Seems like a coffee can would be a bit small, but... :)

I grew a sweet banana in a little terra cotta pot this year. It certainly had no more volume than a normal coffee can (they are mostly plastic now) has. It worked fine with lots of production. The plant only reached about two feet. I'm not sure how big it would've gotten in the ground. I used a mix of bark mulch, perlite, and peat and had to water it nearly once a day, twice in the extreme heat. I fertilized with a liquid 10-10-10 every two weeks or so. Some times the new growth got funky. When that happened I wouldn't fertilize until the leaf shape started looking normal again.

I think a coffee can will work, but would love to hear from those that have done it. I have lots of coffee cans waiting for Spring.

A coffee can (the medium size) is plenty of room for a first year pepper plant. The larger size is more than enough room. Peppers have very small root masses in their first year and really don't require a large root mass assuming good oxygen, moisture and nutrient levels.

One guy I know has grown peppers in 2 liter soda bottles cut in half width wise. They really don't need much in the way of root space.

Ever notice how peppers grown in the soil have a tendency to tip over come the first strong wind? That's because they don't have much in the way of roots to anchor them.

Dig up a first year plant and in most cases the root ball would easily fit into a 6" square area. Just make sure the coffee can has holes in the bottom for drainage or you will have a dead pepper plant.

I routinely grow most of my peppers in small containers the size of coffee cans. I find that the size of the resulting plants is comparable to those growing in the ground. The container peppers are easy to move around, and if one has a problem, it is easy to replace the single plant, without disturbing neighbors. I grow many of the plants for two-three years in these containers (in a greenhouse), and have never seen really root-bound containers. I use an automated watering system that drips water into each pot daily.
Renais

I am growing peppers in coffee cans, one dollar plastic containers from Dollar General Stores and also swimming pool planters available in the swimming pool section of Lowe. They are 7 inches deep cost 5 dollars to 12 dollars and 24 inches in size.

I have a soldering iron with which I burn holes in the bottom for drainage.

I also have a under the chassis trolley for 17 dollars on sale, used for oil change with wheels. It helps in moving multiple containers.

The mix is fine pine bark mulch, a scoop of compost and vermiculite or perlite and peat moss.
I add a table spoon of gypsum and epsoma bulb fertilizer on sale at end of season.

Pepper plants do not need deep pots 7 inches to 9 inches is more than adequate.
This offers one advantage, easy to more to a shelter when ever there are heavy rains and winds, or in the very hot days to a shelter.

But in hot summer months they need daily watering. This year I already purchased polymer crystals and zeba quench (on sale).

The yields are very satisfactory. One can bring them inside the home in winter still can get few of them.

What exactly is a swimming pool planter?

Steve

Swimming pool planters are sold in the pool section of Lowe. They are either circular, rectangular or in even 2 tired one.

Usual depth for the one I use are 7 inches to 18 inches. These are made with tough durable plastic, black in color.They are better in quality than the regular planters and cheaper than buying a ready made bed which costs on the average 65$ for a 4-4 feet one on the average.. They donÂt have any pre made holes. I make generous holes in their bottom and sides with a soldering iron.(Radio shack)
They are sold in the pool section, usually on one side of their garden fence section.

Their average cost is from 4-95, 12- 85 and 19-95. Depending upon the size. Any thing that can be grown in square foot gardening can be grown in them.The 2 tiered one are not practical as they are not stable and need to be sunken in the ground.

Because they are black they get hot quickly in hot summer days. I usually insulate them by wrapping a foam bubble pack (packing material) or a white kitchen bag in which I keep some news papers. The advantage is mobility (storms, heavy rains etc) optimal depth for peppers, green leafy vegetables etc.I do not use the deep one which costs 18 dollars. For that I use totes from K-mart dollar stores etc.They are cheap ,cost 5 dollars each.

Sorry it took me so long to see this! I have not been at this forum for a while!

The peppers I planted in the coffee cans were left overs--the smaller ones as I recall. There was no space for them in the raised garden. I put them in the big coffee can. I did not drill holes in them, I loaded the bottoms with seaglass since it was what I had readily available. (I use rocks and big pebbles for walls) I may have put a scoop of 10-10-10 in with the soil mix from the raised beds, plopped in the pepper plant and WOW did those two ever through lots of peppers compared to the ones in the bed.

Now, yesterday I had a hard time removing the leftover roots from the can getting it ready to reuse. I would NOT consider it root bound like house plants get with all root and no soil.

This year ALL my peppers are going in the cans. Some one mentioned it may be a bit small, that may be true however the gave me lots of yummy peppers and this year I'll have even more.

I plunked them on the East end on the bed where they got sun all day.

Leasa