When you’re planting something for the first time, you’re likely curious about its yield. For example, you might be wondering how many poblano pepper plants to plant based on how many peppers each plant produces.
You can get about 40 poblano peppers per plant (about 8 at a time) in your garden over the course of the season based on the size and overall health of your plant when the peppers were planted, the length of your growing season, whether or not you prune the plant, and more. Planting in the fall rather than the spring may increase that estimate.
Keep reading to learn how to help your poblano pepper plant reach maximum yields!
How many poblano peppers can one plant produce?
Let’s talk about poblano pepper plants, so we know what we’re dealing with.
You can get up to about 40 peppers from your poblano plant throughout the season based on when you plant your peppers, how long your growing season is, how healthy your plant is, the maturity at which you harvest the peppers, whether or not you prune your pepper plant and more.
Poblano peppers originate from Peubla, Mexica. They are classified as a hot pepper but still fall on the milder side of the spectrum. Poblano peppers have a Scoville Heat Unit of 1,000-2,000. Meanwhile, jalapenos can reach up to 8,000 units!
Most people can tolerate their level of spice, and it adds more personality to a dish than your typical bell pepper!
Interestingly, different peppers on the same plant can have vastly different levels of heat. Red poblanos that have been left to ripen are much hotter – and more flavorful – than a green poblano that was harvested a bit earlier.
Immature poblano peppers are dark green, while mature peppers are so dark of a red that they can appear black! But don’t be fooled- even though the green peppers may be “immature,” they are used quite frequently.
Poblano peppers can create higher yields and are more pest-resistant compared to bell peppers. They only take about two months to produce mature fruit. Planting in early fall instead of the spring will produce a higher yield.
Poblano plants have multiple stems and can reach over two feet high. The peppers themselves are typically between three and six inches long.
Poblanos grow best in zones 10-12. They thrive with a soil pH ranging between 7.0 and 8.5. Poblano pepper plants like full sun.
How to get more peppers from your poblano plant
It’s only natural to want to get as many peppers from your poblano plant as possible.
To get more peppers from your poblano plant, you should:
- Plant early in the season
- Start seeds indoors
- Give your pepper plants enough room
- Water regularly
- Prune your pepper plant
- Harvest at the right time
Let’s discuss each tip in more detail!
Plant early in the season
The early bird gets the worm!
To get the most peppers out of your poblano pepper plant, you should plant early in the season. Start your seeds a month or two before the last frost if you’re planning on growing over the summer. Otherwise, start your seeds a month or two before temperatures cool down if you’re growing in the fall.
Getting a head start on growing will ensure that you get the most out of your poblano pepper plant.
If you live in a hardiness zone where you can grow things year-round, growing in the fall will produce more fruit than growing in the summer.
Start seeds indoors
Speaking of headstarts, this is important!
To get the most peppers out of your poblano pepper plant, you should start your seeds indoors in a seed tray.
Keep the tray somewhere warm and well-lit. For best results, use a heat mat and some additional artificial lighting.
Give your pepper plants enough room
Without enough room to develop proper root systems and spread out, your pepper plants won’t have optimum yields.
To get the most peppers out of your poblano pepper plant, you should give your pepper plants enough room.
Plant your poblano pepper plants about a foot and a half apart. Keep the rows about three feet apart.
You can grow your peppers closer together if the temperatures are below 60℉. If you plant them closer together, you’ll need to fertilize them more often.
Water regularly
We all know that water is one of the most important factors in plant growth!
You should water your plant regularly to get the most peppers out of your poblano pepper plant. You’ll know your pepper plant needs to be watered when the soil is dry. Depending on the season, you may need to water it more or less.
Water your pepper plants when the soil has started to dry out. In the summer you might have to water every day. In cooler weather, that might be every two or three days.
Dip your finger into the soil. If a lot of soil sticks to your finger, it’s still wet enough.
If the leaves and stem are wilted, you’re likely overwatering!
Prune your pepper plant
Pruning your pepper plant will ensure that you get one huge final yield.
To get the most peppers out of your poblano pepper plant, you should prune your pepper plant at the end of the growing season. This will create a large final yield.
Prune your pepper plant at all the grow points about a month before the growing season ends. Cut off the top 3-6 inches of each branch.
With the extra growth gone, your pepper plant will put all of its energy toward the remaining peppers.
Harvest at the right time
Lastly, it’s time to harvest!
To get the most peppers out of your poblano pepper plant, you should harvest at the right time. Obviously, the sooner you harvest your peppers, the sooner your plant can produce more. Thankfully immature poblano peppers are popular and often preferred over fully mature ones!
As you may have gathered, the stage at which you harvest your poblano is based on how you want it to taste. That being said, harvesting immature poblano peppers when their skin becomes glossy will ensure that you reach the highest yields.
Keep in mind that you should let your peppers reach full maturity if you’re looking to smoke or dry them.
