Jalapeño Pepper Plant Care: How To Grow This Spicy Plant

Jalapeño peppers (Capsicum annuum) belong to the amazingly diverse group of Peppers. This plant is related to varieties such as poblano, bell peppers, and cayenne. The Jalapeño pepper plant is one of the most popularly grown varieties among other pepper varieties. This plant is used in various culinary items and is known for its spicy flavors. Jalapeño pepper care is easy, resulting in the popularity of this plant among gardeners.

Native to Mexico, the Jalapeño pepper is named after ‘Jalapa’, the capital city of Veracruz, where it was originally cultivated. In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about growing this plant and how you can care for a Jalapeño pepper plant.

Jalapeño Pepper Care

Jalapeño pepper plant care is easy as long as you can provide the plant with its basic care –

Water

Jalapeño pepper plant, unlike the other members in its family, needs lots of water. For better Jalapeño pepper care, keep this plant consistently moist during hot and dry spells. However, make sure not to overwater the plant and keep the soil from becoming waterlogged. Use a layer of mulch to retain moisture.

Avoid watering the foliage to avoid diseases; for that, you can use the drip irrigation system. You can also water the Jalapeño pepper plant in the morning so the moisture evaporates during the day from the foliage.

Jalapeño pepper plant prefers good watering during the hot periods and when it produces blooms. The plant shows signs such as wilting of leaves to indicate a lack of watering.

Soil

For better Jalapeño pepper plant care, use fertile, well-drained, loamy soil. This plant can also survive in sandy soil. Make sure the soil pH is slightly acidic to neutral. For potted plants, use a nutrient-rich and well-draining soil mix.

Mixing compost during the planting will result in more fruit production.

Light

Jalapeño pepper is a sun-loving plant, so choose a sunny location for it. A minimum of 6 hours of sunlight is required for optimal fruit production, though this plant can tolerate some shade. Moreover, make sure to provide some shade from the afternoon sun in hot climates, as the plant can dry out quickly.

Temperature and Humidity

This plant is sensitive to cold temperatures and soil. The ideal temperatures for Jalapeño peppers are 65℉ to 85℉ (20-29℃) during the day and 60℉ to 70℉ (16-21℃) during the night. Extreme cold or hot temperatures can cause blossom drop and low fruit production in the plant.

For better Jalapeño plant care, maintain moderate humidity and frequent watering during dry periods.

Fertilizer

Jalapeño peppers require heavy fertilizing. Give your plants a good start by amending the soil with compost during the planting season. To further improve the plant’s growth and fruit production, use a balanced slow-release fertilizer suitable for vegetables during the growing season.

Plants growing in containers would benefit from a layer of compost or granular fertilizer during flowering. Follow the instructions on the package and avoid over-fertilizing.

Pruning

Pruning isn’t a major care task for Jalapeño pepper; however, pruning this plant can help promote healthy and bushier growth. Trim the suckers off the base of the plant. To encourage fruits to finish maturing, prune the plant a few weeks before the first frost.

Use sharp and clean garden tools to prune the plant to avoid diseases and other problems.

Potting 

Select a large pot with drainage holes for container-grown Jalapeño peppers. Use a potting mix rich with organic matter such as pine bark, coir, and more to provide good drainage. Usually grown with spacing in the garden, you can group some compact types of Jalapeño pepper plants in a large planter.

Overwintering

Jalapeño plant is a perennial tropical plant that can be kept indoors during the winter. Most gardeners prefer to start from scratch next season to prevent the hassle. But if you can, you should overwinter your Jalapeño pepper plant as it will grow much faster the next season, and mature plants produce more yield.

To protect and keep your Jalapeño plant over the winter, you must bring it indoors in a container. The plant still needs enough sun to survive, so keep it near a bright window. Water the soil when it feels dry to the touch, and protect the plant from heat vents and drafts. Prune the leggy stems and, come spring, gradually move your plant outdoors.

How To Plant Jalapeño Peppers

While planting your Jalapeño peppers, make sure that the soil temperature is above or around 65℉, as this plant requires warmth to germinate. In colder areas, you can start indoors and transplant the young seedlings into the ground afterwards, as growing the plant directly in the ground can be challenging.

Select a sunny location for better Jalapeño plant care, and make sure that the soil is rich in nutrients. Avoid planting near plants like tomatoes or other members of the nightshade family, as they can transmit diseases and harm your pepper plant’s health.

Leave a gap of 14 to 16 inches between the plants. Taller varieties would require the support of stakes to prevent weighing down from the fruits.

Harvesting Jalapeño Pepper Plants

You can harvest the Jalapeño pepper plant during its green stage or wait for it to turn bright red as it ripens. Red peppers tend to be spicier and hotter. If you want to harvest the green pepper, wait for it to grow at least 4 inches long and turn dark green.

Don’t pull the fruits from the plant as it can break the stem; instead, use pruners. You can harvest Jalapeño peppers and let them ripen indoors during winter by keeping them by a bright window. Potted plants can be brought indoors altogether. You can freeze the peppers and keep them fresh for a week.

How To Propagate Jalapeño Pepper Plants

This plant is usually grown from seeds, but you can also propagate Jalapeño pepper plants via cuttings. With this method, you can easily clone this fruiting plant. Here’s how –

• Take a healthy piece of stem (4-6 inches) from the plant in early summer. Cut just below the leaf node.
• Remove any leaves from the lower half of the cutting. Also, remove flowers and fruits.
• Apply rooting hormone at the base of the cutting.
• Fill a small container with drainage holes and fill it with moist soilless potting mix, and place the cutting in it.
• Place the cutting under bright and indirect light in a warm spot.
• Gently pull the plant to check for root formation in about 2 weeks. Transplant the plant only if the roots are formed.

Common Problems With The Jalapeño Pepper Plant

With the right care, such as watering and maintaining soil fertility, you can keep your plant from many problems. However, there are some problems you should know about –

• Sunken Spots – Rather than being a disease agent, blossom end rot is a condition brought on by environmental causes. Blossom end rot starts as a sunken, light green or yellow patch at the fruit’s base and grows into a larger, collapsed area that turns black. A calcium deficit brought on by an inconsistent water supply to the plant is associated with blossom end rot.
• Scalded Fruit – Additionally, sunscald is a physiological condition rather than an illness. It happens in hot weather when pepper fruits are left out in the sun. Only the side of the fruit that faces the sun experiences symptoms, such as white or yellow blistering that eventually turns papery, flattened, and grayish. Reduce sunburn by promoting lush vegetation with the right fertilizer and watering.
• Yellow Leaves – Poor soil conditions or improper watering can both cause plant leaves to turn yellow. Take proper care of your plant to prevent such problems.
• Pests and Diseases – Various pests can affect the Jalapeño pepper plant, such as aphids, spider mites, leaf hoppers, and flea beetles. Moreover, diseases, such as phytophthora blight, verticillium wilt, or mosaic virus, can harm the health of the plant. Regularly monitor your plant for any signs of pests and diseases and take the necessary steps to manage them.

Conclusion

Jalapeño pepper is an amazing plant to grow both indoors and outdoors, and if you love spicy food, this plant is great for you, as its fruits are used to spice up many culinary dishes. With this care guide, you can grow this plant easily at home. So, make sure to give it a try and download the Plantora App to learn more about growing and caring for different types of plants.