Before you transplant pepper plants, they must first be large healthy seedlings. They can be planted after they have been acclimated to the outdoors and the last expected frost date has passed. Pepper plant seedlings should also be planted in well-drained, warm soil, about a 1 or 2 feet (30 to 60 cm) apart, in an area that receives several hours of sunlight each day. During the transplant, you should be very careful not to disturb the roots.
Only healthy, established pepper plant seedlings should be transplanted. These seedlings should be several weeks old and at least a few inches (7.62 cm) tall. They should also have thick stems with bright green leaves.
The best time to transplant pepper plant seedlings typically depends on the area where you live. Generally, most experts recommend planting these seedlings outside a couple of weeks after the last expected frost date, since they do not do well in cold weather. The temperature of the soil should be at least 65 degrees F (18 degrees C). To make the soil warm up faster, you can lay a clear plastic sheet over it for a few weeks, which will help retain heat as well as moisture.
You should also harden off pepper plant seedlings before planting them outdoors. To do this, you should place the plants outside for a few hours each day. Every couple of days, you can increase the amount of time that the plants are left out, until they are eventually left out all night. This process helps the new plants get used to the unsheltered outside environment.
The spot where you plant your new pepper plant seedlings will also have an impact on how well they grow. Since most types of pepper plants don't do well in overly moist soil, they should be planted is loose, well-drained soil. Pepper plants, like many other plants, also thrive in fertile soil, so an organic fertilizer should be added to the soil before planting. You should also make sure that these plants will get several hours of sunlight each day.
Most gardeners plant peppers in rows. These rows should be at least a couple feet (61 centimeters) apart. The plants in each row should also be about a foot or two (30 to 60 cm) apart.
When you are ready to transplant your pepper plant seedlings, you must be very careful not to disturb the roots. After moistening the soil, place your hand over the top of a container, with two of your fingers on either side of the stem. Keeping your hand firmly on the top, turn the container upside down. The soil and the pepper plant should slide right out of the container. When the plant has been removed, take care to avoid touching the root ball as much as possible.
Dig a hole in your garden that is roughly twice the size of the root ball of your pepper plant seedling. Place the plant's root ball into the hole, cover it with soil, and pack it down firmly. You should water the pepper plant seedlings every day, at least until the plants are established. This should take a week or two.
