The Best Pepper Plants to Grow for a Bountiful Harvest

Peppers come in a rainbow of colors and a wide range of flavors from sweet and mild to searingly hot. With so many tempting varieties to choose from, how do you pick the best peppers for your garden? Consider these top-rated pepper plants that are sure to yield a bountiful harvest.

Best Sweet Pepper Plants

For a harvest of crunchy juicy peppers with sweet mild flavor, these varieties can’t be beat

Bell Peppers

• Colors: Green, red, yellow, orange, purple
• Plant height: 18-24 inches
• Days to maturity: 60-80 days
• Key traits: Blocky, chunky peppers perfect for stuffing, slicing raw, or cooking
• Suggested varieties: Ace, California Wonder, Big Bertha, King Arthur

Bell peppers are the classic choice with their familiar blocky shape and spectrum of jewel tones Pick a mix of colors for visual appeal. Miniature varieties like Mini Belle are perfect for containers

Banana Peppers

• Colors: Pale yellow, golden yellow
• Plant height: 24 inches
• Days to maturity: 60-75 days
• Key traits: Prolific, tapered, banana-shaped pods with thin skins
• Suggested varieties: Sweet Banana, Hungarian Yellow Wax

Mildly sweet with thin skins, banana peppers are ideal for pickling, cooking, and eating fresh. Their tapered shape makes for easy, uniform slices.

Pimento Peppers

• Colors: Scarlet red
• Plant height: 24-36 inches
• Days to maturity: 70-90 days
• Key traits: Heart-shaped, thick-walled, sweet and tangy flavor
• Suggested varieties: Sweet Pimiento

Pimentos have a signature shape and are prized for canning. Try stuffing them with cheese for an aromatic twist on traditional pimento cheese.

Cherry Peppers

• Colors: Red, yellow, orange
• Plant height: 18-24 inches
• Days to maturity: 60-80 days
• Key traits: Bright colors, poppable bite-size fruits
• Suggested varieties: Sweet Red Cherry, Yellow Cherry Hot

Cherry peppers produce prolifically on compact plants. They’re perfect for snacking and brighten up any dish. Mix colors for a beautiful harvest.

Best Hot Pepper Plants

If you love spices and heat, expand your palette by growing some of the best hot pepper varieties:

Jalapeño Peppers

• Colors: Green, red
• Scoville units: 2,500 to 10,000 SHU
• Plant height: 24-36 inches
• Days to maturity: 65-80 days
• Key traits: Medium heat, crisp texture, classic for salsa
• Suggested varieties: Early Jalapeño, NuMex Primavera

A backyard staple, jalapeños can be harvested green with medium heat or allowed to ripen to red for a milder, sweeter flavor. Pickled jalapeños are always a treat.

Serrano Peppers

• Colors: Green, red, orange, yellow
• Scoville units: 10,000 to 25,000 SHU
• Plant height: 24-36 inches
• Days to maturity: 75-85 days
• Key traits: Slender shape, crisp texture, extra heat
• Suggested varieties: Serrano Tampiqueño, Serrano Chili Seeds

With searing heat and bright flavors, serranos are ideal in salsa, sauces, soups, and other Mexican dishes. Start small; they pack a real punch!

Cayenne Peppers

• Colors: Red, green
• Scoville units: 30,000 to 50,000 SHU
• Plant height: 24-30 inches
• Days to maturity: 65-75 days
• Key traits: Long, slender fruits perfect for drying into powder
• Suggested varieties: Long Thin Cayenne, Cayennetta

Cayennes are the pepper of choice for spicing up dishes from Cajun cuisine to curries. Use fresh or dry them for cayenne powder.

Habanero Peppers

• Colors: Orange, red, yellow, chocolate
• Scoville units: 100,000 to 350,000 SHU
• Plant height: 18-24 inches
• Days to maturity: 85-100 days
• Key traits: Tropical fruit flavors with searing heat
• Suggested varieties: Explosive Ember, Chocolate Habanero

Pretty habaneros pack a mighty punch, with intoxicating floral aromas. A little goes a long way, so use sparingly unless you have an asbestos mouth!

Growing Tips for Pepper Plants

Follow these simple tips for success with your pepper crop:

• Plant in full sun (at least 6 hours direct sun daily)
• Use well-draining, nutrient-rich soil and compost
• Space plants 18-24 inches apart
• Use cages or stakes for support once loaded with fruit
• Consistent moisture is key – about 1-2 inches per week
• Fertilize every 3-4 weeks with a balanced organic fertilizer
• Harvest peppers at peak flavor and color
• Eat fresh, pickle, freeze, or dry extras

With this guide to the best pepper varieties for your garden, you’re sure to enjoy a bountiful harvest of sweet, mild, and searingly hot peppers. Explore new flavors, colors, and shapes to take your cooking to the next level!