We often get asked from our seed customers:
What is the Best Container Size For Peppers?
Our recommendation is to plant peppers in containers that are at least 5 gallons in size or larger. Larger pots are better as you don't have to water quite as often! For larger varieties like many Hatch Chile varieties, Bell peppers and Poblanos and, use a larger pot with 5 gallons or more. Find larger sized pots like 12″ - 14+″ height for better yields, due to a larger root system.
For larger or longer growing peppers, using larger containers and planters with 10-15+ gallons of soil if you have room in the garden or on a sunny patio.
If you don't have room in a garden bed or raised bed, then using containers to grow peppers is the next best thing! Because pepper plants are sensitive to cold weather, having them in containers is also great as you can bring them indoors or into the garage if cold weather or overnight temperatures are expected in the spring or fall. This allows you to grow the peppers for a longer growing season, which many of the super hot peppers need in order to mature and provide a decent harvest. If you struggle with short seasons, make sure to try growing our short season peppers which grow and mature much faster than other varieties and they do great in containers!
For best container pepper plant success,
check out our Best Peppers to Grow in Containers »
This Shishito pepper is growing very happily in a large pot that is 24.5 in. D x 19 in. H with a 14 in. Base. It grew so large that we provided it with a cage for support. As this sized container is not easily moved, when the cold weather arrives in September and October in our short season climate, that's the end of the growing season for this plant.
The Shishito pepper above is in a 14" pot, and also was quite productive, and had companion chives in the pot. As it is a smaller pot, we are able to move this one into a protected, warm location in the autumn when we start getting cold nights or freezing weather to eek out several more weeks of growth and pod ripening.
Larger pots help have more consistent moisture than smaller pots, which can dry out quickly. Larger containers also hold up better in windy situations, as they are much heavier and won't get top heavy with larger growing peppers. Of course, that means they are harder to move, so take size into consideration if you will be moving the containers.
Don't overwater!
Pepper plants in containers should also not be over-watered or have poor-draining potting soil, as they can quickly drown if their roots are soggy. Make sure to keep an eye on the moisture level of peppers growing in containers, letting the soil dry out slightly between waterings but never get bone dry. Yellow Leaves on Pepper Plants indicate that you may be over-watering, so make sure to feel the soil and only water when needed. Be sure to use a well-draining potting mix in your pots for the best success.
Container size for Bell Peppers
As mentioned above, a lot of bell peppers are larger plants, so growing them in a larger pot that is at least 5 gallons and 12-14" in diameter is best. Grow some purple bell peppers in a container for a great conversation starter! These purple beauties look beautiful in a ceramic pot on the patio.
What size grow bag for peppers?
Fabric grow bags are becoming popular for portable gardens, we recommend using the 5 gallon size bags for pepper plants. Some growers like the 7 gallon or 10-20 gallon bags, especially those in longer growing seasons where the plants get to be quite large. Of course, keep in mind that if you're planning on moving them at any point when growing, 10+ gallon pots are much heavier.
Tiny Containers for Peppers:
Now I know I said larger is better, but you can certainly grow peppers in small containers. Some growers grow them in an aluminum can! See lots of examples by searching for "Pepper in a Can Challenge" which is a popular gardening photo contest amongst some gardeners where they grow a pepper from seed to maturity in a 12 oz drink can. Ornamental peppers like Twilight Peppers, Fire and Ice Peppers or Easter peppers are popular choices as they are smaller plants that grow their pods upward and were bred for their beautiful colors. Super hot peppers and Habaneros are also ideal to grow as they do need a long growing season, and it's awesome to keep them growing year-round for ongoing production for use in hot sauces and salsas.
It's fun to see all the talented growers grow amazing plants in a can. Photos above were posted on reddit. 
Photo above from BigJeffreyC on Reddit of his Bonsai Pepper Plant.
Some pepper growers enjoy growing Bonsai pepper plants in shallow containers for years to get a thick tree-like trunk. Growing a bonsai pepper (also called "bonchi") is a fun way to overwinter your pepper plants or keep them growing indoors year-round. The process involves growing a healthy plant, giving it a hard prune, and potting it into a shallow/small container with well-draining soil. With any small container, it's very important to keep them watered consistently and pruned so they stay healthy. Keep the soil evenly moist but not waterlogged, and make sure the medium and pot have good drainage. These small-container grown pepper plants can be quite pretty, and though they won't be as productive as a pepper grown in a larger container, they can still produce peppers and are a fun experiment.
Best Potting Soil for Peppers
If growing in pots, the best potting soil for peppers will be one that is fast-draining, and loamy. Don't use Garden Soil or Topsoil for containers, always find a Potting mix or Potting soil that is made for containers. Top soil and garden soil do not drain as well in pots and can drown your pepper plants! So using a good well-draining potting mix that is designed for containers will allow the water to drain quickly and keep your pepper plants healthy.
When growing peppers, you can also add perlite or vermiculite to increase aeration and improve the drainage of potting mix. Perlite (White volcanic rock) is better suited for areas with high summer rainfall or humidity as it increases drainage and helps prevent root rot. Vermiculite (Shiny mineral) is better suited for dry regions with less summer rainfall as it can help retain moisture.
Growing Hot peppers in Pots
Hot Peppers grow great in containers, here are our favorite hot peppers for containers »
How many Pepper Plants per Container?
We usually plant one pepper plant in each 5 gallon pot, but if you have larger pots you can plant 2-3 peppers depending on the size of the container. It also depends on the variety, some peppers are smaller in size than others. Ornamental peppers, for example, like the beautiful pastel Easter Pepper shown above, are often planted closer together for their ornamental effect.
Growing Pepperoncini in Containers:
We love growing pepperoncini pepper plants in containers, though these are large 4' plants, so it's wise to use containers that are larger than 5 gallon, 10-15 gallons or even large containers like wine barrels would be good to grow these in.
Learn about our top picks for the
best peppers to grow in containers »
