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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21 Sep 08, Lucy Dobinson (New Zealand - temperate climate)
do capsicum plants grow well in big pots? Because I have just planted some seedlings in a big pot, and I am wondering if they will still produce fruit.
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18 Feb 13, (New Zealand - temperate climate)
You can grow Capsicum in pots quite successfully, keep the soil moist not too wet and feed with nitrogenous fertilizer when fruit are starting to set Tom in Hawkes Bay
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28 Aug 08, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Diane, you will be able grow capsicums if you start them early under cover so that they have a long growing time.
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03 Aug 08, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Rebecca, in a temperate zone you can only expect capsicums to be annuals. Remove the plants as they die down and grow new ones for next summer.
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Showing 31 - 34 of 34 comments
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a friend who runs a garden shop told me that that it was a disease that her caps had got a few years ago as some of the leaves have turned golden and dry in some patches i think this may be the cause I am watching them carefully although perhaps having come to that conclusion i should pull them out. I planted some more of the same seeds in nutritious soil rather than seed mix (still in trays) and perhaps because of this or the warmer weather they are going relay well with thicker stems and wider greener leaves and the appearance of second leaves in week two (this is just healthy garden soil). hope fully these stronger pants will with stand disease. i am not afraid of frost where i am but will plant these new ones in a different patch of soil. thank you for your quick response.

- Ferran

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