Growing Capsicum, also Bell peppers, Sweet peppers

Capsicum annuum : Solanaceae / the nightshade family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
  S S                  
      T T              
      P P              

(Best months for growing Capsicum in USA - Zone 5a regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • P = Sow seed
  • Grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 64°F and 95°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 8 - 20 inches apart
  • Harvest in 10-12 weeks. Cut fruit off with sharp knife.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Egg plant (Aubergine), Nasturtiums, Basil, Parsley, Amaranth

Your comments and tips

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25 Mar 17, adam (Canada - Zone 5b Temperate Warm Summer climate)
hello just had a question for the pepper plant. it says to plant this plant in the garden in May then to transplant in June. would you be able to explain this to me cause im a little confused to what this means. i thought you would finish by planting it in the ground. thank you very much.
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26 Mar 17, Liz (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Hi Adam, the planting instructions overlap a bit. We suggest that seeds are started in boxes in March and April, so those seedlings should start to be ready to plant out in May and June - but also seeds can be started in the ground in May.
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23 Mar 17, Monique Bentham (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I have had the same issue with a few of my capsicums, after research I think the brown streaks are due to a mineral deficiency.
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09 Feb 17, Tony Mnisi (South Africa - Humid sub-tropical climate)
I'm based in Pretoria. I want to know as to where can I buy bell peppers in my area?
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09 Feb 17, John (Australia - temperate climate)
Capsicum or Bell Pepper seed should be easy to get at Nurseries and Garden Centres in Pretoria. If not there are 2 or 3 Online (Internet) Seed Companies in South Africa. Trust this helps.
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25 Jan 17, Wendy (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi, I planted capsicum seedlings last October however they haven't seemed to have grown at all. I have fertilized them and watered them, used mulch but nothing :(. This is also happening to my eggplant seedlings which I planted at the same time. Please help
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26 Jan 17, John (Australia - temperate climate)
I don't know where you live but I live in South-eastern Australia and we have had hot days followed by cold days and the same inconsistency with rainfall. My eggplants are well manured and composted and have started to flower but are only about 30 or 40 cmss high. Now that we are having some more consistent weather I am looking forward to some better results. Trust this helps.
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17 May 17, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I'm in the sub tropical - Bundaberg. Over the years I have had very good caps and other years not so - little deformed fruit. I start planting in late Feb March. I have read recently that caps are a spring crop (Aug- Sept planting) so maybe that is the answer. I started some from seed and they are now about 10" high and looking good. My thoughts might be you planted a bit late. It starts to become very dry and hot by Dec and into January hot wet and windy. I don't grow things from Nov to Feb because of the different/difficult weather conditions in summer. It is a time I put some mulch and compost back into my soil.
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09 Jan 17, (Australia - temperate climate)
How do you know when to pick capsicum?
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16 Jan 17, John (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Pick them to eat when they are big enough! if you want an early feed. They are great stuffed and roasted when they are small. Green 'bell' capsicums will continue to mature and become yellow, orange or red. Longer capsicums will normally change to a bright yellow or red. It's mostly a personal thing. Trust this helps.
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Hi Barbara, I had the same thing happen last year, those plants somehow survived a very hot wet summer and through autumn produced masses of fruit and are also now producing masses of new fruit after I pruned them back hard and started applying a vegetable targeted liquid plant fertilizer with seaweed included. I also added lime around the plants and sprayed the leaves with a bit of epsom salts dissolved in water around the time I pruned them. Don't give up on these ones give them a prune at the end of winter and they will come back for you, if you live in a cooler area you may have to wait til spring but if you get no frost they will come back bigger and better when the weather warms up later this year, caps do last longer than one year and I find they produce much more in the second year than the first, when they put most effort into producing strong stem and branch to support the weight of the following years fruit. Honestly one plant that did this weird year long wait had about 11 fruit on it in March. Sometimes it's better when they start out slow, good luck mate.

- Alison McGregor

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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
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