Bottom-Watering Techniques for Growing Chili Peppers

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Water is essential to the growth of your chili peppers, but did you know that too much hydration can actually kill your plants? If you’ve ever seen your pepper seedlings wilt and fall over, your chillies have been affected, which is often referred to as “damping off.” Hot peppers of all growth stages are at risk for this problem, but fortunately, you can use the bottom-watering technique to hydrate your chillies from underneath the growth container. This way, peppers only take in as much water they need and the roots grow stronger because they are forced to stretch to the bottom where the moisture is.

Bottom-Watering Equipment for Growing Pepper Seedlings

Make sure that you have the right supplies before you water your peppers from the bottom. Choose planting containers, such as a propagator, that have holes in the bottom. Select a tray that can sufficiently hold the containers and that is a couple of inches high. Further, acquire distilled water because your tap water may contain too much chlorine that can kill the chile seedlings. Optionally, you can use a wicking mat that goes underneath your containers and helps get the hydration to the pepper roots, but it’s not necessary.

Procedure for Bottom-Watering your Chillies

Place your containers in the plant tray and fill the tray with at least 1 inch of distilled water. Let the water stand for at least 10 minutes and then stick your index finger up to the second knuckle in the soil to ensure that it’s wet. If it’s not, let the water stand for another 10 minutes and then repeat the test. Pour out the water in the tray and then dry it completely to ensure that your pots do not sit in the moisture. As a tip, try picking up the container to get a sense of how it feels when your pepper seedlings are properly watered. Continue to water your peppers when the tray feels lighter, indicating that the soil mix is dry.

Watering Your Hot Peppers in Outdoor Containers

Larger outdoor containers may also be watered from the bottom. Obtain a large container, such as an inflatable swimming pool or trough, that is large enough to hold the pepper pots. Position the pots in the container and fill it with water so that the it reaches halfway up the pots. Leave the water for about 30 minutes to an hour to allow the pepper roots to soak up all the moisture. Again, lift the pot to get a feel for how heavy it should be when the hot pepper plant is sufficiently hydrated. Use this bottom-watering technique when your pots are light, or stick a moisture meter in your pepper soil to determine if its ready for another watering.

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