Growing Peppers in My Garden

How I’ve gone from a few peppers on each plant to an incredibly bountiful harvest!

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There’s something magical about growing your own peppers. Whether you love the crunch of a fresh bell pepper, the heat of a jalapeño, or the sweet tang of a banana pepper, cultivating these vibrant plants from your very own garden is incredibly rewarding. And the best part? Burpee plants make it easy for anyone—from seasoned gardeners to newbies—to grow these beauties right in your backyard.

In this blog post, I’ll walk you through my experience growing bell peppers, jalapeños, and banana peppers using Burpee plants. These plants are known for their quality, and with a little care, you’ll be harvesting peppers in no time! Believe me, it makes a difference. Keep reading to hear more about my experience. Along the way, I’ll share tips, tricks, and some great seed options for your next gardening adventure.

Why Peppers?

Peppers are the perfect garden addition for several reasons:

• They thrive in warm weather, making them ideal for summer planting.
• They’re super versatile in the kitchen—think stir-fries, salsas, pickles, and more!
• Plus, they’re colorful and fun to grow, adding a pop of green, yellow, red, and orange to your garden.

Let’s get growing!

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Planting Bell Peppers

Bell peppers are one of the most popular garden veggies for a reason. They’re crisp, mildly sweet, and perfect for just about any dish. My kids scarf down about 2-4 peppers every day during harvest season! I am constantly slicing and dicing. Growing copious amounts of bells in my garden every year is just a give-in because it seriously saves us money and you can’t beat eating straight from your own garden! I started my bell peppers with Burpee plants, which were already strong and ready for planting. Believe me, I’ve tried every year since I’ve been gardening to start bell peppers from seed but I’ve never had much success. I would get a few but my plants never grew large like they are supposed to. This past year I decided to try something new and just buy plants. Was it hard? Yes! Did I feel like I was cheating? Kind of. But, after 17 years of having a garden, I know what works for me and what doesn’t. I am not too proud to use a start and that’s just that.

Tips for Growing Bell Peppers:

• Sunlight: Bell peppers need full sun, so plant them in a spot that gets at least 6-8 hours of sunlight each day.
• Watering: Keep the soil consistently moist but not soggy. I found that watering every other day kept my plants happy.
• Support: As the peppers grow, they can get heavy. Using stakes or cages will help the plants stay upright. I can’t stress this enough-you will need a bigger cage than you think you do! They get really heavy when there are a lot of peppers on each plant. I love the pro series cage. The durability is great and the shape works really well for my garden. I also use these really awesome twist ties that are incredibly easy to use and re-use. You can find them >>here.

After a few weeks of care, my bell pepper plants were covered in gorgeous, shiny green peppers. And when the time came to harvest them, I couldn’t have been more excited. There’s something so satisfying about cutting into a pepper you’ve grown yourself!

*not-quite-a-pro tip; as hard as it is to do, cut the first pepper from each plant. I know, I know, it is very disheartening at first after all of the care and attention you’ve put into your plants. Trust me though, you will get a FAR bigger yield if you let your plants put more energy into growing more buds than just putting it’s energy into growing your first pepper.

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Heat Things Up with Jalapeños

For those who love a little heat in their meals, jalapeños are the way to go. They’re perfect for spicing up salsas, adding to nachos, or even stuffing with cheese or cream cheese for an easy appetizer. Again, I used Burpee jalapeño plants, and they didn’t disappoint.

Jalapeño Growing Tips:

• Spacing: These plants can grow quite bushy, so give them some space! I planted mine about 18 inches apart.
• Harvesting: For a spicier jalapeño, wait until they start turning red. Green jalapeños are milder, but both colors are delicious!
• Fertilizing: Peppers love a boost of nutrients. I used a balanced fertilizer every two weeks to keep my plants growing strong. Click Watering: Don’t over-water! I learned the hard way. Apparently over-watering will take the spice out of your jalapenos completely! It was weird making a big batch of jalapeno poppers…only for them to be completely void of spice!

Within just a few weeks, my jalapeño plant was producing peppers like crazy. I had so many that I ended up giving away a ton, freezing, and pickling a batch—and they turned out amazing!

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Sweet and Tangy Banana Peppers

If you’re looking for a pepper that’s not too hot, not too sweet, and just right, banana peppers are your best friend. These mild, tangy peppers are great for pickling, tossing on salads, or slicing into sandwiches. Starting with banana pepper plants made for quick growth and a ridiculously bountiful harvest. In fact, I had so many that I was begging neighbors to take them.

Banana Pepper Growing Tips:

• Soil: Make sure your soil is well-draining. I added compost before planting to give my peppers a nutrient-rich start.
• Pest Control: Keep an eye out for pests like aphids. I try to kill them with I see them or spray the plant lightly with the hose.
• Harvest Time: Harvest when the peppers are fully yellow for the sweetest flavor. If you like a little extra bite, let them ripen to red. We let a lot turn red on the vine and my husband liked them even better that way.

Banana peppers are super fun to grow, and they brighten up any garden with their cheerful yellow color. Plus, they’re incredibly versatile in the kitchen!

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Going Organic: Burpee Seed Packets for Your Garden

While I grew my peppers from plants this year, Burpee also has a fantastic selection of organic seeds if you’re ready to start from scratch. Their organic seed line is perfect for those who prefer a more hands-on approach to gardening. Here are a few of my favorites:

• ” title=””>This one is definitely my favorite.

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