How to Grow Tabasco Peppers

Tabasco pepper plants (Capsicum frutescens) thrive in sunny spots and freely draining, moist soil. Though usually grown as annual plants, they grow outdoors year-round in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 11. These plants grow best in warm conditions, and temperature levels affect their successful seed sprouting and fruit set. It takes 10 to 12 weeks for tabasco pepper plants to grow large enough to transplant when they are grown from seeds.

Growing from Seeds

Tabasco pepper seeds need warm temperatures to sprout. In cool and cold USDA zones, the seeds must be sprouted indoors with artificial heat to provide plants that will flower and fruit within one growing season. Tabasco pepper seeds sprout best at temperatures between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The seeds sprout faster between 90 and 100 F, but fewer of them sprout.

Hardening Off the Plants

Homegrown tabasco seedlings and store-bought transplants must be hardened off, which means acclimated to outdoor conditions, before being planted in an outdoor garden. One to two weeks before you plan to plant tabasco seedlings or transplants in your garden, place them in their pots outdoors in a sunny spot sheltered from wind during the day, and take them indoors at night. Two to three days before transplanting the tabasco peppers outdoors, leave them outside during the day and at night.

Planting Outdoors

Plant tabasco pepper seedlings and transplants when the soil temperature 4 to 6 inches below the surface is 60 F at midday. For the best results, plant tabasco peppers in growing spots that receive at least six hours of sunlight every day and in soil with a pH level of 5.5 to 7.0. The soil also should be organically rich and never waterlogged.

Dig planting holes the same width and depth as the plants' root balls, and plant the seedlings and transplants at their original growing depths -- the same soil depths at which they grew in their pots. Water the plants to moisten the soil to the depth of the root balls.

Caring for the Plants

Tabasco peppers provide their best crops when they are fertilized and regularly watered. A balanced or low-nitrogen fertilizer encourages flowering and fruiting in tabasco peppers. Evenly sprinkle a ready-to-use, dry, slow-release, 9-18-9 fertilizer at a rate of 1 tablespoon per 1 square foot around the tabasco seedlings or transplants after planting them in the garden. Avoid getting the fertilizer on the plant stems. Water the fertilized soil well. Apply the fertilizer in the same way every three months where the tabasco plants grow as perennials, or until the end of the growing season where they grow as annuals.

Water the plants whenever their soil is dry to a depth of 1 to 2 inches. Apply enough water to moisten the soil to the width and depth of the plants' root balls.

Big Does A Tabasco Pepper Grow?

Although tabasco pepper plants will tolerate partial shade, they produce the most fruit when grown in full sun. They will grow in sandy or loamy soils, as well as soils with high clay content. Mulch helps retain moisture and prevents weed growth. Tabasco peppers can be started from seeds or nursery starts. In most zones, the best time to plant seedlings is late April to May. Tabasco pepper plants grow 4 feet to 6 feet tall, depending on outdoor temperatures, water availability and level of sun exposure. Insects pollinate the greenish-white to yellowish-white flowers. They start off as a light green color before turning yellow, then orange, and then finally red as they mature. The peppers can be harvested as they ripen or removed a little early and allowed to ripen indoors. Use a fertilizer for vegetables rather than a balanced fertilizer. A balanced fertilizer will not make the plant taller, but the extra leafy growth may sacrifice pepper production. Although this plant is a perennial, it is short-lived and lasts only about two years. To reach these sizes, however, the plant needs at least six hours a day of direct sunlight.