We often get asked from our seed customers:
What is the Best Container Size For Peppers?
Our recommendation is to plant peppers in containers that are at least 3-5 gallons in size. For larger varieties like many Hatch Chile varieties, Bell peppers and Poblanos and, use a larger pot with 5 gallons or more. Find larger sized pots like 12″ - 14″ for much better yields. Some larger longer growing peppers could even thrive in larger containers and planters with 10-15+ gallons of soil if you have room in the garden or on a sunny patio.
If you don't have room in a garden bed or raised bed, then using containers to grow peppers is the next best thing! Because pepper plants are sensitive to cold weather, having them in containers is also great as you can bring them indoors or into the garage if cold weather or overnight temperatures are expected in the spring or fall. This allows you to grow the peppers for a longer growing season, which many of the super hot peppers need in order to mature and provide a decent harvest. If you struggle with short seasons, make sure to try growing our short season peppers which grow and mature much faster than other varieties and they do great in containers!
For best container pepper plant success,
check out our Best Peppers to Grow in Containers »
Larger pots help have more consistent moisture than smaller pots, which can dry out quickly. Larger containers also hold up better in windy situations, as they are much heavier and won't get top heavy with larger growing peppers.
Don't overwater!
Pepper plants in containers should also not be overwatered or have poor-draining potting soil, as they can quickly drown if their roots are soggy. Make sure to keep an eye on the moisture level of peppers growing in containers, letting the soil dry out slightly between waterings but never get bone dry. Yellow Leaves on Pepper Plants indicate that you may be overwatering, so make sure to feel the soil and only water when needed.
Container size for Bell Peppers
As mentioned above, a lot of bell peppers are larger plants, so growing them in a larger pot that is at least 5 gallons and 12-14" in diameter is best. Grow some purple bell peppers in a container for a great conversation starter! These purple beauties look beautiful in a ceramic pot on the patio.
What size grow bag for peppers?
Fabric grow bags are becoming popular for portable gardens, we recommend using the 5 gallon size bags for pepper plants.
Best Potting Soil for Peppers
If growing in pots, the best potting soil for peppers will be one that is fast-draining, and loamy. Don't use Garden Soil or Topsoil for containers, always find a Potting mix or Potting soil that is made for containers. Top soil and garden soil do not drain as well in pots and can drown your pepper plants! So using a good well-draining potting mix that is designed for containers will allow the water to drain quickly and keep your pepper plants healthy.
Growing Hot peppers in Pots
Hot Peppers grow great in containers, here are our favorite hot peppers for containers »
How many Pepper Plants per Container?
We usually plant one pepper plant in each 5 gallon pot, but if you have larger pots you can plant 2-3 peppers depending on the size of the container. It also depends on the variety, some peppers are smaller in size than others.
Growing Pepperoncini in Containers:
We love growing pepperoncini pepper plants in containers, though these are large 4' plants, so it's wise to use containers that are larger than 5 gallon, 10-15 gallons or even large containers like wine barrels would be good to grow these in.
Learn about our top picks for the
best peppers to grow in containers »
