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 18°C and 35°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 20 - 50 cm 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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14 Jan 16, (South Africa - Humid sub-tropical climate)
My green peppers take so long to produce veg . The leaves stays wilted . I water them and ferterlizers them on time .
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28 Dec 15, Bob (Australia - temperate climate)
Planted 2 capsicum plants about 3 weeks ago 30 cms apart Seasolled twice a week . Initially grew from 150 cms to about 250 quickly and developed glowers but flowers withered and dropped off. Plants still looking healthy. Any suggestions
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30 Dec 15, Tony (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Check out an American site ...'Why A Pepper Drops The Flower Bud - Gardening Know How'. They say temperature, lack of pollination or fertiliser/water practices are usually the culprits
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06 Jan 16, Hafeez Rehman (USA - Zone 6a climate)
You can polinate them by yourself. normaly it is bees who do it.. have a stick and wrap cotton on it....and touch this to all the flowers. when you done this....you wait.... if the flowers has started becoming fruit...it is now ok.
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16 Dec 15, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I also have problem with my capsicums healthy plants fruit rots before mature. any advice to fix the problem
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26 Dec 15, Louise (Australia - temperate climate)
peppers rot due to lack of calcium and/or to much nitrogen. Calcium is needed to build the cell wall of the fruit. Calcium up take can be prohibited due to nutriant inballance. NTS have a great product called "Total Cover" good for correcting inballances. Adding boron to the soil can help unlock calcum so needed for nutriiant uptake of plants.
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28 Nov 15, Colin Varney (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
growing capsicums this year from seed and they seem to get to about 30mm and while still green they then go soft and fall off the plant. there is nothing eating on the inside and the fruit looks good but next day they have gone real soft as if cooked and fall off the plant
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27 Nov 15, Tony (Australia - tropical climate)
Is it possible that capsicums will survive if they are transplanted from tray into pots?
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26 Nov 15, (Australia - temperate climate)
Is it possible that capsicums will survive if they are transplanted from tray into pots?
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27 Nov 15, Garden of Earthy Treasures (Australia - arid climate)
Best to use a deep pot to avoid root disturbance, but yes is the answer. Divide the tray as best you can and pot to same depth, liquid seaweed solution applied and they will love you for it.
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Showing 201 - 210 of 521 comments
See comments for all plants

Depends on what type of capsium you are looking for. For ordinary bell peppers try California Wonder. They grow quite easily. I don't know how well you know the cycle of the pepper, but yellow peppers actually come from the same plant as green and red. All peppers start out green - hence the name "green pepper". This is also the time to start picking them. However, if you leave them on the plant, the green pepper will turn yellow. If left longer it will turn orange, then red and finally purple. There's just one snag: your plant will produce more peppers if they are picked green than left to turn yellow, orange, red and purple which is probably why green peppers are so much cheaper then their brothers. I always found it difficult to grow peppers from seeds gotten from fruits bought in stores. Rather buy a dried, treated seed like Stykes and Ayres. There's a wonderful seller on Bid or Buy called Seeds for Africa. They sell all matter of seeds and have quite a variety of capsium seeds from peppers to chillies. You might want to check them out.

- Micky Brand

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