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Peppers are hot, spicy, and are great for heightening flavors in food.
They could also cause you a considerable amount of pain when they get into your eyes, yet on the soil, peppers are very accommodating to other plants.
They can grow on the same soil ridge with a variety of plants without competing for nutrients or causing damage to them.
Peppers belong to the nightshade family of Solanaceae.
There exist various types of peppers grown and useful in culinary activities. Some of them are hot and spicy while others are just sweet and can be eaten raw.
Peppers are adapted to grow well in loamy soils with adequate watering and good temperatures.
They can grow outdoors under direct sunlight and react unfavorably to cold environments. It is advised not to grow peppers at temperatures below twelve degrees Celcius.
You should also know that almost every species of pepper contain capsaicin which is responsible for the burning sensation felt after eating a meal with plenty of pepper flavor.
There are about twenty-five different types of peppers that are identified in this article.
They include bell peppers, shishito, banana peppers, Italian sweet pepper, pimento pepper, piquillo, Cuban peppers, poblano, anaheim, pasilla, jalapeno, Fresno, yellow chile, serrano, guajillo, cayenne, rocoto, bird’s eye, Piri-Piri, habanero, and scotch bonnet, etc.
Peppers exist in colors that include yellow, red, green, and sometimes black. A fact about peppers is that they are native to no particular region in the world.
They exist as different species in different parts of the world and can be associated with different countries based on the amount produced in each country.
China, Mexico, Turkey, Indonesia, and the United States of America are notable for the massive production of chili hot peppers.
This article outlines the best plants that could be grown alongside your peppers on the same soil or plant pot without destroying the pepper or getting destroyed by the pepper.
It also explains why certain plants should not be planted on the same soil or close to peppers. You could call this an article about peppers and their various symbiotes.
The Ten Best Companion Plants for Peppers
- Radish (Raphanus Raphanistrum
- Maize (Zea Mays)
- Garlic (Allium sativum)
- Basil(Ocimum basilicum)
- Carrot (Daucus Carota)
- Spinach (Spinacia oleracea)
- Okro (Abelmoschus Esculentum)
- Squash (Cucurbita)
- Peas (Pisum Sativa)
- Eggplant (Solanum melongena)
The above-listed plants are the best companion plants that could be grown alongside peppers in your garden for reasons that are outlined in the proceeding paragraphs
1. Radish (Raphanus Raphanistrum)
Radishes are edible vegetables that are easy to germinate, grow and mature for harvesting.
They complete their growth and maturity stages in about four weeks, unlike the pepper plant which takes about 3 months to grow.
Growing radishes on the same soil as peppers help to maximize garden space, in the sense that radishes grow up straight and do not compete with the pepper for space or nutrient.
Moreover, they mature quickly and are easily harvested, leaving more than enough soil for the pepper to thrive in.
Radishes also act as cover crops in winter for the peppers, saving your peppers from harsh weather conditions.
2. Maize (Zea Mays)
Maize is a popular plant grown and eaten for dessert by most farming communities. It serves as a good companion plant for peppers because of its ability to grow tall.
The maize plant does not also need too much watering to grow, hence an adequate watering of the pepper-maize soil will keep both plants adequately watered and growing fine.
The height of the maize plant also protects peppers from harsh wind actions by serving as a windbreak.
As a pest control strategy, aphids that attack peppers usually ignore the peppers and feed on maize leaves, keeping the pepper safe and healthy.
3. Garlic (Allium sativum)
Garlic is an underground tuber grower, unlike peppers that grow fruits on their stems.
This is an important feature that makes for the maximization of space in a garden where peppers and garlic grow. This is such that the fruits of the pepper plants have enough space to grow big and succulent above the soil, while the garlic tubers also have enough space to grow properly under the soil.
Garlic plants also protect peppers from pests like aphids and beetles.
4. Basil(Ocimum basilicum)
Basils are included in food as a last-minute flavor because of their aromatic nature.
Growing basils alongside peppers affect the pepper’s taste and improve the flavor of the pepper.
This is possible through an exchange of nutrients between the two plants growing side by side.
5. Carrot (Daucus Carota)
Its origin can be traced to Central Asia. It is a favorite vegetable in homes, especially in salads.
The carrot is a nutritious vegetable rich in vitamin A, usually eaten raw and whole as a vegetable dessert.
.Carrots do not need plenty of nutrients to grow, so they just use up only a few nutrients in the soil, leaving enough nutrients for the growth of peppers.
6. Spinach (Spinacia oleracea)
Spinach is a weed repellant on soils where they are planted.
Co-planting the spinach with the pepper plant helps to keep weeds on the soil at bay. They do not grow tall and so do not compete with peppers for sunlight and heat.
Planting spinach alongside peppers naturally spaces out the peppers.
7. Okra (Abelmoschus Esculentum)
Okra plants have broad leaves and grow tall. This way, they act as shades to the peppers, against excessive sunlight, rainfall, and wind.
They are also essential repellants to pests like aphids.
With okra planted on your pepper soil, good yield is ensured.
8. Squash (Cucurbita)
Popularly called squash or pumpkin, the squash plants are creepers, with large leaves that serve as protection to the soil against sunlight and excess water.
The squash plant can take up to seventy days before reaching full maturity, almost the same maturity period as peppers.
This way, they serve as weed repellant to peppers all through the pepper’s growth and maturity stages.
9. Peas (Pisum Sativa)
Peas are very delicious vegetables used mostly as last-minute additives to foods like rice.
They are leguminous, meaning that they help to fix nitrogen in the soil giving enough nutrients to the peppers for adequate growth and chili.
10. Eggplant (Solanum melongena)
Fortunately, the eggplant belongs to the pepper family and requires the same kind of nutrients the pepper requires for survival.
This means that you do not need to outsource different kinds of fertilizers to grow the plants on the same soil. One fertilizer pack is always enough for the two plants.
Another benefit of growing eggplants as companion plants with peppers is the fact that eggplants are edible and can be eaten raw, unlike peppers that have to be cooked to eliminate some of the chilies.
What Not to Plant With Peppers?
Since some plants are beneficial to the survival and increased yield of pepper when they are planted together, some others have harmful effects on peppers and can hamper their growth.
The following plants should not be planted with peppers:
- Cauliflower: Cauliflowers are prone to compete with peppers for water and nutrients because they require so much water for growth likewise peppers.
Chances are that both plants will suffer if planted together.
- Kohlrabi: this plant originates from the same family as broccoli and cabbage and can attract pests to peppers if planted together.
- Fennel: the fennel is a delicious plant that can be grown as a deterrent to pests and insects in your garden, but not close to peppers.
This is because if they are planted close to peppers, the pests that are attracted to their leaves can easily move to the peppers and destroy them.
- Apricot: the apricot is a fruit tree and has long taproots.
Planting peppers alongside apricots have the possibility of starving the peppers of necessary nutrients.
It is so because the apricot gets all of the nutrients in the soil, leaving nothing for the pepper to use.
An apricot also prevents water and sunlight from getting to peppers which leads to stunted growth and eventual death of the pepper plant.
Other plants that should not be grown alongside peppers are:
- Cabbage
- Brocolli
- Beans
- Brussel sprouts
- Brassicas
What Happens if You Plant Peppers too Close Together?
There is a good and a bad side to planting peppers too close together.
The good side is that cross-pollination easily happens between the various species planted together.
The downside is in the sharing of insects and pests. When peppers are planted too close together, insects on one can easily be transported to others, usually from sweet pepper species to hot pepper species.
Are Coffee Grounds Good for Pepper Plants?
Yes, they are. Coffee grounds are rich in anti-bacterial fibers which help to keep bacteria and fungi at bay from the pepper plants.
Coffee grounds are also rich in nitrogen which is an essential nutrient to pepper plants.
So if you’ve got a coffee ground and some peppers, you need not hesitate any longer in planting the peppers, as they are sure to do well.
What Does Epsom Salt Do for Peppers?
Epsom salt, also known as magnesium sulfate is a crystal-like solid that can dissolve in water.
Magnesium sulfate is added to plants to increase the magnesium content in the soil of plants, especially plants like peppers that need adequate magnesium to grow properly.
Since soils are either lacking magnesium or deficient in magnesium, adding Epsom salt to the soi of a pepper plant can help increase the yield of the peppers and keep it resistant to pests.
How Can I Make My Peppers Grow Faster?
To increase the speed of growth in peppers, the following gardening practices should be adopted:
- Grow the peppers in soil that drains properly
- Grow the plants in areas where they can get adequate light and heat
- In winter, take the peppers indoors. This is because peppers are repulsive to very cold environments and might go into dormancy because of cold.
- Apply fertilizers regularly to the plant pot especially fertilizers that are rich in nitrogen.
- Prune the plant early enough to enable the peppers to channel growth energy to fruit development rather than leaf growth.
Notable Information
In this article, the following needs to be reemphasized:
- Peppers can grow outdoors under good sunlight
- Peppers take up to 3 months to grow and get ready to be harvested
- Peppers are not native to any one location in the world, they are only mass-produced in certain parts of the world.
- Companion plants that can favorably grow with peppers are radishes, maize, garlic, basils, carrots, etc.
- Some plants that are not to be grown close to the pepper plants are broccoli, cabbages, and apricots.
Conclusion
Peppers can be grown in every part of the world as long as the conditions are right for their growth.
The inclusion of companion plants to the peppers isn’t only advantageous to the growing peppers but is an economic technique to the farmer.
Peppers can do great with the right companion crops which we have shown in this article.
