Water Pepper
Water Pepper is a herb in the Polygonaceae family. It grows best in full sun to part shade with medium to wet moisture, and is listed for USDA zones 2-13. Plants reach harvest about 51–69 days after planting and sit about 6 inches apart.
Varieties
1 from True Leaf Market · sorted by days to maturity▸Akatade51–69 days
Heirloom; Container; Annual
60 Days to maturity. Persicaria hydropiper Akatade Water Pepper Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, containers, and along moist field edges. A Japanese specialty with spicy, crimson-red microgreens that bring a bold, peppery finish to sashimi, salads, or stir-fries. Harvest as seedlings or allow mature spikes for ornamental appeal. ~10,500 seeds/oz.
View on True Leaf Market ↗
Plant spacing
In a square-foot bed, space water pepper about 6 in apart — that fits 4 plants in each 1-foot square (2×2). Wider rows or containers space the same.
Plan your water pepper planting
Add water pepper to a free GardenDraft plan and get sow, transplant, and harvest dates computed for your ZIP code — with a drag-and-drop bed layout and reminders when it’s time to plant.
Start your free plan →At a glance
Storing & preserving
Refrigerate for a week or two.
- Freeze: Freezes well raw; spread on a tray first so pieces stay loose.
- Dry: Dehydrate or air-dry, then store airtight away from light.
- Pickle: Pickle or can (hot peppers dry especially well).
General home-preservation guidance — for tested processing times and safety, follow the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
Growing timeline
Care & troubleshooting— extension-sourced, with citations
When to feed, prune & water
Clean up debris and sanitize at season end
SanitationUnusual this time of year.
- Routine careRemove spent plants and fallen debrisstrong evidence — extension confidence
Pull and clear old plants, dropped fruit, and leaf litter at season end, since many pests and diseases overwinter in this debris; dispose of diseased material rather than composting it.
- Routine careClean tools, stakes, and cagesmoderate evidence — extension confidence
Wash and sanitize stakes, cages, and tools that touched diseased plants before storing or reusing them to avoid carrying pathogens into next season.
Something looks wrong?
Describe what you see on your water pepperand we'll rank the likely causes — most likely first, least-invasive fix first.
Japanese beetles
Pestmoderate- CulturalHandpick into soapy water· every 1 days · ~4 wksstrong evidence — extension confidence
In early morning when beetles are sluggish, knock them into a bucket of soapy water; daily removal also reduces the scent that draws in more beetles. Skip the lure traps, which tend to attract more beetles than they catch.
- CulturalCover plants past bloommoderate evidence — extension confidence
On crops that have finished flowering and set fruit, drape a row cover or netting to keep beetles off without blocking pollination during bloom.
Slugs & snails
Pestmoderate- CulturalTrap, hand-pick at night, reduce cover· every 2 days · ~3 wksstrong evidence — extension confidence
Pick at night with a flashlight, set shallow beer traps, water in the morning so soil dries by dusk, and clear damp hiding spots.
- OrganicIron-phosphate bait - label use only· every 1 wk · ~3 wksmoderate evidence — extension confidence
Scatter a labeled iron-phosphate slug bait sparingly per the label; it's pet- and wildlife-safer than metaldehyde.
Aphids
Pestlow- CulturalBlast off with water· every 3 days · ~2 wksstrong evidence — extension confidence
Knock colonies off with a strong jet of water in the morning; repeat every few days. Light infestations rarely need more.
- OrganicInsecticidal soap - label use only· every 1 wk · ~3 wksmoderate evidence — extension confidence
For persistent colonies apply insecticidal soap to undersides per label. Avoid open flowers.