Here’s Why You Should NEVER Plant Peppers in Your Garden

[@jamesprigioni]

SHARE THIS VIDEO IF YOU ENJOYED SEEING TUCK EAT PEPPERS! Timestamps 00:00 Intro 00:27 What I Don’t Like About Growing Peppers in My Garden 01:40 The Way Everyone Should Be Growing Peppers 02:32 Avoiding Blossom-End Rot When Growing Peppers 03:40 Preventing Sun Damage to Peppers 04:23 The Advantages of Mobile Pepper Plants 05:25 How to Extend the Pepper Season on Both Sides 06:12 Keeping Peppers Safe From Storms 06:25 How to Avoid Issues from Poor Soil Quality 07:10 Providing Peppers With the Nutrition They Need to Thrive 07:51 Saving Soil and Water When Growing Peppers 08:31 Here’s Why You Will Never Have to Weed 08:55 Getting the Most Out of Your Garden Space 09:18 How to Easily Seperate Hot Peppers From Sweet Ones 09:55 The Advantages of Growing Peppers in Containers 10:34 Disadvantages of Growing Peppers in Containers 13:13 The Truth to Why You Shouldn’t Grow Peppers in Your Garden 14:54 What Advantages and Disadvantages Did Me and Tuck Miss?

[@Omoloya1]

❤❤❤❤❤❤Tuck and New Jersey, poyfect tagether!

[@Reggie2000]

Can I grow peppers in last year's tomato buckets soil? I'd recompost it. Like maybe 2/3 tomato soil, 1/3 compost. Thoughts?

[@crittercritter2583]

You didn’t mention holes in the buckets. Do you drill drainage holes?. Hi from Victoria Australia

[@Reggie2000]

@crittercritter2583 Yeah. Two about an inch up, and then put in a few inches of mulch on the bottom so the soil doesn't drain out.

[@comiksitran6437]

@@Reggie2000 What size should the holes be? Thank You!

[@smalllayouts945]

You mentioned switching to peppers in buckets over raised beds last year, and I did that this year. Best harvest of peppers to date for me

[@jamesprigioni]

Let's Gooo! Glad to hear that, me and Tuck truly believe it is the most advantageous way to grow peppers for backyard gardeners 😁🐕❤️

[@VK-qo1gm]

Do you mix soil in containers, ei, a mix of store bought & garden soil/compost, or do you use just store bought? Thank you

[@rik80280]

Too much watering! And potting soil is expensive. Small peppers tend to do better than big bells, but everything does better in the ground.

[@smalllayouts945]

@@rik80280 one .5 gallons per hour drip emitter run once every other day. Be water wise

[@smalllayouts945]

@@VK-qo1gm store bought miracle grow with half cup 3-4-4 fertilizer at planting and another half cup after first harvest

[@AlanRaicer]

Spot on James!!! I too am a Jersey gardener and only container-grow our peppers & eggplant (going on 20 yrs or so at this point I think). Have to say you touched on pretty much every key reason and care tip I can possibly think of. One major benefit you did not specifically address in this video but is worth mentioning is that WHITE containers reflect excess heat during the hot summer period vs black which of course can get so much hotter, though admittedly they too can be moved to cooler or partially shaded locations. It would also be beneficial to see how you have drilled drainage holes in the bottoms of those 5 gallon white buckets you're using (hole size, pattern, etc). Maintaining adequate/even moisture in the containers is the biggest challenge I have found particularly when the plants are growing rapidly and are off to the races to produce fruit while the summer heat is really on. I have tried a few different drip irrigation approaches too in addition to mulching the surface of the growing medium. All in all this is a great method vastly superior to bed planting these two important nightshade groups imho and you did a terrific job, as usual my friend... All the best! ~ Alan in Monmouth County

[@logan979]

yes he left out a huge part of the equation Drainage Holes !!

[@Eshalya]

I grew bush beans in containers this year. For the first time in years I had a great crop. I have a bad back so my husband built tables out of pallets to eliminate all the bending. It is easy to pick and water the buckets on the pallet tables while sitting in a chair and since we built wide mulch paths my father law can enjoy gardening from his wheelchair again. Next year I will try peppers in buckets. I love your enthusiasm for gardening James.

[@matthewstone7367]

I think you sold me. I am going to experiment with peppers in a bucket next year. This is my first successful year with sweet peppers after three years of failure. Need to take things to the next level

[@smas3256]

Choose peppers that do well in bucket. We have 5 Carmen F1 so can't save their seeds. We put them in buckets with tomato cages. It's wild. We had Bell specific to buckets, and gave us red bells into November using cloth to cover when temps dipped at night. zone 6b. We never done sweet potatoes. I'm drooling. Never give up.

[@Mallowolf]

I love peppers! I’ve only had one plant, in a pot, and it grew alongside a praying mantis that lived on it. It kept all of my peppers safe from bugs. I felt really lucky cause I love playing mantises too 💚

[@PamelaC-g1u]

One more advantage ... the peppers are already to over-winter --give them a trim and place them in a protected spot.

[@jamesprigioni]

Great point! I wish I thought to add that in, you are 100% right!

[@donaldjhill]

Yup!

[@ShoahBiz]

how much do you trim before over wintering?

[@KyootyCenter]

Beware the aphids.

[@gardentalkjamerican871]

@@PamelaC-g1u I over wintered seven pepper plants last year and only two survived. And those two took a long time to rebound. They began to bear only recently and I had to prune most of the flowers and new shoots to force the ripening of the few peppers on them. Not doing that again!! I'll go cold turkey and start fresh seeds indoors.

[@PigsDream]

This year I have had so many peppers. I'm growing them in cat litter square buckets. I can fit 10 square buckets in a bucket rack made of 2x4s where as I could only fit 8 round 5 gallon buckets in the same rack. Also I use grass clippings as mulch in each bucket to keep the soil moist and make weeding easier.

[@susandavis2128]

What a fantastic idea! I use mine to catch rainwater until they get cracks in the bottom. I can transition them to grow buckets! Thank you for the idea!

[@karenwoodford4776]

My neighbor is a fan too. He literally has a food forest in his backyard. Wish I were younger. I would too. Still growing- at my ability level

[@cindystimson3632]

❤😅😅

[@WinsomeWinslet]

I couldn't agree more! We planted all but one of our peppers in our raised beds and they are just now producing so many peppers we can't pull them and move onto fall crops! The one shishito pepper we planted in a large pot has WAY more fruit than the others and we can just move it around out of the way when we need and keep harvesting it without disrupting the fall garden plans. This video is full of solid advice!

[@Morganistas]

The first thought I had when you posted this was that you were going to overwinter them inside so you can keep on growing in the spring!

[@keithfred3321]

I was just amazed at how little production I had all summer and now the peppers and eggplants going nuts! Gonna listen to you on this!

[@chrisdonovan8795]

Funny story from when I was a kid. My mom was growing tiny peppers in our apartment. They were tiny and colorful. I was in grade school. I stole one, rapped it in a tissue, and took it to school. I wasn't sure if it was edible, so I cut it with a nail, and touched it to my tongue.... The pain was so bad that I ran all the way home in a panic.

[@timmcquerry6068]

"I ran all the way Home mmm-mmm Just to say I'm soorrry"

[@jessicapayne8622]

Grandson thought mummy got some weird carrots and strawberries, he also ‘stole them’ and spat them, making noises. I did try to tell him that they were peppers. He didn’t believe me. It was fun watching him!

[@chrisdonovan8795]

@@jessicapayne8622 As long as it didn't kill us, I guess we learned an important lesson. :)

[@jessicapayne8622]

@ yup. I particularly enjoyed telling the grandson not to jump in that massive muddy puddle up to his knees. No. Please don’t do that. We’ll get into trouble with mummy. Let’s just say I let him play for about 20 mins. It was worth every single telling off!

[@thymeisright2327]

Im definitely doing this next year because just today as I was clearing out summer crops the area with my peppers is still in use, space that I could be using for fall crops. I'm glad I saw your video today! Let's gooo!!

[@aerowise1321]

James, You and Tuck are AWESOME! Thanks for being YoU! And sharing so much goodness!

[@johnnyjohnson3733]

Super cool. I have done the same thing! Did great with my eggplant and peppers in 10-gallon pots. I use black pots for soil warmth here in zone 7. They do need more water, and I use 20-20-20 Jacks to keep them happy.

[@toniatalley1977]

I loved seeing Tuck helping you harvest!!! He's the very best gardener ever. ❤❤❤❤❤❤for Tuck. Thanks for always sharing your knowledge with us. Great video

[@RobbieAndGaryGardeningEasy]

I have grown peppers in small pots for years, some are over 4 years old now. Pepper don’t mind if they go dry sometimes 😊

[@smb-zf9bd]

James, I caught a video of yours six years ago. OMG, you were so awesome and did not even acknowledge Tuck who kept bouncing around! LOL After 20 years I tried containers this year with incredible results. I kept seeds from the Corno di Toro, ahuge, red Italian heirloom, from and tried bags and buckets. The bags were small but yield spectacular - over 30 huge peppers off one plant. I have huge jars in my fridge I am filling with roasted peppers and olive oil - Great for recipes or dinner parties. Followed you advice and moved peppers and eggplants to semi-shade - immediate improvement. Next year I'm adding more containers (up to 25) to go with the multiple raised beds and then there's the flower garden....

[@carriecreates1207]

Thank you. I have all of my peppers in Buckets/containers I have 30 pepper plants. I enjoy your videos!

[@jasonellis7856]

As we live in a rental we have only ever grown our chilli's and capsicum plants in pot and we managed to keep them flowering and bearing fruit all year round.

[@TediumGenius]

Great video again J! I littered a tiny yard with a load of buckets and ended up with the typical excess a big garden gets! My number one reason to use buckets: IRRIGATION- if you plan your cuts and dispenser locations correctly, you can lay out a drip irrigation system that works incredibly well for buckets!! I collect rainwater, and have been working on a system that combines big IBC containers and a cheaper irrigation system ($35) that features a 1/4" hose and a number of dispenser heads. The problem with using these in gardening is that you have different spacing, so you REALLY have to plan your layouts right. Buckets let you lay out spacing that doesn't really change- say, two feet apart. That means that your hose cuts and dispensers can be set up once, and it will continue to work until things wear out. Also, the garden is almost always something other than perfectly level, and water finds its own equilibrium. You can drill holes in the buckets and feed the line through- or use the holes to attach the hose with zip ties. Either way, all the buckets are the same height, so any level spot will keep them running at the same rate, giving you options you might not have had before. I used advice I heard elsewhere on YT- and covered my buckets in town with burlap, so they didn't look tacky in the areas visible by pedestrians and vehicles. (I did not want to raise the ire of the code enforcement people...) Buckets prevent attack from smaller animal pests, and even rabbits, depending on the crop and how hungry they are. (Groundhogs will either stand up and mow your plants down to miniature golf pencil stumps, or knock the whole thing over and feast that way.) You mentioned the disease and relocation issues, which were VERY helpful in my town garden. Because you have some sidewall to work with, a single stick, post or even cage works great in a bucket, as the sidewalls stabilize these. You DO have to take into account the top-heavy aspect of growing in buckets, but there are dozens of ways to deal with this problem. I always found ways to keep them upright, but here are two ways I would try if I had to: (1) Drill two large holes in the side of the bucket, near the bottom, and opposite one another. Then, use tent or other stakes (rebar, etc.,) to hold them down. (2) Use 1/2 or 3/4 inch PVC pipe zip tied to through the bucket or handle to fasten a collection of buckets together in a triangle shape, giving a shared footprint and stability.

[@yarnybart5911]

Fascinating video. I live in Somerset, SW England and have no choice but to grow peppers and aubergines in a polytunnel. But both always seem to start producing just as autumn approaches and one really cold night and it's end-of-story. They are usually in the polytunnel's raised beds, but next year I'm definitely going to try them in buckets. I haven't grown chilli peppers for years, but when I grew some superhots in containers years ago, the harvest was amazing. Thanks James.

[@callikohl5698]

I have decided to do the same next year. I have some great plants that are producing well, so I'm digging them up and planting them into buckets before the weather gets cold here.

[@gigiartstudiowithartistvir3919]

Brilliant. I started putting my peppers in pots this season because I want to bring them indoors over the winter. I love that they are good with container life. :)

[@carolannspence8057]

I like your tip because my bell peppers suffered from the heat this summer and did not produce as much. The other spicy peppers thrived in ground. Next year I will use pots. 😊

[@partyprepper4437]

Another good and useful video, I love growing a variety of peppers but haven't done in buckets or grow bags, will be rethinking my methods for next year ! Thank you 🥰

[@kiltedgardener]

Thanks for the great information on pepper growing I can see the advantages now of growing peppers 🌶️ in containers. Something to try out next year as my plants didn't grow well this year!

[@mamajan99]

💯 Excellent! You packed 2 hours of info into 15 minutes! Peppers are loaded with Vitamins and fairly insect free. In this past summer's 100+ degree heat, even with a shade cloth my peppers suffered even in a wicking setup. I have picked very few and most were thin fruit. I am going to try and overwinter a couple to get an early start. Now I can't wait for spring! PS: I reuse expensive soil mix into a 5 gallon bucket with a cracked bottom then pour on a couple of gallons of boiling water to kill any insects or virus.

[@VanyaTasic]

Amazing, I did not know this. Thanks for the tip! Also, Tuck is the best 💖

[@brichter4669]

I have a small backyard and can only do container gardening. I grow bell peppers in 7-gallon fabric grow bags. I grew the Better Belle variety this year. The plants have produced very well and are still flowering making more bell peppers. I had one bell pepper plant that grew a little over 4' tall. I make my own potting mix and amend it just how I want it to be. You do have to stay on top of watering and fertilizing but that's not as problem. It's a labor of love to have a great harvest and eat delicious organic veggies. 😋 Happy gardening. 🙂

[@JoeAugustAcoustic]

I added a second bed of peppers this year, about 60 plants total. We got downpour after downpour in June/July (Southern New England) and it destroyed 80% of the plants. Every time they set out flowers they would get trashed by more thunderstorms and eventually gnarled up all the leaves and stopped putting out flowers. Building a greenhouse out of an old carport right now and going to be growing my peppers in there next year out of buckets. The last three years have either been heat and drought or torrential rains. Either way my peps need extra protection from the elements and I always had success growing them out of buckets before beds.

[@MatthewTheWanderer]

Peppers are one of the few fruits/vegetables that I am considering growing in my apartment (in containers, obviously), along with tomatoes and some herbs. I'll consider growing other stuff if those go well.

[@suzanneh4275]

Thanks James and Tuck. I’m going to try my peppers in containers next year. Thanks for all you do! Love your energy.

[@jo9364]

😊 Great video as usual. ❤ Love little Garden Master Tuck! ❤

[@dianalieskovsky8729]

Your so right I love growing my peppers in pots. This year I put two in my raised beds, they are healthy but slower than the others in pots. They only have 1 to 2 peppers. Green and lush but took so much longer to get starter. Lesson learned 😊😊😊😊 ❤❤❤❤❤for TUCK.

[@hikernj]

I’m definitely going to try this approach next season!

[@carolcg1231]

I will transition back to buckets for my greenhouse my husband is installing. We purchased acreage & have had a nice garden for 2 years but this heat & sun encouraged me to get a greenhouse. My husband will continue the outdoors garden on a lesser scale. Tuck is precious! Thanks for all you do I enjoy your videos very much!

[@kathie4082]

I have switched to using a water guage to check whether my plants in planters/containers need water...or not. That inexpensive tool is great...a plant saver.

[@sharonwittmayer1221]

Oh my goodness! We have no idea how much I appreciate this video. You are absolutely right about the peppers having such a late harvest and the space issue! I’m gonna transplant my peppers this week! 🫑🌶️🙌🏻😊

[@dward7781]

I would agree because i grow a lot in grow bags, but... the plants grow in my raised wicking beds THRIVE, and the fruits are huge and healthy. Wicking beds full of yard compost (logs, sticks, leaves, grass, etc.) Works amazing!

[@jameslane9537]

This is an interesting watch. I had an issue this year with stunted plants and low/slow production in my raised bed due to unusually hot temps in the North East this summer. The one exception was a jalapeno bush that I had in a separate container. That plant did really well despite the weather.

[@RkicF8]

I noticed this year peppers grow much better in containers. I was questioning this, so thanks a ton.

[@insearchofspacedabs506]

I'm so jealous of your grow season. Mine is so short here. I can still get alot just have to things differently but if I had yous season I can just imagine the amount more I could get

[@annettegruber4844]

I agree with you about planting peppers in containers. I have 11 red and yellow varieties in my front yard. I agree that peppers take a long time to grow so if I can free up raised bed space I will. I have a lot of success with tomatoes and peppers in containers, but not any luck with zucchini or cucumbers this year, They all died . Spamming ❤❤❤❤❤❤ for Tuck. Keep up the good work James, I enjoy your videos.

[@opraha1113]

I think it depends on your climate. I put a lot of my peppers in containers this year. Unfortunately, it’s so hot in Texas that I would have to water 2-3 times a day. I couldn’t keep up and a lot of them suffered. I didn’t get much of a harvest. Lesson learned, will definitely plant them in my raised bed next year.

[@jamesprigioni]

Good point! I should have gone into more detail about potential issues in southern climates. Would using a 40% shade cloth help out with that, or is it just too hot for even that to make a difference?

[@opraha1113]

@@jamesprigioni Great idea! I put my containers under my tree so they got dappled shade during the hottest part of the day but I may need to double up with shade cloth too. I actually just put up some shade cloth to protect my Fall vegetables (because it’s still in the high 90s 😫). Now I’m wishing I did that with my peppers and tomatoes in the summer. I will try some containers under shade cloth next year and see how they do. Thanks for making such great videos!

[@commonlaw5400]

To aid containers from drying out so fast put about three inches of dirt in the container then place a foil pan on that dirt. Stabilize the pan with dirt around the side of the pan. Finish filling the container. The pan will create a reserve of water during the blasting heated droughts we get. You could put tiny holes in the pan so it drains slowly in the event of too much rain.

[@opraha1113]

@@commonlaw5400wow! What a great idea. I’ve tried the kiddie pool under the containers but it just became a breeding ground for mosquitos but this is such a great solution! I will give it a try next year.

[@SpinningSpur]

Use larger containers they dry out slower

[@sleestaks]

Been watching your channel on and off since Covid hit the world. I always wondered about your intro jam and I finally heard it, Nice 😉 Finally Moving Pretty Lights Taking up Your Precious Time 2006

[@saras7635]

yehhh! amazing idea for peppers! i did use 5gal buckets for other plants - peers will be perfect for that too. also added / buried a 1gap water jug with wholes and with a 3/4inch or 1 inch pipe ( cut slanted at the bottom , extending from the bottom of the jug through the mouth of the jug - extending 10-12 inches above it ) filling it up with water - a modern day oja if you will - note: to prevent over watering - drilled a 1/4 inch hole 5inches from the bottom of the bucket - soils tays more evenly watered especially in hot summer days. ... there are few other clever gardeners on youtube that show ho to do it .....

[@MdnghtEther]

I just got randomly recommended this video. i don’t have a garden. i have habanero “trees” growing in 15 gallon recyling bins. i find it litterally impossible to keep them constantly watered, they grow far too vigorously, and they get unmanageable whitefly infestations which spread to my other plants. the worst part: they’ve somehow survived every disease they’ve killed my other plants with, splitting themselves in half, and 3 hurricanes, and STILL produce an endless amount of inedibly spicy peppers, even during January.

[@elisahelligar1323]

Yes, I did something out it! This my first time growing peppers and eggplants in containers and they are so much more productive to point that I am hoping to expand next growing season GOD willing! Thank you!

[@vernabar7093]

Hi James, I've been planting my eppers in buckets for the past two season with very good results. Next season i will also plant my eggplants in buckets as well. Hi Tuck❤

[@honeybadgers1996]

Thanks for the great tips. Very valuable info, James. Give Tuck, the king of the garden, a huge hug.

[@ecobinetv5201]

Magnifique les poivrons et merci pour les conseils

[@putheflamesoutyahoo1503]

I tell pep about the wood chip gardener....Ill have to tell them about the new name, lol. I go back to then when I seen your video just after having first load dumped on my driveway....it helped me SOO much to keep my sanity wondering what my neighbors might be thinking! Just what I needed! I have 2 pepper plants in containers doing well, I think they like it there, I barely rem planting the seeds. I have to check your history to see more if you have on the permanent plants. The shade , protection, and production and maybe what not to plant? Was thinking on the Paw Paw tree and Cornelian Cherry Tree), but from NE IA some here goes another am I crazy thing to get over, lol. I have to review fruit tree pruning also. ? So inspiration? You were my first. Reminds me of time with a great golfer in person, total change of respect for the game. Tuck, u got a cyber belly rub!

[@comiksitran6437]

James, You have, by far, The Best gardening videos I have found. I'm not new to gardening but I'm not really good at it so every year is an adventure/experiment. You have a down to earth way of explainig things which makes it easy to understand, and you give the reasons why you do things the way you do and I find that extremely helpful. Thank you, and little Tuck, for all the work you put into making us better gardeners it is appreciated!

[@OG-Anetka]

Been warching Tuck 😉 for a few of years now... I'm always learning something new. Always happy to see Tucks navigation through the garden, and his love for veggies. How old is he now? Thank you James for continuing to share your knowledge with us. Cheers

[@karenromando4939]

Great idea made. I can never grow peppers. Only jalapenos 7 years ago to where I just don't try anymore. Thank you James. Hi Tuck. Hope all is well with poochisroo. :-)

[@kurtsassenfeld9850]

I agree w your main point that they’re out of the beds during late summer. Freeing that space up for Fall plants. Good video.

[@p3co_]

I’m going to have to try this next year. I have 105 pepper plants in the garden this year and need to scale WAY back next year. One more advantage I can think of for eggplant is it keeps them out of reach of voles. I’ve had them nibble my eggplant fruits in the past. This year they’re in a raised bed with galvanized wire fabric under the soil and around the top, so they can’t get in. As always, thanks for the great info and for giving us our dose of the Tuckster!

[@Detour4it]

Fantastic way to grow. I've been growing in buckets and 20 gallon plastic planters for two years now. I extended my main irrigation run to a header where I have feeder runs to each pot; I can also disconnect the header and move it to my summer location.. Florida cooks everything.

[@hawkspiritweaver6664]

Been doing peppers in buckets and grow bags for years. This year my really hot peppers are way late so I will be cutting them back and bringing them inside for the winter. (NE Michigan) Will see how well that works next season.

[@ross-smithfamily6317]

James, I am able to grow *fresh* sweet peppers and cherry tomatoes throughout the winter in Zone 7b in North Carolina by growing them in containers and bringing them in to the garage on colder nights. Love, hugs, & garden snacks for Tuck!! 💙🐾🐾

[@4TheWayTruthLife]

It's also possible to take some of the pepper plants indoors for the winter. They don't do as well, but you still have a few during those cold months. 😋

[@johnwakamatsu3391]

I agree that growing peppers in containers is a great idea. I grew peppers in the ground, but I live near the ocean in Los Angeles and rarely have frost. The last frost was over thirty years ago. I enjoy watching your plant videos.

[@bluebutterflywellness2273]

Good idea! This was my first year growing peppers so I did both just in case. Actually I'm not growing anything else so far, but will keep this in mind the more experienced I become. Btw, my yields have been much better in ground than in containers.

[@lattelolly6925]

Such a great idea. I got so much sun scald on my peppers this year. I will do this next year. Thank you.

[@vj563]

I've grown my peppers in containers and the ground. Both were great. I did have an issue last year with Pepper Maggots. They went after my cayenne peppers mostly. I didn't realize there were such a pest and it ruined my entire harvest. I didn't grow any this year, but whenever I do grow them again I'll be spraying my plants with neem oil.

[@LLTization]

Great idea. My scorpion peppers have been finally so productive in a dollar tree 5 inch 3 pod stackable container. My okra, pear tomatoes, pole beans love the 5 gallon buckets.

[@xamaqueen1902]

❤ you both especially Tuck! 💓

[@anulaluna]

Definitely trying this next year! Another advantage for someone like me is that I can put the pots at a level where they're very easy to attend and I don't have to bend down, but I guess that goes into the bracket of being able to move them. 🤛

[@Sue-ec6un]

I planted everything in containers this year...Tired of fighting off the groundhogs..root pouches.and an electrified netting fence...I finally outsmarted them. ;)

[@TnT_F0X]

Makes overwintering easier. I had to start new pepper plants since my container ones were getting old. Gotta decide which plants to dig up and save for the next 2 seasons. My Habanadas didn't even make peppers yet!

[@bethsands7665]

Awesome idea to grow peppers in 5 gallon buckets to be easily moved around for choice areas. I have one Vego bed that I have not transitioned yet into Fall plants because my 3 peppers are producing well finally ! I have started seeds in my 4 other Vego beds. Good growing information, thanks.

[@smas3256]

My 5 pepper plants are in buckets this year w. tomato cages doing awesome. Your advise on them is 100% . James with the great ideas, experience and encouragement. ❤Tuck making my mouth water when eating that pepper. Smiling is difficult while drooling. ❤Tuck makes me smile. ❤. Thank you.

[@joetran8798]

For all my container plants, I have drilled holes in the bottom and I put the containers in a tray (depending on size, I use supermarket sushi tray or even shoetrays will work). Then fill the tray with water. (the trays can't be deep, otherwise the roots will sit in water and rot) The soil sucks up the water as needed and I only have to fill the trays every few days (maybe once a day if the day is really hot). Works amazing for my plants.

[@sreykimsear]

James thanks for the information. I will do the peppers and eggplants in containers for next growing season. I have about 8 buckets and some grow bags.

[@chrisdonovan8795]

One of the big things that I've learned this year is multiple harvests. I didn't get to work at it seriously this year, but I am ready for next year. What a game changer!

[@smas3256]

Zone 6B we transplant in spring and sow seeds. Repeat spring summer and fall. So rewarding especially making compost that includes brown leaves chopped 3xs. We also use chopped leaves as a winter blanket.

[@chrisdonovan8795]

@@smas3256 Yes, the winter blanket was also something that I've heard about. At least I can try that this Fall. Thank you.

[@comfortablynumb9342]

I grow cannabis indoors and I have a "perpetual harvest", I keep plants in 3 different stages in different small tents. You can do something like that with other plants if you have a long enough growing season. Just keep putting out young plants every 2 weeks or once a month. I wish I had done it with my veggies. I planted once and my squash are done. Some of my peppers are finished too. If I had put out younger ones I could have kept picking. But it's only my second summer in VA my first garden here. Next year I'll spread it out more. I'll probably try growing a cannabis plant or 2 outside next year too. They can grow huge here outside.

[@sagecoach]

This season I followed your instructions and grew a beautiful crop in NW Wisconsin. This video is spot on with every point I experienced. They are still producing. Four colors of Bell Peppers in 5-gallon buckets timer controlled watered every morning.

[@WelcometomyCapeCodlife]

What a great fire pit, good job Ben! I love your new plans and ideas. As I have but 8 chickens, they are named (mostly by my grandkids, so they have funny names) and loved. They’re happy girls.

[@sarahrussie2317]

I always love your input and ideas. Expands my gardening mind and capacity. I grew my peppers and eggplant in grow bags this year and they grew better than most of my garden, although the weather made a lot of this weird this year. 5 gallon grow bags are pretty versatile in similar ways to buckets. Not sure which medium I prefer in total though as I'm still pretty new to gardening, so we'll see how things go. ❤❤ For Tuck. 😊😊 For James

[@joanflemmingkendrick1107]

I grow in both beds and tubs with fantastic results. With tubs, constant watering is key. ❤🐶

[@deltorres2100]

Yes sir that’s all I do is put my peppers in a container in pots 5 gallon or 7 gallon or just one big pot but I noticed that they do good and I overwinter my peppers a few of them🌶️🫑

[@teresawebster3498]

I usually put a stake in my containers with my peppers when I transplant them. Where I live we have periods of time where we have wind every day and we have periods of time when we have severe storms almost every afternoon and sometimes at night. When I put a stake in to start my plants off, it is really easy to keep them tied to my stake and helps support my plants against the elements.

[@CynthiaJKress]

This is so great! Super ideas for the pepper plants! Personally, I don't see ANY down side! Thanks to you and Tuck. You work so hard but it REALLY pays off☀🌶🥦🥕❤

[@Emgee78]

This was my first time growing anything. We live in an apartment with a decent terrace, so I all I got are growbags and plastic pots. My Apache and shishito peppers gave me such a massive crop over the last two months!

[@virginiatibbetts1551]

Thanks for including eggplant here too. I’d like to do the same with tomatoes because we have a pretty long growing season here in CA. Hard for me to pull out the tomatoes, as production has slowed but not entirely stopped.

[@jackrzeman]

I agree. Most of my peppers are in pots or bags. Doing great!

[@04fys513]

I used to grow habaneros in pots. I kept them on my 2nd floor porch, and took them inside late fall. Many would live through the winter indoors. Some plants that I had lived for five years until the dog knocked them over and trampled them.

[@ceciliagachet-atchison3689]

Hi James, as always, great info. I’m a new gardener and this year I planted three kind of sweet peppers and although production wasn’t that bad it wasn’t as great either. I planted them in garden bed. Next year I’ll definitely follow your advice. Thanks to Tuck also, I’m going to try to have my doggie taste as well😊

[@GrowerStatusT73]

I noticed the benefits of growing certain things in containers even being in a different climate, it’s great to get this information for future purchases ,I’m going all into the buckets for the peppers 🫑 if you look at the bottom of a bell pepper you can identify male and female , 3 bumps is a sweet male and 4 bumps is the not so sweet I believe.❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤not forgetting to spam tucks hearts❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@InGODitrust5and2]

Other way around 4 is sweet 3 is not so sweet 👍

[@kapstersmusic]

Thanks JP and Tuck! One long term issue with those white food grade buckets is photo-degradation. One really old food grade bucket I used in my garden (originally a soy sauce bucket), basically turned so brittle it crumbled into pieces. It took over ten years, but it does happen eventually with UV exposure and heat.

[@tjcihlar1]

The hard thing we have found about growing in containers is water. In the ground, our sprinkler system gets enough water, and the plants don't dry out as fast and we don't need to think about watering for the most part. Our container fig and kale need diligent watering.

[@missthang4770]

Thank you James. I will definitely try the container method next growing season. You're obviously a very skilled gardener as evidenced by your gorgeous, productive and well organized garden so I trust your advice.

[@brendawydeven2934]

I'm growing mine in pots now. You're right. Mine didn't get productive until end of season. I always thought I failed until I learned how to grow them and to pick off first fruits . I set mine back by letting them fruit right away instead of letting them get established more to produce more flowers. This year I'm going to try overwinterering indoors. Give me a jump start. I use 5 a 7 gallon grow bags.

[@CharlesReiche]

You're helping me learn! Thank you James! Next year will be my best pepper year ever thanks to you!

[@dustyflats3832]

Had great peppers in the garden this year. The abundance of rain created pepper trees and there was a lot of leaf canopy. I had to tie them up several times and in a bucket that would have been difficult. I could see Tabasco maybe as they take a long time to produce and they could be moved to the greenhouse. For those with minimal space it would help to free up space.

[@Magbanuatribe]

I plant lots of peppers not for the peppers but for the leaves. They’re great for chicken soup - it adds a great bite and flavor especially during cold weather.

[@carbonatedmilk5934]

I love growing in buckets too, mine are also white. But I noticed they all will get algae because light can penetrate the bucket. So what I do is just get some light obstructive tape and tape the whole thing up. 🤙🤙

[@marcywilson207]

I use tomato cages in my buckets around my pepper plants to support the large bell peppers. Otherwise the weight can break the stems. Also always use old buckets that already have a crack in the bottom.

[@JeanHudson2022]

When you need to move those buckets a moving Dolly makes it really easty to move them. Thanks JAmes and Tuck

[@ross-smithfamily6317]

From a petite lady ... yes, it really does!

[@maryananamcnana]

i specifically love peppers and eggplants in buckets. I live in the NY catskill Mountains and we have at least 1 month less growing season. I get minimum yields w the trees here considering but definitely a buckey pepper/ eggplant as well

[@maryananamcnana]

(bucket)