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

Not recommended for growing in New Zealand - cool/mountain regions

  • 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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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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30 Oct 15, Annie (Australia - temperate climate)
just starting out with my veggie garden ....I bought some Capsicum plants from the nursery they are about 5 or 6cm in height they have been in the ground for 3 or 4 weeks but are not growing at all now 2 out of the 6 look like they are starting to die what am I doing wrong ? I have put worm wee ( diluted) on them once a fortnight is this ok ?
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06 Nov 15, Sandra (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi Annie About half of my capsicum plants don't thrive, putting out tiny fruit. I don't know why either. If you don't get a reply here try Australian Gardening Group on Facebook, they're fabulous.
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13 Sep 15, robert (Australia - temperate climate)
DO CAPSICUM NEED A LOT OF WATER AND DO THEY NEED A LOT OF FERTILZER
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Showing 201 - 210 of 518 comments
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I had the same thing last year (on the coast south of Sydney), particularly getting burned on the west-facing side, from the hot afternoon sun. The UV seemed to be particularly strong last summer. My cucumber vines all got fried before producing any fruit, unlike the year before which had a good crop. Shade cloth might be the way to go

- Jason

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