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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29 Jan 20, Fran Scott (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi, Our capsicum plants are loaded with fruit and are flowering profusely. To increase the size of the fruit do we thin the fruit or just let them keep growing. Thank you any advice will be appreciated.
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30 Jan 20, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I would suggest you stake and support the plants. You probably could do both, leave all flowers on some and trim others. Good watering and fertilising will produce good size fruit.
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27 Jan 20, Mark Andersen (Canada - Zone 3a Temperate Short Summer climate)
I live in Calgary, AB and was wondering when I should start my hot pepper plants indoors ... Thanks.
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29 Oct 20, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Go to your climate zone and check it in the planting calendar guide. S = plant seeds undercover in trays.
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21 Dec 19, Bj (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi, I have 4 Capsicum plants and i use worm fertiliser and water on the days I can and i will all so use bath water and I have had flowers and that's it .
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22 Dec 19, anon (Australia - temperate climate)
Depends whether you are using worm leachate or worm casting as fertiliser. I don't believe they have much NPK in them especially the leachate and I think you would have to use a lot to grow things. Although it says you can grow caps in summer I think it is far too hot to do so. Better a crop in autumn and early spring.
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20 Dec 19, Elie (Australia - temperate climate)
Hey guys, My capsicum plant is giving me a lot og capsicum but they are small and changing colors while they are still small... any advise on what might be the issue
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22 Dec 19, anon (Australia - temperate climate)
Probably not enough fertiliser and also I feel it is too hot this time of year to grow caps.
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10 Dec 19, Jenny Cathcart (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Should laterals be picked off capsicums? Thank you.
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07 Dec 19, Jo (Australia - temperate climate)
I’ve noticed my capsicum is very small this year same as last year. Has been in for about 6 wks and is only about 6-7 inches tall. Been regularly watered and fertilised?
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Showing 41 - 50 of 521 comments
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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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