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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29 May 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Try the internet - probably not.
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13 May 18, Diane (New Zealand - temperate climate)
I would like to know if you can chop plant off when finished and it will regrow or do you need new plants each year?
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17 Sep 18, Mike (New Zealand - temperate climate)
They are perennial but more so in semi tropical areas. They do not like the cold. Google and read up about it.
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02 Jul 18, Cathrine (New Zealand - temperate climate)
I’m curious about this too, Diane. I grew capsicum and chilli outdoors in Wellington this last summer, a bit of a surprise that they fruited. I decided to leave the well established bushes in the ground, after pruning, as they looked healthy and still had growth. It’s early July now and they are still thriving, though the coldest months are too come, but, leads me to thinking that maybe the bushes are somewhat perennial? I’ve check all my gardening books but nothing there. Does anyone else have any experience that might lend to this?
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26 Jul 18, Julie Baker (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Only one of my chili plants lasted through the winter in the glass house last year. This year they have all died off, even those outside under a cloche. I think I may have been lucky last year!
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30 Apr 18, Sagie (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
I have recently retaired and want to grow bell peppers please help me
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23 Apr 18, Erika kluge (Australia - temperate climate)
How do i know to take out the capsicum plant after a rather successful season..
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18 May 18, David (Australia - temperate climate)
I read on this site years ago about a person who had 3 seasons off his/her plant. It thought that I might try the same. Next season will be my fourth. The fruit isn't as large as what you buy at the grocers but are quite acceptable and sweet. The plant will look ratty during the cooler months. Around September I start cutting off the ratty leaves that are close to new growth, being careful to leave enough large leaves to keep the plant growing. This might take 4-6 weeks of removing the old leaves. I also have to support the plant due to the quantity of fruit. Perhaps if I thinned out the fruit I would have larger capsicums. Just tried this for fun but the results have been pleasing.
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24 Apr 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
When the yield drops off and fruit are becoming small, time to pull them out. A plant only has a limited cycle. A crop may take 12 weeks until it bears and then produce for 4-6 weeks and then that is the end of the cycle.
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25 Aug 18, genna (Australia - temperate climate)
one of my capsicum plants will be in its 3rd summer this yr (2018-19). have had amazing fruit from it over the last two years. will see how it goes this year, but am sowing more for the season.
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Showing 81 - 90 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.

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