My favorite products for pepper starting (plus, how to get stuff for free!)

Red Section Separator Spicy exchange / 2023 Get our free guide

If you’re a hot pepper lover, growing peppers at home makes trying varieties not sold in stores easy. Gardening is a great way to connect with your food and improve your nutrition.

Cream Section Separator Why grow peppers? Get our free guide

Peppers are a relatively easy crop that can be grown in containers or beds. Starting seeds at home may require heat mats and grow lights. Plus, you'll want to keep your plants healthy and fertilized!

[{"selector":"#anim-749add83-fb05-4104-a97c-988fbe9e7a0b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Red Section Separator Get our free guide

Spicy Exchange is reader-supported. If you purchase through the links in this story I may earn a commission at no cost to you. I only recommend products that I use myself or that have come highly recommended by people I try. Thanks for your support!

[{"selector":"#anim-525bfa4a-c581-42b9-9453-453c0b5a9837","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Red Section Separator

Where to get seeds

Cream Section Separator Healthy plants start with a reliable seed supplier. I get my specialty pepper seeds from Pepper Joe's. I also occasionally buy Burpee and Botanical Interest brand pepper seeds. Shop pepper seeds

Check with your local library to see if they have a free seed bank. Local Facebook gardening groups also often host seed swaps where you can exchange seeds with other nearby gardeners.

[{"selector":"#anim-2cdbfee8-9748-497b-a882-8b599c51ed2e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Red Section Separator

Buying seedlings

Cream Section Separator It's too late to start pepper seeds in some parts of the country. You can buy pre-started seedlings from your local nursery, or online. If you're looking for rare and specialty peppers, Pepper Joe's has dozens of varieties you won't find in stores! Shop seedlings

I have never had unlimited space, so I find it very efficient to grow peppers in grow bags. I typically use 5 gallon bags unless I want to plant multiple per bag.

[{"selector":"#anim-fdd5de3f-7bfe-4d3a-8cc1-8856f59817e6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Red Section Separator Get grow bags

Garden beds

Cream Section Separator I'm expanding my garden this year, so I purchased eight 4 x 8 garden beds. They are extremely cost-effective to buy on Amazon and metal beds last longer than most wooden beds. Get 4 x 8 beds

I'm using Fox Farm's liquid fertilizer trio this year for my peppers. I've been giving my seedlings Big Bloom fertilizer about once a week, and once they are transplanted I will use Grow Big, which is more nutrient-dense.

[{"selector":"#anim-dfa4f6e8-2573-4f23-adb6-570735022504","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Red Section Separator Get Fox Farm fertilizer

Soil

Cream Section Separator The biggest key to happy and productive plants that I've found is high-quality soil. If you're growing in bags or beds, I'd recommend Fox Farm's Happy Frog potting soil. If you are planting directly in the earth, you can fortify your soil with compost and worm castings. Get Fox Farm soil

If you have home compost pickup, your local trash company may also offer free compost. You can also compost at home with your food scraps or leaves from a year or two prior!

[{"selector":"#anim-a1754b37-3598-457a-8d5d-cf756475e49a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Red Section Separator Free growing guide

Stories you'll love

[{"selector":"#anim-22f6a15f-0dcb-43c4-9eac-292ac9d10ffe","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-125.96154%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9d43f895-3bdd-4f6b-ae2d-d525e9630caa","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8f856bee-92b6-4076-92d8-dc4641234677","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":400,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-55ba1f02-144d-4e8f-a405-f4dcdd4fbc6e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-125.96154%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":350,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-08b977ae-c2e1-43d3-906c-3df97456a3c0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-88207239-c9e1-41b7-a85a-154bf44ca75c","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":350,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f7e9fb17-f641-40e5-9ace-7590a318ba40","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-125.96154%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0dd4ef8a-c336-4dcc-9856-f1e9e0357473","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-64540090-ae95-452f-ab14-b12b81cfa81a","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":300,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-47cda2ad-4db1-489d-b631-9e9d230cbc7e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-125.96154%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":250,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-26420791-e303-4fe7-a341-a57fd3cdcb91","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-458a7d91-39e5-46dd-a579-f2549242d0b7","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":250,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-77016193-4017-4ce5-8033-13a00e083575","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-08b11191-f341-4106-b397-f01cce9b3ffd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e8ca19b6-0bd4-4845-a45a-7aea417ecedc","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-162.39315%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-47cdad4d-1e87-4603-a3de-117b302e6fe3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-396bfe8f-5483-42ad-b5af-72f889b4db4c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-163.24786%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d611431f-277b-4fa0-a5c0-dda7cf22a136","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cd07bc84-9b12-487b-b308-a7a7c9e23c8d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-162.82051%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-93d88833-ec1c-45b1-a958-802989fd5bed","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f77ef902-4405-4892-855c-bbefaadee7ff","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-169.15888%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Cinnamon has no capsaicin... so why is it spicy? What would happen if you ate a Carolina reaper? What other foods have capsaicin? (it's not just peppers) New Mountain Dew Baja Blast hot sauce review.

Get the free guide to growing chili peppers

The "green thumb" is a myth — with the right information, anyone can successfully grow peppers. Enjoy this free 34-page guide to help you grow an abundant harvest. Cream Section Separator Get the free guide