start from Seed—You can start your own pepper plants from seeds inside 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost date in your area. It takes more work and time, but you can grow more varieties this way.
When buying chili pepper plants, look for stocky seedlings around 4-6 inches tall in small pots with healthy foliage and well-established root systems. Avoid plants that are rootbound, leggy, or yellowing.
Choosing Pepper Varieties
You can pick from thousands of different kinds of chili peppers, from sweet bell peppers to very hot breeds. Consider the following factors when selecting plants:
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Heat Level – Mild, medium, hot, extra hot? Rate your personal spice tolerance. Scoville scale provides measurement.
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Flavor – Fruity, earthy, citrusy flavors like habanero, jalapeño, poblano.
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Pepper Type/Shape – Long, rounded, heart-shaped pods. Upright or pendulous plants.
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Color – Green, red, yellow, orange, purple, chocolate and more.
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Maturity Time – Days to harvest. Plant both early and late maturing varieties.
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Plant Size – Compact bushes for containers vs. larger 3 ft. tall plants.
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Usage – Salsa, pickling, drying, stuffing, ornamental.
It’s easy to find popular types of chili peppers like jalapeño, habanero, cayenne, and Anaheim. For unique heirloom types, check specialty growers.
Caring for Chili Pepper Plants
Chili peppers require similar care to growing tomatoes. Here are some key growing tips:
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Plant in full sun (at least 6 hours daily) in fertile, well-draining soil.
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Water 1-2 inches per week, allowing soil to partially dry between waterings.
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Apply balanced fertilizer when planting and every 3-4 weeks thereafter.
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Support larger pepper varieties with cages or stakes to prevent breaking.
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Monitor for pests like aphids, whiteflies, cutworms. Control with natural methods.
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Harvest peppers at mature size and color. The more you pick, the more will grow.
With proper site selection, irrigation, and nutrition, chili pepper plants will thrive and provide a bountiful harvest.
Overwintering Chili Pepper Plants
At the end of the growing season, many gardeners choose to overwinter chili pepper plants indoors. This saves time and yields peppers earlier the following spring.
To overwinter peppers:
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Cut back watering in fall as plants go dormant. Reduce fertilizer.
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Before first frost, dig up plants and re-pot into containers with potting soil. Prune back to 8-12 inches tall.
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Place in sunny indoor area, water sparingly over winter. Ideal temps 65-70°F.
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In early spring, prune again, repot into larger containers, and move back outside after danger of frost. Resume normal care.
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Overwintered plants will quickly return to production and fruit sooner than new seedlings.
With extra care, chili pepper plants can live for several seasons as perennials.
Growing chili pepper plants enables gardeners to enjoy homegrown spice and heat. When purchasing plants, look for reputable sellers offering a diverse selection of pepper varieties suited to your climate and growing goals. With a little effort and proper care, chili plants will provide an abundant harvest of peppers for fresh eating and preserving. The result is always hotter, tastier, and more nutritious than store-bought!
Pepper Seeds for Sale from Gurney’s
With our Gardening Guarantee, we ensure that you can trust that we provide top-quality peppers. Our wide-selection of pepper seeds are easy to grow and pack incredible flavor.
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Gurney’s sells many kinds of pepper plants, from sweet peppers like banana, sweet bell, cubanelle, and mini bells to hot peppers like habanero, jalepeno, chili, and cayenne, as well as pepper plants that are just for looks. Easy to grow, peppers are excellent in a variety of recipes. With their attractive foliage and colorful fruits, peppers look good in the garden, in edible landscapes and containers. Plant pepper seeds indoors and transplant to the garden a few weeks after the last frost.
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FAQ
What month is best to plant chili?
In October or November, start the seeds indoors in a small punnet or pot. Only move them outside when the weather stays warm, which is usually early December.
When can you buy chilli plants?
Another option is to buy grafted plants, which are more vigorous so should produce larger crops, and are especially useful if growing conditions are a little cool. They can be ordered from online suppliers for delivery from mid-April. Many retailers also sell chilli plants already in fruit over the summer months.
How many chili pepper plants per 5 gallon bucket?
Generally, one pepper plant per 3-5 gallon container is best. With a planter box, multiple plants can be used when spaced 12-18 inches apart. Planting two peppers in a smaller garden container can lead to nutrient competition and stunted growth. EarthBox offers handy planting placement charts to make things simple.
When should you plant chili peppers?
In USDA Hardiness Zone 7b, it’s best to plant chili peppers after the last frost date, which typically falls between mid-April and early May. Plant the seeds indoors eight to ten weeks before the last frost date, which would be late January or early February. May 27, 2024.
How many varieties of pepper plants are available?
When you pre-order live plants on January 1, you can choose when they will be shipped, between the end of March and early June. We have 400 different kinds of live pepper plants for sale. 900,000 or more! Flavor Profile: Intensely fruity with a scorching heat that lingers. Perfect for: Thrill seakers who want to see what the hype is about.
What is Mexico’s favorite chile pepper?
Mexico’s favorite chile pepper! When traditionally ripened to red and dried, this pepper is known as an ‘Ancho’; it is also used green, as a ‘Poblano’, for making chiles rellenos. The thick-walled, mildly hot fruit have a rich, mellow flavor.
What are pepper plants?
Pepper plants are a versatile and colorful addition to any garden, offering a variety of sweet and hot peppers. These plants thrive in warm weather and full sun, producing an abundance of peppers perfect for snacking, cooking, and adding a spicy kick to dishes. Peppers are a gardener’s delight.
What does a chili plant look like?
The semi-compact plant produces brilliant clusters of upward-facing, cone-shaped chili peppers that begin pale green, turn vibrant orange, and then mature to fiery red. Great for sauces, drying, and, of course, chili. Or, if your taste buds fear the heat, plant it in a pot and simply enjoy the view! Scoville rating of 40,000 to 50,000.