How to Grow Large Anaheim Peppers
- 1). Remove the weeds and grass from a planting site in full sunlight. The best site has sandy soil and good drainage. Mix 2 to 4 inches of compost into the top 12 inches of soil with a shovel. Broadcast 4 to 6 cups of 10-10-10 slow-release fertilizer over a 100-square-foot area and mix it into the top 6 inches.
- 2). Plant Anaheim pepper seeds or seedlings in the spring after all danger of frost has passed. Space the plants 12 to 18 inches apart in rows that are spaced 36 inches apart.
- 3). Spread 2 to 4 inches of organic mulch around the base of the pepper plants. Use straw, grass clippings or several layers of newspaper after the soil temperature has reached 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 4). Soak the soil around the Anaheim pepper plants once a week. Dig a small hole with a hand trowel to check the depth of the moisture. Keep watering until the top 2 to 3 inches are wet. Pepper plants require 1 to 2 inches of water each week.
- 5). Scratch 1/4 tbsp. of 21-0-0 slow-release fertilizer into the top inch of soil with a hand cultivator around each of the pepper plants four and eight weeks after planting. Do not over feed the pepper plants, because it causes excessive leaf growth and reduced fruit production.
- 6). Pick the Anaheim peppers when you area ready to use them. These peppers are commonly picked while they are still green. Fully ripe peppers are bright red, firm and plump with smooth skin. Harvest all the peppers right before the first autumn frost.
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