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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14 Jan 21, nesane (South Africa - Humid sub-tropical climate)
right time to plant green pepper and its fertilizer program limpopo wambath
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18 Jan 21, (South Africa - Humid sub-tropical climate)
Check the planting guide here and just start with good rich free draining soil.
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21 Oct 20, Elliot Vardis (Australia - temperate climate)
Sweet baby capsicums, can they be grown in pots? If so, what would be the most suitable size pot considering they grow to 40 cm tall. I thank you in anticipation. Elliot.
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21 Oct 20, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Try a pot as wide as the plant grows.
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05 Sep 20, Vic Earle (Australia - temperate climate)
A couple of capsicum plants against a northeast faceing wall have survived the winter. Almost all the leaves have survived but are now curling up should I remove them?
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07 Sep 20, Corinna Wildenauer (Australia - temperate climate)
Ive had capsicums and chillies over winter and they usually come good once it warms up. I prune them back and when it gets warmer you should find new leaves starting to emerge. Give it a good feed. The old leaves will eventually drop off. I had a chilli plant live for several years in a pot.
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25 Jul 20, Jack (Australia - temperate climate)
My capsicums have been stripped bare just the stem left about 14 to 16 cm high mind you it hasn't happened to the bigger one's. any advice especially on pesticides?
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27 Jul 20, colleen (USA - Zone 10b climate)
If this happened suddenly, it was probably hornworm caterpillars--they can strip a plant almost overnight. I placed a bird feeder near my peppers and tomatoes, and birds are kindly taking care of the problem for me...but in the short run you might want to dust with Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis). It's organic, considered highly safe, and will stop the caterpillars from feeding.
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27 Jul 20, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Probably some grub/caterpillar, look for killers of these at gardening centers or look up organic sprays on the internet.
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11 May 20, Andrew (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Hi ,when is the best time to plant peppers,as it is already nearing the winter season.
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Showing 21 - 30 of 518 comments
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I have the same thing happening with my caps. I had a few develop nice and big but now that the weather is so hot the skin is being burnt by the sun. I think with this near extreme hot weather it is near impossible to grow certain crops, caps being one of them. I live near Bundy and we have just had Nov aver max temp of 30.9, 2.5 above average. Today is 35 and the rest of the week is 34-36. These kind of temps are normally the hottest of days in mid summer not the start. You need to be watering a lot and even trying to shade the plants some how. I don't normally grow things this time of the year and I'm quickly winding down my crops - too hot to work.

- Another gardener

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