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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03 Nov 10, WarrenMickleson (Australia - temperate climate)
Are Capsicum plants 'Perennial', 'Biennial' or 'Annual' in (Perth) Australia? Or is it a case of "they do continue to grow, however the harvest is poor"?
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15 Sep 20, Ann (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
My red capsicum has maggots. Green too. How often do I water please.
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20 Oct 10, tom berghella (Australia - temperate climate)
how best can I grow capscums in sandy soil and what fertiliser should I use
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27 Sep 10, kumar jani (Australia - arid climate)
it should be 400 to 450mm
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20 Sep 10, Celia Hale (Australia - temperate climate)
I would like to grow capsicum in a green house, can someone tell me the size of the planter bag I will need to use and the space between each plant
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08 Oct 10, Tassy Michele (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Hiya Celia, Follow the "Vegetables & Herbs" planting guide --- Wikipedia can also be a useful and informative guide. Cheers
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19 Aug 10, tanya james (Australia - tropical climate)
do you have to stake capsicum
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21 Aug 10, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)
If you have strong winds, capsicum need staking but otherwise they should be fine.
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06 Jul 10, Slatter (Australia - temperate climate)
Help we have been invaded and over run by slaters. How do you irradicate slaters(the ball insect).Not just in veggie patch but all around the home. Have a dog and 5 children under 10, so needs to be a natural source. Have a 10mx10m vegie patch with a 3 stage compost(uncovered). Have tried some natural sprays, but not much luck. With seedling i even put pvc pipe around them, it helps but they still manage to cause damage. Any ideas would be Greatly appreciated.
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22 Jan 11, Kate (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Are you sure they are not earwigs? Whatever they are, your garden is out of balance and just killing them won't fix the underlying problem. You need to plant some native things to attract insect eating birds. I surround my veg garden with a wide variety of native plants and let nature take care of it. It works!
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Hi Sarah Your timing seems OK, size wise and leaves etc. It’s hard to know what you did without being there, but here's a few transplanting tips to help you figure it out: - a week before you transplant, harden them off a bit by moving them out, especially if you've been raising the seedlings in a protected place i.e. shade house. Maybe also boost them with a light liquid feed first, not too much nitrogen - water them first so the soil or potting mix is moist, otherwise all the soil will just fall way, exposing and disturbing the roots - wait for the soil to be moist, not too wet, when you take them out, and tease the roots out gently, disturbing them as little as possible. It’s the fine root hairs at the ends of the roots that take up water so if they break off they can’t take up water - the hole you plant them in should be big enough to accommodate the roots without scrunching them in - after planting, don't fertilise until they've settled in, say a week or so. You can water them in with seaweed solution as this helps them settle. Protect them from wind and direct sun for a few days until they adjust - basically it's all about reducing transplant shock as much as possible Roberta

- Roberta

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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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