Peppers need a fertile, well-drained soil and prefer loams or sandy loams and grow best in a soil with pH 5.5 to 6.8. See Soil Management for a description of types of liming materials and their effect on soil pH, Ca and Mg availability. The table below lists nutrient recommendations based on soil test results.
Pepper is a long-season crop.
N uptake increases in the last two-thirds of the season and potassium is critical for fruit development, so in a sandy soil where leaching is likely, it is usually advisable to divide N, and possibly K, into several applications. This will also reduce the possibility of excessive N before and during fruit set, which encourages vegetative rather than reproductive growth. If high capsaicin content is desired in hot peppers, however, N levels during fruit development should be kept to a minimum. Planting Because of slow and erratic germination at low temperatures, peppers are usually transplanted. Even under optimal conditions, pepper seeds germinate more slowly than seeds of tomatoes or eggplants.