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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22 Dec 18, David Maunder (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Do they need fertilising and if so what do you use
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02 Jan 19, Mem (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Yes they do,I use wally's strawberry fertilizer and a general liquid feed every 2 weeks.Its also a good idea to make sure they get enough calcium as this can effect the fruit.They will produce fruit without feeding but it is generally small and you get much less.
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29 Dec 18, Mike (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
All plants need a good fertiliser base - best to do before planting. Ask at a nursery or Bunnings etc. A good handful spread over a square meter or so - mix it in well a two weeks before planting. Or a good mixture of composted material dug in 2 weeks before.
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09 Dec 18, Robert (Australia - temperate climate)
Will a single Capsicum plant bear fruit or do I need to plant multiple plants ?
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10 Dec 18, Mike (Australia - temperate climate)
Can plant single but 2-3 might be better. Might be better to plant at end of summer than now in the hot and wet season.
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11 Nov 18, Scott (Australia - temperate climate)
Do you need to stake them or can they grow up a frame work?
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12 Nov 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Stake or use a frame - but tie them to it.
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18 Oct 18, Helen (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Just bought an orange lunchbox capsicum. Should I pinch out the top leaves to promote a more bushy plant?
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23 Oct 18, Mike (Australia - temperate climate)
I don't know. If you had several plants you could try it on one. Fertilise and watering well should produce a good bushy plant.
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11 Oct 18, Katherine (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Other than basil is there anything else i can plant with capsicum like lettace and radishes, spring onion? As they are going to be in raised gardens im trying to maximise space
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Showing 71 - 80 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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