Peppers are planted in the early spring for the spring harvest.  In cooler climates, fumigation may be applied in the fall after the last crops are harvested but before the weather gets too cold and it greatly reduces the disease and pest populations before the spring planting.

Soil fumigation in pepper production is used to control Fusarium Wilt, Verticillium Wilt, Phytopthora Root Rot as well as nematodes. Some of these problems are difficult to manage without the use of soil fumigation.