Gardening

Bell Pepper Companion Plants: Dos and Don’ts

Companion planting can be an effective way to both utilize your space– something most of us could use more of– to its utmost potential and augment the health, yield, and even flavor of your bell peppers. The best companion plant for a bell pepper depends on what you have in mind as a goal from companion planting.

Best companion plants that deter pests from bell peppers:

Companion plants used to deter pests from bell peppers can also be used to improve the appearance of your garden. Flowers make good pest deterring companion plants for their attractive foliage as well as the fact they can often be used as “traps,” so to speak, for pests as they’re not to be consumed later.bell pepper An overview of the best and worst bell pepper companion plants

-Geraniums are easy to grow and deter leaf hoppers, Japanese beetles, and curly top virus.

-Marigolds attract bees by the hive load while deterring nematodes, lead hoppers, and a wide variety of other pests. Marigolds are possibly the best pest-deterring companion plant in existence.

Best companion plants that grow well with bell peppers for space utilization:

Companion plants can be used to fill voids in containers or for the purpose of altering growing conditions to increase plant health and yield. The best companion plants for peppers for space utilization can also be consumed or used in other ways.

-Onion, garlic, chives, and other alliums repel slugs, aphid, cabbage worms, and certain types of flies. In addition, all of the above increase garden yield.

-Tomatoes and other pepper varieties add the humidity peppers love and diversify your garden. Be careful not to overcrowd as peppers require full sunlight.

-Dense ground cover herbs such as marjoram, oregano, or basil increase humidity, but grow low so as not to hinder the light your pepper plants receive or their growing space. All of the above will aid companion tomatoes in growth too. Certain herbs are also suggested to alter the flavor of vegetables that grow within them such as tomato and peppers. Marjoram and basil are well known for these effects.

Companion plants to avoid for bell peppers:

Certain plants will either hinder growwth or will die as a result of the peppers. The worst companion plants for peppers are fennel, apricot and walnut trees, beans, kale, cabbage, and brussels sprouts. Growing conditions for these plants also do not align well with those of bell peppers.

You may also enjoy:
Storing Jalapenos

 

Storing Jalapeno Peppers: How to Dry, Freeze, Pickle, Jar or Save Jalapenos for Fresh Use

Whether you just enjoy a bit of kick to your salsa or load peppers on every meal, jalapeno pepper plants are an attractive and practical plant to have around. However, those on the less fanatic spice side of the equation may find even one small container plant produces too many peppers for their household. The average jalapeno plant will pop out 25 to 35 peppers a season— and that’s one single, small plant. As a result, those taking up jalapeno harvesting may benefit from knowing how to store jalapenos.storing jalapeño peppers

Storing jalapenos for fresh use:

You can allow peppers to remain on the vine and use them as needed for some time. However, eventually, they may begin to wither and even fall off on their own. In which case, watch out for children and pets as vine-ripened jalapenos will be stronger in flavor.

Another fresh-use option is to cut the peppers from the plant once they are ripe and place them in a paper bag in the crisper of your refrigerator. In this form, jalapenos will keep for around a week, maybe two. There is no need to cut or clean the peppers until you’re ready to use them.

Drying jalapenos:

Drying jalapenos can preserve them pretty much indefinitely. Simply use a needle to string the peppers by their stems and hang them. You can leave the peppers hanging or remove them once dry and store them in a dry location. Refrigeration is not necessary. You can also take dried jalapenos and grind them to use as an easy spice additive to meals.

Other gardeners use dehydrators to speed the drying process or slice and bake strips in the oven before storing. Always remember to either wear latex gloves or wash your hands very thoroughly after handling jalapenos. The chemical that makes the pepper hot to the taste can cause painful chemical burns.

Pickling or jarring jalapenos:

While it does, in some cases, limit the use of stored jalapenos, they can be jarred or pickled. In either case, the peppers are generally left whole or sliced and packed tightly into jars. Then, boiling water and any other additives per your recipe of choice can be added before sealing the jar. You’ll find a wealth of recipes for pickling and jarring jalapenos in cookbooks and online. Due to the variety of methods for this storage technique, it’s best to find a recipe that applies to your particular needs.

Freezing jalapenos:

Freezing preserves the pepper in full form, which leaves it arguably the most versatile for future use. Some pepper harvesters claim freezing leaves the pepper squishy or soft when thawed. This may be a consideration depending on your planned usage for the peppers. Peppers will keep 10 to 12 months frozen. To freeze jalapenos, you can either place the whole pepper in a bag and pop it in the freezer, or chop or slice them and do the same. If you wish to harvest the seeds from the peppers, do so before freezing. Contrary to popular belief, removing the seeds from a jalapeno will not make it less hot.