Do pepper plants need to be staked?

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Staking involves driving a stake or stick into the ground near your pepper plant and tethering the stem to it. It provides support and protection against wind and heavy fruit loads.

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Staking has a number of benefits including providing support, reducing disease, and improving the quality of your fruit.

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Peppers with large, heavy fruit, and plants that grow big and gangly (like most C. Chinense peppers) benefit from staking or caging. Examples include bell peppers, habaneros, and ghost peppers.

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How to stake peppers

Cream Section Separator Drive your stake into the ground before transplanting, or a couple inches from the main stem soon after transplanting. Then, tether the main stem to the stake right above one of the nodes of the plant. Continue to tether the plant every few inches as it grows. Learn more

When it comes to providing support for pepper plants, some gardeners opt for caging instead of or in addition to staking. Caging is especially beneficial for very large pepper plants that grow heavy with fruit. You can use a common tomato cage to cage your peppers.

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Staking established plants

Cream Section Separator If you skipped staking your pepper plants earlier in the season and regret it, you can still support your plant. Position the stake 6" away from the main stem to avoid penetrating the roots, or opt for a cage instead. Learn more

It’s important to remember that thriving pepper plants often flourish without staking or caging, so don't worry if you didn't know to provide your plant with support. Fardening is a personal journey, so experiment to find what works for you.

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