Additionally, if weed control becomes a problem, weeds can compete with the pepper crop for soil moisture. Weed control is an additional benefit when using plastic mulch with drip irrigation. Another cultural practice that may manipulate water in the soil is the use of a raised bed. Using raised beds will cause the water to move out of the row faster than if flat-culture were used. Raised beds have made significant improvements with respect to soil warming in the spring and in helping to avoid saturated soil conditions which promote plant root diseases like Phytophthora root and crown rot.
Drip irrigation can also lessen the incidence of crown, leaf, stem, and fruit diseases.
By using drip irrigation, upper plant parts are not wetted during irrigation applications, like they would be with overhead irrigation application. When the leaves, stems, and fruit are not wet, they are less prone to infection by bacteria or fungal pathogens. Many pathogenic organisms must have free moisture to survive and or spread to other plants. In a year with little rainfall, plant diseases can be more easily controlled by using drip irrigation. Measuring soil moisture is important in scheduling your irrigation applications.