Jalapeno peppers have a spicy paste and they will add more flavor to your food. You can also make pickles from them. Capsicum Annuum Var is the botanical name of the jalapeno. The maximum height of this plant is about 2 to 3 feet.
You will get 25 to 30 pods of jalapeno peppers from each plant. The color of the flowers is white and the leaves are green. The maximum soil depth needed for growing the jalapeno plant is about 8 to 12 inches because of the extensive root system.
When the color of pods gets dark green it means they are mature enough. If you left them for a long time then the colors start changing from purple to red. The size of the fruit that jalapeno produces is about 3 inches.
The best thing about jalapeno peppers is that you can grow them in pots, in containers, on the ground, or on raised beds.
Can We Grow Jalapeno Peppers In Raised Bed?
If you grow jalapeno peppers in raised beds then you will get a higher yield. The other benefits of raised bed gardening are better drainage, better pest prevention, soil maintenance, and better weed control.
Weeds steal nutrients from the soil. There is a competition between pepper plants and weeds for food. In raised bed gardening, you have some control over weed growth. And your growing season will become long.
If you are living in a rainy area then your plants obtain a lot of water. Pepper plants don’t like wet feet so better drainage of raised beds may be helpful in such conditions. The drainage of raised beds maintains the moisture level in the soil. This will also prevent your plant from root rot.
The other advantage of raised beds is that you can maintain the fertility of the soil which is not possible when you grow pepper plants in the ground. Avoid using garden soil for filling the raised bed.
Make sure you are using a high-quality potting mix with all basic nutrients. Potting mix has perlite and vermiculite which have all organic materials for plants. You can also add compost and manure to make your soil richer.
Which Raised Bed Are Best For Peppers?
The depth of the raised bed is very important for growing pepper plants. The depth of your raised bed must be 12 inches so the roots of your pepper plants get enough room for spreading.
You can also use an elevated raised garden bed such type of raised bed are very helpful. Because you can easily maintain your plants and harvesting become easier.
You can also build your own raised garden bed. For building a raised bed, there is no need for professional skills. You can easily build raised bed according to the area you have in your garden or backyard.
When To Plant Jalapeno Peppers?
- You can start the seeds of jalapeno peppers 8 to 10 weeks before last spring frost.
- Heat and warmth are required for the best results. The temperature of the soil must be 70 degrees Fahrenheit or 21 degrees centigrade. When seeds reach the required temperature they will easily germinate.
- If the nighttime temperature is below 60 degrees Fahrenheit or 15 degrees Centigrade. This is not the right time for sowing the seeds of jalapeno peppers. You should wait until the temperature is high.
How To Plant Jalapeno Peppers From Seeds In A Raised Bed?
Following are the simple steps for growing jalapeno pepper from seeds.
STEP 1: START JALAPENO INDOORS
- For preparing seedlings, you need shallow seed trays and potting mix. Fill the trays with potting mix.
- The next step is sowing the seeds. Make holes about ½ to ¼ inch deep, then put 2 to 3 seeds in each hole. Now spread a light layer of soil.
- Now the seeds need moisture, so lightly water them with a spray bottle. Keep the soil moist to speed up the germination process. Soon young seedlings start emerging from the soil.
- When the height of the seedlings is about two inches tall and the outdoor temperature must be 65 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the right time for transplanting the seedlings outside into the raised bed. Keep the strong seedlings and discard the weed one. Don’t transplant your seeds outside if there is any danger of frost.
STEP 2: LOCATION OF RAISED BED
Heat is the key to the success of growing jalapeno plants. You should select such an area for your raised bed in your garden where your pepper plants receive 6 to 8 hours of direct sun exposure.
If your garden has tall trees, vines, or shrubs then you should be careful in choosing the location of raised beds because such barriers can block the light.
STEP 3: BEST SOIL FOR GROWING PEPPERS IN RAISED BED
Best well-drained, loamy, and sandy soil is needed for growing peppers. You can buy potting soil from any gardening store or local nursery. Perlite and vermiculite are essential ingredients for rich soil.
If your potting soil doesn’t have them then you can add them. Vermiculite helps to make the soil more aerated. Your soil needs 10% of perlite and 10% vermiculite. When maintaining the ratio of soil mix then you can add compost to make your soil richer and full of nutrients.
You can make compost at home but you have the option of buying. If you want your plants to be stronger and healthier, then feed them well.
STEP 4: SPACING IN RAISED BED
Proper spacing will provide the roots of pepper plants with enough space. In a raised bed, there must be space of 14 to 16 inches between each plant. The number of rows depends upon the size of the raised bed.
There must be space 2 to 3 feet between each row. You should be careful about the depth of the raised bed.
STEP 5: PROTECTING PEPPER PLANTS FROM STRONG WIND
The wind is a reason for damaging your crops. Jalapeno plants need a proper shield against storms and strong winds. The jalapeno plants will fall when a strong wind blows.
You can place cages around your pepper plants to provide support. This will help protect your plant from breakage and damage. If you are growing bush varieties then there is no need of installing support.
Best Tips To Grow Jalapeno In A Raised Bed
- Avoid overwatering, you can check the surface of the soil with the help of your fingers. If one or two inches of the soil feels dry then water your pepper plants.
- The best daytime temperature for growing jalapeno pepper is 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit or 18 to 29 degrees Centigrade. The nighttime temperature should be 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit or 15 to 21 degrees Centigrade.
- When your pepper plant starts producing flowers then this is the time you can add aged manure, fish fertilizer, or compost.
- If you are growing tall varieties or varieties that are producing a lot of fruit then you should install some support. You can use tomato cages or bamboo sticks for this purpose.
- If you see the unwanted plant’s weeds growing around your young seedlings then carefully pull them without disturbing the young delicate roots.
- If you are living in a hot climate then the soil will dry very quickly. If you want to retain moisture for a long time then you can spread a layer of shredded leaves, straws, and grass clippings. This layer will help to keep them moist and cool during the summer season.
Pests
Some tiny monsters such as aphids, cutworms, and flea beetles are pests that can be harmful to your pepper plants. You can get rid of these insects with the help of a heavy shot of water.
You can also use natural insecticides such as neem oil against them. You can pick worms and caterpillars with the help of your hands. Keep examining your plants so you can control the population of these pests.
Diseases
Following are some diseases that can be harmful to your pepper plants. If you take action at a right time then your plants may be saved.
FLOWER DROP
When your pepper plants receive extremely hot sun then the flowers may drop. If your plants receive too much heat and sunlight then the fruit will not develop. Sunburn is harmful to any living organism. In the same way, jalapeno plants will also destroy.
BLOSSOM-END ROT
The reasons for this disease are uneven watering, calcium dependency, and too much nitrogen. You should use suitable fertilizer to fulfill the needs of your pepper plants. Maintain the frequency of water to keep the moisture level under control. You can also spread a layer of mulch to retain moisture.
LEAF SPOTS
If the environment is humid then fungal diseases such as leaf spots will destroy your plant. Too much humidity is harmful to your plants. A humidifier helps to maintain the humidity in the environment of your pepper plants.
When To Harvest Jalapeno In A Raised Bed?
After 4 to 6 months your jalapeno is ready to harvest. When the color of the jalapeno peppers turns dark green then they are ready to harvest. Continuously examine the fruit and when they are about four to six inches long pick them.
You can also harvest them when they are red. Before harvesting touch the fruit if you feel it firm then pick.
Follow these simple steps to harvest jalapeno.
- You need a sharp knife or pruning shears to snip off the peppers. Carefully pick the jalapeno peppers. Don’t pull them off because your plant can be damaged by this action. Make sure there must be a short stem left after harvesting.
- After picking the jalapeno peppers, use them within three days. If you want to store them for a long time then keep them in the refrigerator for one week. You can also make a pickle of pepper to store them for several months.
Air-Drying Peppers
You can also dry peppers to store them. Following are the steps on how to dry jalapeno peppers.
- First of all, wash and dry jalapeno peppers. Place the peppers in such a place where they get fresh air. Well-ventilated rooms or you can place them outdoors on dry sunny days.
- The other way of drying jalapeno peppers is to string them on a heavy thread. After that hang them to dry. Make sure there must be a few inches of space between jalapeno peppers. Choose a location for hanging them where they get direct sunlight.
- After a couple of weeks, they will dry and you can use them for future use.
Oven Drying Peppers
Wash the peppers and leave them to dry. Now cut them in half and take a baking sheet and place them on it. The temperature of the oven must be a hundred to 130 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake all the jalapeno peppers, and after a few hours, they are dry.
