| The Big Bertha Hybrid Pepper IS something of an oddity with regard to the size of the bell shaped peppers it produces. This variety produces HUGE peppers for me. However, the peppers are LONG (like the "European" style of bell peppers) and as big around as most regular bell peppers. These are usually listed as elongated bell peppers in seed catalogs. Last year I had one that measured 9 inches in length--VERY LONG for a pepper. Anyway, to answer your questions: 1)What potting soil should i use? A: If you are planting this into the ground then any good garden soil is okay to use. You can add compost if you want, to add some nutrients to the soil. Use a LOW NITROGEN fertilizer if you fertilize. This will help to produce a good crop of peppers. HIGH nitrogen fertilizers will produce LOTS of foliage and few peppers. 2)How much water? A: The general consensus for most plants and gardens is that most plants do well receiving about 1-inch of rain per week. If you have to water due to a dry spell then water the plant very well and DEEPLY each time you water. This will produce a deeply rooted plant that will withstand drought much better. Watering lightly will produce roots near the surface of the soil that will be more prone to dryness and heat. 3)Does it need sun or shade? Zone 8. A: Full sun is best for peppers. Peppers love warm weather and should grow well for you in zone 8 as long as they get plenty of water. Hope this helps,
Chris | 
