I compared two approaches to growing hot peppers and one was a total disaster

Last summer I tried growing jalapenos and habaneros in my backyard in Phoenix. I did half in regular garden soil and half in a fancy raised bed mix with extra perlite and compost. The garden soil ones got all yellow and stunted after 3 weeks, barely made 5 peppers each. The raised bed ones took off like crazy, ended up with 40 peppers per plant by August. The difference was drainage and nutrients, the garden soil just packed down like concrete when I watered it. The roots in the raised bed could breathe and spread out way better. Now I'm wondering if anyone else has gotten roasted for spending too much on soil for a hobby garden?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_jenny4d ago

Yeah I feel you, I tried growing tomatoes in straight native clay here in Texas and it was basically the same thing. You want at least 30-40 percent perlite in those raised beds for hot peppers in hot climates, that extra drainage is what saves the roots from cooking and suffocating. Spending $40 on bagged soil is way cheaper than watching your plants fail and having to start over.

barbarab564d ago

Actually that perlite ratio is a bit on the high side, you might be better off with 20-30 percent for hot peppers in raised beds. Too much perlite can actually make the soil dry out super fast (especially in triple-digit Texas heat) and you'll be watering twice a day. Bagged soil does save your plants though, no argument there.