Here in the Maritime Northwest there are a few reliable pepper varieties we can grow without climate hacking, and a few more with a climate hack strategy like a greenhouse or cold frame. So, we are pretty happy about that, and I love to grow as many varieties as possible, and even some that are not. I’m incorrigible that way. It’s June now, and my first peppers are almost ready for harvest. How is this possible in our ecology? You normally have to eke out every growing degree through late summer to get a decent pepper. Well, here’s the secret that will not only get you peppers earlier than all your gardening buddies who grow them as annuals, but also save you a lot of time and money: grow them in pots. Why? Because they are perennial, after all. What size pot do I need? Good question. You’ll want a minimum 3 gallon pot with drainage holes. That’s really all there is to it. Just be sure to bring them inside in the Fall, well before the frost, and then set them out again late spring. I use a simple cold frame for mine to get them a Spring jump start, but you really don’t need one.
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