Growing Sweet Peppers in Containers and Pots

Don’t let limited space keep you from enjoying delicious home-grown sweet peppers! No matter the size of your garden, we’ll show you how to produce a bountiful sweet peppers crop in containers all season long.

The Best Container Size for Sweet Peppers

The first thing to consider when growing sweet peppers in a container is what kind of pot you’re going to use.

Sweet peppers have a fairly large root system, so it’s important they have ample room to grow. When in doubt, five-gallon buckets (or a container of similar size) are a great option for sweet peppers. But if you’re looking to get technical, a good rule of thumb is to aim for a container that is roughly 577 cubic inches (9,455 cubic centimetres) in size.

Depending on the size of the pot you’re using, you can also put two or three sweet peppers plants in one container. Growing multiple sweet peppers in one pot is a great way to increase yield while working with limited space. It’s typically suggested to space sweet peppers plants 1 - 2 feet (30 - 60 centimetres) away from each other. But for most varieties, you can get away with packing sweet peppers in a little tighter than this.

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The Best Type of Container for Sweet Peppers

Plastic pots, terracotta, and fabric grow bags all make fine containers for sweet peppers. When choosing a pot to plant sweet peppers in, the type of material it’s made out of doesn’t really matter. What does matter, however, is how well that material releases excess water.

Poor drainage is the number one killer of sweet peppers grown in pots. If your sweet peppers sit in standing water for too long, their roots will rot and the plants will likely wither away.

If you’re using a plastic container for growing sweet peppers, it’s crucial there are 2 - 4 holes in the bottom to allow excess water to drain.

Terracotta pots, along with fabric grow bags, are a great container option for sweet peppers because they are naturally porous. Most terracotta pots also come with a hole in the bottom for additional drainage.

If growing your sweet peppers in grow bags, be sure to test how well they drain before planting. If water doesn’t leak through the bag quickly, you may want to add one or two holes to the bottom to keep the roots of your sweet peppers plant healthy and happy.

The Best Soil for Growing Sweet Peppers in Containers

Drainage also plays a key part in the type of soil you choose for sweet peppers containers.

Traditional soil, such as the type of dirt you can dig up in your backyard, is much too dense for sweet peppers planted in pots. It will trap moisture in the container to the point where it can cause fungal issues for sweet peppers as well as root rot.

Instead, opt for potting soil or soil specifically designated as safe for container gardening. Avoid all others.

Final Tips for Growing Sweet Peppers in Pots

Hopefully by now you’ve seen that growing sweet peppers in pots is pretty easy so long as you have the right container and right soil.

The key, as stated before, is drainage. You will likely notice that sweet peppers grown in containers are much thirstier than sweet peppers grown in a traditional garden bed. Be sure to adjust your schedule to water more frequently.

Of course, the same rules apply to container grown sweet peppers that apply to sweet peppers grown in a traditional garden, such as the amount of sunlight they need and when to plant them. You can find that information (and more!) in our complete guide on growing sweet peppers.

Happy planting!