Welcome! 
About the Fertilization Cheat 
Sheets & Calendar 
 
Hi there! 

Thank you so much for subscribing and downloading this pepper 

fertilization resource. 

Before you get started, I just want to clarify that ​there are many ways 
to feed your peppers​. This is just what works for me. 

As you continue to grow, you’ll develop your own preferences. That’s 

why so many gardeners have different ways of doing the same thing. 

When I think back to when I first started, I remember wishing I could just 
find a resource that gave me an example of what to do. I was clueless at 
first, and I needed a baseline to start from. When I finally figured out 
what worked, I immediately wrote it down so I could replicate my 
success. 

Chillies are hungry feeders (like tomatoes) and when they’re fertilized 
well, they pay you back with the most amazing harvests. The following 
pages explain what I personally do to achieve this. 

I hope this gives you a good place to start from so that you can go on to 
adapt it to better suit your particular location and growing style. 

Have a wonderful growing season! 

 
Jenny at ​GrowHotPeppers.com 

 
 FERTILIZING PEPPERS CHEAT SHEETS
INDOOR PEPPER SEEDLINGS

✓ When to Start

Wait for first set of true leaves to appear. (The ones that come after the cotyledons -- embryonic leaves.)

Apply 1/4 strength fish emulsion or earthworm castings when you water your plants. (Use guide on fertilizer to help determine this dilution.)

✓ Foliar Feeding (every other week)

Wait for 3 to 4 sets of true leaves to appear.

Mix 1 TSP epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) in a gallon of water. Shake well and pour the mix in a spray bottle. (Warning: Only use plain epsom salt with
no additions like fragrance.)
Spray the leaves and stems of your plants until thoroughly covered. (This is foliar feeding.)

Give your plants a foliar feeding every other week.

OUTDOOR PEPPER PLANTS IN CONTAINERS

✓ Add Compost

Obtain a quality, organic compost.

Mix the compost into your potting mix, or layer about 1 inch on top of the soil.

✓ Fertilizing

Increase the dosage of your fertilizer to half (unless otherwise noted on fertilizer container). Follow instructions on fertilizer label for frequency.

GrowHotPeppers.com 1
✓ Calcium and Phosphorous Requirements (monthly)

Obtain Cal-Mag or bonemeal.

Apply the Cal-Mag or bonemeal to plants by following the directions on the label. (The powder is typically mixed into the top layer of soil before watering.)

Follow a monthly feeding schedule to ensure your plants get plenty of calcium and phosphorous (unless otherwise noted on label).

✓ Water Your Peppers with Compost Tea (once or twice a month)

Obtain compost tea.

Follow the instructions on your tea container to "brew" a batch of liquid.

Pour the tea in a sprayer and drench the stems as well as the tops and undersides of the leaves until dripping.

Apply the tea once or twice a month. (Use the tea within four hours of brewing -- unless otherwise noted -- to ensure it's the most effective.)

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 SAMPLE FERTILIZATION SCHEDULE FOR PEPPER PLANTS

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Use 1/4 strength fertilizer to Foliar feeding (after 3 to 4 Add compost to planting
water seedlings sets of true leaves appear) mix

8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Fertilize potted peppers Add Cal-Mag or bonemeal

with 1/2 dose (unless (do this again in a month)
otherwise noted on
fertilizer)

15 16 17 18 19 20 21

Foliar feeding Spray compost tea (do this

1 to 2 times a month)

22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Fertilize potted peppers

with 1/2 dose (unless
otherwise noted on
fertilizer)

GrowHotPeppers.com