- Pepper plants require full sun to produce the largest and healthiest fruit, so pick a site that won’t get shaded out by trees or other garden plants.
- Soil should be well-draining and rich in organic matter.
- A soil consistency somewhere between sandy and loamy will ensure that the soil drains well and warms quickly.
- Soil pH should be on the acidic side—5.5 to 6.5, ideally.
- A week before transplanting peppers into the garden, introduce fertilizer or aged compost into your garden soil.
- Avoid planting peppers in places where you’ve recently grown other members of the nightshade family—such as tomatoes, potatoes, or eggplants—as this can expose peppers to disease.