Pepper Plant Spacing – How Far Apart Should I Plant Peppers?

If you are planning to grow peppers in either a raised bed or a garden bed, you’ll want to make sure you have your pepper plant spacing right. Every plant needs a different amount of space to thrive.

Some vegetables need several feet between plants, like squashes and tomatoes. Others need just a few inches, like carrots and bush beans. Spacing between pepper plants will vary from one variety to another. So in this article, I’ll share our spacing suggestions for popular pepper types.

In short, peppers should be spaced at 18-24″ between plants, stem to stem. For larger varieties, more space may be beneficial for easy access while harvesting.

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General Pepper Plant Spacing

Different pepper plant varieties have different growth patterns from others. Some tend to grow wide and bushy, while others grow tall and slender. Leaf sizes are also highly variable.

Generally speaking, if you are growing peppers from seed, they will likely not grow much taller than 3-4 feet during a single season. Many varieties will stay much smaller, while others can grow larger.

So, how much space do peppers generally need between plants? For most varieties, pepper plants should be spaced around 18″ (46 cm) between plants. Larger varieties can be given slightly more space, but will usually not need much more than 18 inches. This spacing will prevent the plants from competing for space both above and below ground.

We have experimented with spacing closer and farther apart, and have found 18″ to be the sweet spot for plant health and ease-of-access. If you space your plants any closer, they may compete for light and root space. Overly-tight spacing also restricts airflow which can cause other issues with your pepper plants.

Since peppers self-pollinate, you can space peppers as far away from one another as you like. These spacing guidelines are meant to maximize your garden space.

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Bell Pepper Plant Spacing

Bell peppers are among the largest pepper varieties, and also the most commonly grown. The plant’s leaves are broad, and plants can grow quite tall, easily 4 feet or taller in one season. However, they tend to be slender rather than wide and bushy, so they may not take up as much lateral space as you might expect.

With that said, you should give your bell peppers plenty of space to produce. We recommend spacing bell peppers at 18 inches (46 cm) between plants. Though the plants are usually slim, the root systems can be extensive, requiring a bit of extra space. We prefer to be on the safe side to maximize our pepper yields.

Don’t space your bell peppers too far apart! Having neighbors nearby is helpful for bell peppers. They provide added shade for the fruits to avoid sun scalding on the pepper’s skin as they grow and mature.

Bell peppers can also be grown vertically (like trellised tomatoes). In this case, you can space the plants even closer, around 12-14″ between plants, pruning off side shoots throughout the growing season. Keep in mind that your plants will end up growing much taller (often 6 feet or more), and will require support on a vertical stake or trellis.

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Jalapeño Plant Spacing

Another popular pepper to grow at home, the jalapeño is a smaller pepper than the bell pepper. However, the plants can grow as big (or bigger) than bell peppers.

We recommend spacing jalapeno plants at 18-24 inches (46-60 cm) between plants. You may give them more space if desired, but the plants should produce optimally at around 18 inches.

Jalapeños are part of the Capsicum annuum species, along with banana peppers, poblanos, bells, serranos and many others. These plants tend to be a bit less bushy when mature, thus an 18-24 inch spacing will work for all of them.

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Habanero Plant Spacing

The Capsicum chinense varieties can grow to be much, much larger than C. annuum types. These pepper types include habanero, ghost pepper, 7 pot, scotch bonnet, and many other superhot peppers.

For the habanero-type peppers, we recommend at least 18 inches, and up to 24 inches for easier access during harvest and plant care. This spacing will allow the plants to reach a mature size of 4-5 feet wide in a single season!

Keep in mind that, by spacing closer, your pepper plants will help shade the ground below, preventing weeds from growing. Spacing correctly also makes the best usage of your garden plot.

If you have an especially long growing season (tropical zones), then you may wish to add space between your habanero-type plants. This will give the plants enough room to mature and grow bushy with the extra growing season.

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What To Plant Near Peppers

Perhaps just as important as pepper plant spacing are plant companions. We wrote an article dedicated to this topic, but here are a few great options for what to plant near your peppers.

• Flowers. Alyssum, zinnias, cosmos, and marigolds can all help keep your peppers happy throughout the growing season. They do this by attracting beneficial insects, and in some cases luring pests away from your pepper plants.
• Basil. We absolutely love growing and cooking with basil. There are a ton of different varieties to choose from, each with a unique flavor, aroma, and even color. Basil is also a great companion for tomatoes and other garden veggies.
• Chives. Another easy-to-grow herb, chives are happy to be planted nearby your pepper plants. They don’t grow too tall and can help deter certain types of flies. Keep in mind that chives are perennial in most zones.
• Garlic. You may think that growing garlic would be difficult, but it is one of the easiest crops to grow. If you have a fresh, organic garlic bulb, you can use it to grow more garlic. It is a great companion for most plants, and a culinary treasure.
• Rosemary. Another fragrant and delicious herb, rosemary is a staple in our kitchen. It grows well and is very hardy throughout the season.
• Tomatoes. Though this may be debated by gardeners, we always have a few tomato plants nearby our pepper garden. We recommend rotating where the tomatoes are planted each year to avoid potential pathogen or pest issues.

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Related:

• Planting peppers from seed
• Transplanting peppers
• Choosing the right container for peppers

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I hope you found this article useful for your pepper plant spacing in the garden this season. Let us know if you have experimented with different spacing distance and how it worked for you. Thanks for reading!