I would recommend one per pot, unless planting bell peppers then two so you have enough shade provided to protect the large fruit from being burned. 3-5 gallons is good for container growing peppers, larger the better in my opinion.

the top photo is a ghost chili and bottom pic left to right are MOA Scotch bonnet, Carolina Reaper, last two are chocolate habaneros. All different pot size and they do just as well. They like warm roots so maybe try hilling them if you go for planting in ground again.

Digdirt brings up a good point about what zone you are in, I am in zone 7, and in the heat of summer in the pot sizes I have, I have to water daily usually every morning before I head out to work, larger pot size would decrease the watering frequency, the two larger pots did not need as frequent watering as the two smaller ones, other than that smaller pots cause me no trouble. I will be planting this years peppers in a raised garden bed, and maybe a few choice peppers in pots.

Dave - I'm in zone 6a (southern Ontario), although some would argue that our zone numbering differs in Canada. Our summers are hot and humid reaching well above 25C/80F, but they are short. I use a drip irrigation system.

Habjolokia - that top picture... WOW I've never seen potted peppers grow that big.

Hi luaygh,

Thanks! for that pepper I used a mix of MG Organic choice, MG Orchid mix(non course blend), perlite, and bonemeal. I think the bonemeal may or may not have had time to break down but anyhow I included it. I was fertilizing it with a mix of Alaskan fish fertlizer and a liquid form of miracle grow. My mix has changed little over time.

Forgot to mention the hot pepper forum is a great source for growing peppers in containers if you are interested

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/pepper

I'm curious about the soil temperature when you put them in. If too cold, they may have been permanently stunted. That would be a big difference compared to plants in pots. Peppers really don't like soil temps lower than 65F. They hate cold feet. Tomatoes can take somewhat lower. BTW, I don't look at 25C/80F as being "hot", and peppers very much like heat. Do others in your area have success with in-the-ground peppers? Sounds like you don't have a problem with your soil chemistry, in that your in-ground tomatoes did well.

I grow my peppers in raised beds and always have an abundance. Yours not getting past a foot tall with yellowing leaves is the result of something cultural that you either did or didn't do (too much water, lack of nutrients, competition from other plants, etc.), not because of the raised bed itself. I say you give it another shot.

And as others have said, one per container would be best. You could probably do 2 but you will definitely have to water and fertilize more.

Rodney

I did plant them early. Too early now that I think about it. I bought pepper seedlings from several nurseries and transplanted them around our last frost date of May 9. I will take your advice and wait a couple of weeks. Hopefully I will still be able to buy seedlings at that time.

Peppers grow readily here in the summer and we always have abundant local peppers at the stores.

With regards to the raised bed, I used the square foot method and honestly felt that the plants were too close to each other. I have to use this method to take advantage of my small city backyard. This year I plan to use the raised beds for radishes, beets and various cool weather greens early spring. Then plant tomatoes, cucs and pole beans once the cool weather crops are ready for harvest.

Thanks for the advice.

Luaygh - I suggest that you still buy your pepper plants when you normally so you get the variety you're wanting. Just don't plant them out until the soil warms up.

Sandy

As commonly seen, for us southerners, there is some ignorance expressed about climate. I always plant my peppers indoors in late January, and they will go out in late February. Kinda depends on where you are. Plant smart. Each year I have enormous numbers of peppers, and going through air temps in the 40s or even high 30s in early spring doesn't faze 'em. My spring soil temps never drop much below 55F, though.

At the risk of spending time on a six year old post I'll just say that one advantage of containers for peppers is that you can take advantage of them being true perennials. I have a pot of habs left over from last year that I've taken inside to avoid freezes, and my three-foot tall plant is starting to bloom again right now! So pots are a way to get a very early harvest. That being said, as Dave pointed out, it can be a lot of work.

My peppers in containers, even large potatoe containers, never did nearly as good as plants in raised beds.

In general outside, yes. For me, it can depend a bit on the pepper. Some have done better out in the garden beds, a lot do better in pots.

Whether they do better outside, Pozzi, depends on your location. In my climate an outdoor crop is marginal and you'll do a lot better in a greenhouse.

As far as I can see, the ONLY advantage of planting peppers in pots is that you can take them inside to avoid freezes, keep them warm, and ideally have them last more than a year. They are perennials, formally. That can be a lot of work, however, if the plant is large and the pot is correspondingly big. Potted plants in general require more care. With regard to doing better, I've never seen a potted pepper that is as large and as productive as one in the ground,

P.S. floral_uk is exactly right. Peppers like heat.

Good point about location floral. Some places one does better with a greenhouse. For me, I can only do that as season extenders- I'd likely cook the plants if I had them in greenhouse all summer, even with full venting. I have grown a few kinds of peppers that perform better with more shade or in cooler temps. The only ones I grow with any regularity are Black Hungarian and Black-Seeded Manzano.