It’s common knowledge – at least among gardeners – that tomatoes require cages. Is the same true for poblano peppers?
Poblano peppers need to be staked or caged. It’s best to cage them because they can reach such tall heights and require a little more support than stakes can provide. Both stakes and cages should be buried 6 inches into the ground. If you’re staking a poblano pepper in a pot, drive the stake into the ground next to the pot for added stability.
Read on for the ins and outs of staking or caging your pepper plants!
How tall does a poblano pepper get?
First off, how tall do poblanos actually get?
The average poblano pepper plant is around 2 feet tall. But, under the right conditions, poblanos can grow to be as tall as 5 feet! They’re very branchy, with a typical width of around 1-2 feet.
All of this contributes to why you should plant your poblano peppers so far apart! Poblanos need to be planted 18 inches apart with 36 inches between rows in the ground and should be double staggered in raised beds.
Pots need to be at least 5 gallons large.
Should you stake or cage poblano pepper plants?
Considering how tall poblano peppers can get, it only makes sense that you should stake or cage them.
You should stake or cage poblano pepper plants. Their height, bushiness, and the weight of their fruit all make them perfect candidates for stakes and cages!
Let’s talk about the differences between staking or caging poblano pepper plants in containers, raised beds, and in the ground.
Containers
Growing in containers is a popular choice when you’re low on space or just want to spruce up the look of your garden.
Stakes are your best option for poblano plants growing in containers because the plant is likely to outgrow a cage. It’s best to bury your stake next to the container for added stability.
Stakes work better than cages when growing poblano pepper plants in containers because containers can sometimes be a bit too narrow to fit a whole cage.
Try to bury the stake as deep as you can so it doesn’t fall over! For even more stability, bury the stake in the ground next to the pot instead.
Raised beds
Raised beds come in handy if you can’t bend down all the way to the ground or if the soil in your yard isn’t up to snuff.
It’s essential to stake or cage your poblano peppers in raised beds before they get too big. Trying to put a cage over a poblano plant that’s already established itself can damage the branches. It’s always better to stake or cage preventatively. Be sure to stagger your rows so that all your cages fit!
Be sure to stake or cage your poblano pepper plants in raised beds before your plants grow too large. Being staked or caged will help them grow up to be big and strong!
While stakes and cages are sometimes used as emergency measures when plants become unruly and heavy, it’s always better to use them preventatively. Trying to fit a cage over a plant that’s already established can damage the branches.
So long as you double-stagger your rows, you will have absolutely no problem fitting all of the stakes or cages.
In-ground
In-ground gardens are the most popular kind of garden for a reason!
In-ground poblano peppers benefit from stakes or cages. You need to plant your peppers 18 inches apart with 36 inches between rows so that the cages will fit. If they still don’t fit, stakes work just fine. Sometimes in-ground gardens produce the most prolific plants out of any form of gardens, so be ready to stake or cage your peppers in case they grow to be massive!
In-ground rows of poblano peppers need to be far enough apart in order to fit cages around each plant without them hitting each other. If you follow the guidelines discussed previously, you shouldn’t have any issues!
But if your cages are particularly large and can’t fit, stakes will work just fine.
If you’re lucky, sometimes the soil in the ground can’t be beat – even by bagged garden soil. In this case, expect your poblanos to flourish beyond your imagination!
Tall stakes or cages are especially important if your in-ground garden has a history of large plants and yields.
Which is better – a stake or a cage for poblanos?
Let’s get down to business- are stakes or cages better?
Cages are better than stakes for poblano pepper plants. Stakes are typically used for smaller plants that are shorter than 2 feet tall. Meanwhile, under the right conditions, poblano plants can grow up to 5 feet tall! Your plants will appreciate the extra support for their heavy branches, fruits, and stems.
Time to break down some nitty-gritty details of stakes vs cages.
Stakes
While cages are the method of choice for peppers, stakes will work for pepper plants if it’s all you have on hand.
Let’s go over some basics!
What kind of stake works best
Wooden and metal stakes are better than plastic stakes because they are sturdier.
How long should the stake be
Your stake should be at least 5 ½ feet long – 5 feet above the ground and 6 inches below the ground. This will support your plant even if it grows to its maximum height.
How do you tie peppers to stakes?
Loosely tie poblano peppers to stakes using pantyhose.
Cages
Cages are your best course of action when providing support to poblano pepper plants because it they will supply the necessary amount of support as your plant grows to maturity and develops heavy, thick-skinned peppers.
How tall should the cage be?
The cage should be at least 5 ½ feet tall- 5 feet above the ground and 6 inches below the ground.
How to stake a poblano pepper plant
If you don’t stake your poblanos properly, you might as well not do it at all!
To stake a poblano pepper plant:
- Buy one stake per pepper plant in your garden.
- Bury your stake 6 inches deep, 6 inches away from your plant.
- Gently tie your poblano pepper plant to the stake using pantyhose.
- Continue to tie your plant as it grows taller.
- Stake your poblano pepper plant before it becomes an emergency!
Let’s look at why each of these steps is important.
Buy one stake per pepper plant in your garden
Don’t cheap out!
To stake a poblano pepper plant, use one stake per pepper plant in your garden.
Some commercial growers use a few stakes per row, tie a string between them, and use the string as the support.
However, since poblano peppers can get so large – and you’re not trying to reduce overhead as a commercial operation – it’s best to just use one stake/plant.
Bury your stake 6 inches deep, 6 inches away from your plant.
Placing and burying your stake properly is vital.
To stake a poblano pepper plant, bury your stake 6 inches deep, 6 inches away from your plant. This will ensure your stake is sturdy and doesn’t disrupt the young root system. As the root system grows larger, it will simply grow around the stake.
Driving your stake half a foot deep will keep it sturdy and upright. Likewise, staking half a foot away from the plant is close enough to tie your poblano onto, while far away enough to avoid damaging the young root system.
As the root system grows in size, it will simply grow around the stake and it won’t be an issue.
Gently tie your poblano pepper plant to the stake using pantyhose
Naturally, securing your poblano plant is the most important step!
To stake a poblano pepper plant, gently tie your poblano pepper plant to the stake using pantyhose.
Pantyhose is a gentle, somewhat-stretchy material that is perfect for tying your plant without damaging it.
Continue to tie your plant as it grows taller
If you don’t keep up on tying your plant, it won’t get the support it needs.
To stake a poblano pepper plant, continue to tie it as it grows taller. To provide adequate support, tie your plant to the stake with pantyhose every time it grows 3-6 inches taller.
Don’t tie it once and forget about it! To provide continuous support, be sure to secure your plant every 3-6 inches that it grows.
Stake your poblano pepper plant before it becomes an emergency
Don’t wait until it’s too late!
To stake a poblano pepper plant, add the support before it becomes an emergency! Stake your plant young so that it has a sturdy support system while growing up. You don’t want your poblano pepper plant to be falling over before you finally stake it.
Staking your poblano pepper plant before it’s an emergency will help your poblano pepper plant grow up to be big and strong. The extra support will allow it to put energy into growing rather than stabilizing itself.
You don’t want your poblano to be falling over before you take steps to secure it!
How to cage a poblano pepper plant
Cages are your best option for growing poblano peppers. Let’s talk about how to do it!
To cage a poblano pepper plant:
- Cage your poblano pepper plant young.
- Bury your cage at least 6 inches into the ground.
- Encourage the branches to grow out of the cage.
Let’s explore how to grow your best peppers using cages for support.
Cage your poblano pepper plant young
A lot of people go wrong here!
To cage a poblano pepper plant, cage it young. Trying to fit a cage over an already-developed plant can damage the branches. In addition, the growing plant will appreciate the extra support.
If you try to fit a cage over a well-grown plant, you may damage the branches in an attempt to squeeze them into the cage. It’s better to let your plant grow up and into the cage.
Likewise, your plant will be able to grow better with extra support.
Bury your cage at least 6 inches into the ground
If you don’t bury your cage deep enough, it may not be able to sustain the weight of your plant.
To cage a poblano pepper plant, bury your cage at least 6 inches into the ground.
Half a foot is deep enough to make sure your cage won’t fall over under the weight of your plant.
Encourage the branches to grow out of the cage
The whole point of your cage is to support the growing plant, so it’s important that the branches fall into the right position.
To cage a poblano pepper plant, encourage the branches to grow out of the cage. Sometimes branches will run into the side of the cage. When this happens, gently lift them up and over the wire so they get support and aren’t stunted.
If a branch is running into the side of the cage, gently lift it up and over the wire so that it has the support it needs.
