What you need to know.
Peppers are one of my favorite vegetables to grow because one plant produces an enormous amount of food all season long. I grow both sweet peppers (California Wonder bell, Jimmy Nardello Italian frying pepper, and Banana peppers) and hot peppers (Cayenne, Jalapeño, and one Habanero that I mostly grow on a dare). NC summers are genuinely perfect for peppers — they love long stretches of heat as long as nights stay reasonable.
The most important thing with peppers is starting them indoors early enough. Peppers need a long season and a slow start. In Zone 7b, I start seeds under grow lights in early February — about 10 to 12 weeks before my last frost of April 15th. Transplants that go into the garden too small will not produce well. By transplant time in early May, I want stocky plants that are already 6 to 8 inches tall.
"I planted my pepper transplants out too early one year — a cold night in April set them back three weeks. Wait until nights are reliably warm."
Step by step.
Start seeds indoors 10 to 12 weeks before last frost (early February in Zone 7b) under grow lights. Peppers need warm soil to germinate — use a heat mat set to 80 to 85 degrees for best results. They germinate slowly, often taking 2 to 3 weeks.
Transplant outside after the last frost when nights are consistently above 55 degrees — in Zone 7b, that is early to mid-May. Cold soil and cold nights stall peppers badly. A pepper planted into 60-degree soil will outperform one planted weeks earlier into cold soil.
Pinch off the first flower buds that form before transplanting. This diverts energy from early fruiting into building a stronger root system, which results in much higher total yield over the whole season. It is a hard thing to do but worth it.
When to plant in Zone 7b.
Peppers produce from mid-July through October in Zone 7b. The peak production window is August and September. Sweet peppers can be picked at any stage — green, yellow, orange, or fully red. Fully ripened peppers are sweeter but take longer to get there.
Hot peppers get significantly hotter as they ripen to their final color. A green jalapeño is milder than a red one from the same plant. If you want maximum heat, leave them on the plant until fully colored. Our first frost around November 15th usually ends the season — I bring a few potted pepper plants inside to overwinter.
Problems I ran into.
Blossom drop happens when daytime temperatures consistently hit above 90 degrees — flowers form but fall off before setting fruit. This is completely normal in NC July heat and nothing to worry about. Production resumes when temperatures drop back into the 80s. Do not panic and do not fertilize more — that makes it worse.
Aphids cluster on growing tips and under leaves. A strong spray of water every morning for several days handles most infestations without any spray. Severe aphid pressure can be treated with diluted insecticidal soap.
What I make with it.
Homegrown peppers have a depth of flavor that grocery store peppers just do not match, especially the sweet Italian types like Jimmy Nardello — they are thin-walled, sweet, and incredible roasted or sauteed in olive oil.
I roast peppers over an open flame until charred, peel them, and use them on sandwiches or mixed into scrambled eggs. Browse the recipes page for what I cook with peppers from the garden.