Chili pepper plants are one of the most popular vegetables to grow in home gardens. Their beautiful flowers, colorful fruits, and range of heat levels make them fun to plant and delicious to eat. Whether you are new to gardening or an experienced pepper grower, this guide will provide key information on finding and growing chili pepper plants for sale.
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 begin your own pepper plants indoors from seed 6-8 weeks before your last expected frost date. This takes more time and care but allows you to grow a bigger selection.
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
There are thousands of chili pepper varieties to choose from, ranging from sweet bell peppers to super-hot chile 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.
Popular chili pepper varieties like jalapeño, habanero, cayenne, and Anaheim are widely available. 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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Gurneys carries a wide selection of pepper plants for sale-from sweet peppers including banana, sweet bell , cubanelle and mini bells, to hot peppers like habanero, jalepeno, chili, cayenne, to ornamental varieties. 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?
Start the seeds indoors in a small punnet or pot in October/November and transplant outdoors only when weather is consistently warm – 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. Start the seeds indoors about 8-10 weeks before the last expected frost date, which would be in late January to early February.May 27, 2024
How many varieties of pepper plants are available?
We offer 400 varieties of live pepper plants for sale! Live plants are available for pre-order January 1st, and you can select your ship date from the end of March to early June. 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.