5 Tips How To Grow Pepperoncini
Can you grow pepperoncini peppers at home? Yes, and with proper care, you can enjoy a bountiful harvest.
- Plant pepperoncini seeds in early spring or late winter. Press them a quarter of an inch into good all-purpose soil and moisten daily. Provide seedlings with plenty of sunlight and expect them to germinate in one to two weeks. Learning how to grow pepperoncini successfully starts with good seed care and proper timing. Proper pepperoncini growing techniques will lead to strong, healthy plants.
- Transplant the pepperoncini plant seedlings outside when nighttime temperatures exceed 55 degrees F. Soak the pots before transplanting the peppers to soak the root ball thoroughly. Plant the seedlings in a sunny spot and composted soil. Do not use areas where you grew tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, or potatoes a year earlier, as this can cause diseases. Proper pepperoncini plant care is crucial at this stage to ensure healthy growth.
- Dig a hole the same size as the pot you're transplanting the peppers from. Slightly separate the roots from each other. Place plants 10 to 15 inches apart in rows with 2 to 3 feet between rows, so you have enough space between plants to grow and room to harvest. When the pepperoncini plant begins to develop fruit, stake your pepperoncini plants to prevent them from breaking. To do this, drive a stake into the ground and tie the plant with a rope.
- Mulch pepperoncini plants 2" to 4" thick to maintain moisture levels and reduce weed growth. Water the pepperoncini plant once or twice a week as needed, but increase the watering if it doesn't rain. Water the plants once a week for hotter peppers, but don't wait any longer, or the pods will dry out. Growing pepperoncini peppers requires attention to watering schedules and mulching to keep the soil moist.
- Harvest hard and fresh pepperoncini peppers when they are 2-3 inches long and bright green. Store in the refrigerator for several weeks or freeze for up to a year. Pickling keeps them for several years.