The Ideal Container Size For Pepper Plants
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If you are growing your pepper plants in pots, you should give the plants enough room to grow to their full potential. Pepper plants require adequate space to mature and produce lots of fruits. The best container size for pepper plants will vary based on which variety you are growing.
In general, the larger the pepper variety, the larger the pot should be. For example, a bell pepper plant requires more space to grow and mature than a cayenne pepper plant.
In this article, I’ll help you pick the right sized container for pepper plants. I’ll also share some of our favorite types of planters that you can find online.
In this article:
- What size pot for pepper plants?
- Best pots to buy for pepper plants
Container Size For Pepper Plants (Video)
What size pot is best for pepper plants?
While the perfect planter does not exist for all peppers, there is an ideal size range to look for. Generally, pepper plants need a minimum of 3-5 gallons of growing medium to produce a healthy yield. However, this varies based on the type of pepper.
For smaller pepper varieties, like cayenne peppers or Thai chilies, your pots should be at least 3 gallons. For larger varieties like bell peppers and banana peppers, aim for a pot with 5 gallons or more.
Some pepper varieties, like ghost peppers and other Capsicum chinense varieties, can make use of 10-15 gallons of soil (or more!). However, this large container size may be inconvenient for some growers.
3+ gallons/11 liters (small peppers):
- Serrano
- Thai chilies
- Cayenne
- Fresno
- Aji charapita
- Dwarf varieties (like medusa)
- Other small pepper varieties
5-10 gallons/19-38 liters (large sized peppers):
- Bell
- Jalapeño
- Poblano
- Banana
- Any other large pepper variety
10+ gallons (38+ liters):
- Ghost
- Carolina reaper
- Hatch chile
- Most C. baccatum varieties
Keep in mind these are meant to be minimum container sizes for happy, healthy pepper plants. If you want to achieve larger harvests, grow in larger containers to allow your pepper plants to mature to their maximum size.
Also, you can grow your pepper varieties in smaller pots and still get some peppers. However, you will end up with a smaller overall plant size, and ultimately smaller yields.
The Cheapest Pots
For the frugal pepper gardener, look no further than the 5-gallon bucket. These are usually between $3-5 and can work as a pepper plant container. Just be sure to drill some holes in the bottom for water drainage.
While 5 gallon buckets are not the most aesthetically pleasing to put in your yard, they are a practical and affordable option.
Note that 5-gallon buckets are not made for growing plants, and that the plastic used may not be food-grade. Use them to grow peppers at your own discretion.
Fabric Planter Grow Bags
One unique option for gardeners are plant grow bags. They are highly effective for faster plant growth because of their breathable walls. Fabric grow bags are affordable, collapsible, and easily stored after the growing season.
While some bags are made of woven fabric, others are felt, offering better stability of temperature and a longer lasting build. One of the greatest benefits of this design is root pruning, which prevents the root system from circling the pot.
What sized grow bag for peppers?
Grow bags come in every size, but we recommend at least 5 gallons for growing peppers to avoid issues with the soil drying out. These 7-gallon bags from Bootstrap Farmer are perfect for pepper plants and come in a variety of colors.
Affordable Plastic Pepper Plant Pots
We have been using these plastic pots for years. They are made of thick, sturdy plastic and can be reused season after season. If you live in a cold climate, I suggest bringing them indoors for the winter to avoid cracking.
I would recommend going with the 10″ pots or larger, depending on which varieties of pepper you plan to grow. Our bell peppers typically produce about a dozen fruits in the 12″ containers.
These pots also come in many colors, perfect for color coding your plants, or simply making your garden more quirky and fun.
Modern Planter Pots
If you want a modern look to your outdoor garden, you may find what you’re looking for on AllModern.com. You can also shop for attractive planters at department stores, gardening centers, Etsy, thrift stores, and yard sales in the spring.
Though these pots may be aesthetically pleasing, many of them do not come with drainage holes. For peppers, it is important not to over-water, so be sure your pot of choice has drainage before planting.
You can easily drill your own drainage holes, so this shouldn’t be a deal breaker. Or, plant in black nursery pots, and place them into a decorative planter.
For fancy, upscale planters, we recommend using a cheap nursery pot placed into your planter box, out of sight. Just check that the nursery pot will fit comfortably in your planter beforehand.
Related:
- Pepper plant spacing
- How to make peppers grow faster
- Fertilizer for pepper plants
- Harvesting peppers
I hope this article helps you find the perfect sized container for your pepper plants. Good luck with growing your peppers in pots this year!
Calvin
One of the original Pepper Geeks! When Calvin isn’t gardening or learning more about peppers and botany, he might be traveling new places or playing some music.
How many drain holes for drainage in a 5 gallon bucket , and what diameter of hole
I’d say maybe 4 or 5 holes, they can be around 1/2″ or so in diameter.
Hi Calvin! What size pot would you recommend for the tiny Biquinho peppers? Or would these peppers do better in the ground? I am new to this type of pepper but intrigued by their size and would to give them a whirl, just need to decide if I should put them in a pot, my raised bed or in the ground.
They did very well in-ground for us a few years back, they grew to about 3′ tall, and very bushy and wide. If you want to keep them smaller, maybe around 3 gallons, but if you want to get the most out of them I’d go with 5-7 gallons.
Hi Calvin! What size pot is best for Sugar Rush Peach Pepper? Thank you
Hi Sophie, I’d suggest around 5-7 gallons for a full-sized plant. They take a long time to ripen, so be sure to start on time and up-pot when they outgrow the smaller containers!
@peppergeek,
Can you just put small plant in 7 gallon for the season?
Good morning! How many cayenne pepper plants could I fit in a 20″ whiskey barrel type container? I need to maximize space and hope you can help 🙂
I’d probably go with 3 plants in a triangle. Cayennes can get fairly large if they have enough room to stretch out, so 3 should fit in a nice wide container.
How do you feel about self watering pots for chili peppers?
I just made one this year for our dorset naga challenge, should be interesting to watch it grow.
When you say gallons do you mean true volume?
Nursury/retail slang will call a “#5” container a “5 gallon” but a #5 is actually about 4.3 gallons to the brim(depending on squat vs tall and manufacturer)and even less when space is left for watering and mulch; likewise a #3 is under 2.5gallons, #1 is only 2.5-3qt, a #7 is 6-gallons, etc.
Which tends to be a larger plant, Habanero[orange] or Tabasco? Container grown. I’m allocating my pots and I don’t want to just use the largest I have, so I can overwinter these without too much logistical hassle.
Going off topic, I occasionally see Tabasco seeds advertised as “Greenleaf” strain and supposedly better in the southeast US(I’m far west, way different season). This implies there is more than one sub-cultivar of Tabasco, but I never see any that are “Not greenLeaf” or any other definite indication of strain, and I don’t know if one makes a larger plant anyway.
I have been following you guys for several years and have learned plenty. I live in central Florida and I’m nursing my ghost pepper plant back for a 2nd year. I didn’t have much luck last year as none of my peppers grew to more than 1 1/4 “ even though the plant itself was over 3 ‘ tall, the plant is in a 5 gal pot and this year I’m using organic fertilizer. What can I expect? Is it possible the seeds I bought last year on line were not that great? In recent years I have grown reapers, habanero’s, and 7 pot with great results. I’m open for any suggestions, including replanting with the same seeds, and new soil (I use a compost and manure mixture) or ordering new seeds. I value your opinion, so if you can please get back to me.
Hi there. I love your newsletter and have just got involved in growing my own peppers (the superstore ones are a bit wishy washy). However, being from the wrong side of the pond – in the UK, I am confused with your references to pot sizes in gallons. I am old enough to understand gallons but I can’t relate that system of sizing to plant pot diameter in inches. Can you help? Thanks.
Hi there, so a pot with a diameter around 12 inches or 30 cm is a good place to start. Alternatively, look for pots labeled at least 15 liters, though many varieties can benefit from even larger pots.
I have mainly 12″ pots and I am growing super hots, am I screwed on hoping for good production?
No, 12″ pots should be plenty to get a decent harvest off each plant.
@Rodney Galea,
Google is your friend. Just write something like “How many cubic feet (or whatever unit of measure you would use) are in 5 gallons?” Google will pop up with the answer and often a calculator to use various units of measure.
@Rodney Galea,
I’m also a UK-based fan. I found these details from a pot supplier quite useful:
12 Litre Plant Pots
Dimensions: 30cm diameter top, 24.2cm diameter base and 23.8cm depth.
Internal top diameter 27.5cm.
Capacity: 12 litres.
Recommended use: Heavy duty plant pots used for tree production and growing.
15 Litre Plant Pots
Dimensions: 32.8cm diameter top, 25.5cm diameter base and 25.8cm depth.
Internal top diameter 30cm.
Capacity: 15 litres.
Recommended use: Heavy duty plant pots used for tree production and growing.
20 Litre Plant Pots
Dimensions: 35.5cm diameter top, 27.6cm diameter base and 26cm depth.
Internal top diameter 32.5cm.
Capacity: 20 litres.
(30 cm = 12 inches)
@peppergeek, Many thanks for the prompt reply, now I know where to start.
Thai pepper plants absolutely Thrive in container growing, even two or three gallon pots are usually plenty to yield a crop, and they are beautiful as ornamental house plants as well, yielding a variety of colors of peppers, green to red. They store well, take up very little space, and pack a delicious but hot punch. Scoville Rating
50,000 – 100,000 SHU – There are a variety of simple sauces online, Thai fish sauce being one of the simplest and best known, with only about four or five ingredients. Dried Thai peppers are an option for storing, and it is a cinch to save the multitude of seeds for the next season as well. Happy harvesting!
I already have some 25 gallon fabric grow bags. Would you suggest planting maybe 2 or possibly 3 plants (Ajvarski and Lesya) in the 25 gallon bags, or would you purchase individual bags (what size, 5 or 10 gallon) bags for each plant? Thanks
You can definitely use the 25 gallon pot – those annuum types can be spaced pretty close so you could try planting 4-5 plants in a 25 gallon pot – maybe 1 in the middle and surround it with more plants. Good luck!
I use 3 gallon paint buckets with 1/4″ drilled holes in the bottom. Since I live in South Florida, I created chicken wire “cages” for the shorter young chili’s and a 30″ tomato plant trellis covered in nylon mesh netting for the more mature ones. Iguanas are chili peppers’ Public Enemy #1.
Wow! Never knew iguanas were an issue for pepper plants..do they eat the foliage or the fruits? Good luck this year!