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Bell peppers are mild, sweet, and easy to grow in your garden. All you need is a sunny spot and these helpful tips!
Did you know that bell peppers can be green, red, purple, yellow, orange, white, or brown? Ads that say “taste the rainbow” should be talking about bell peppers, not candy!
While bell peppers are also called sweet peppers (because they aren’t spicy), that name extends to other types of peppers like banana peppers, padron peppers, and Italian roasting peppers. So all bell peppers are sweet peppers, but not all sweet peppers are bells.
Beginning gardeners should grow bell peppers from seedlings, and your local garden center will have the best selection.
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If you have a lot of time and patience, you can grow bell peppers from seed. You’ll need to start the seeds in the middle of winter, and they can take two weeks to sprout. This is why I recommend using seedlings.
But first, we need to clear up some common myths from around the internet…
Bell Pepper Mythbusters
There is NO such thing as male or female bell peppers. The number of lobes is related to the variety and growing conditions.
The number of lobes does NOT indicate sweetness. The variety and the ripeness of the pepper influence this, which has nothing to do with the shape.
Bell peppers are a fruit! They contain seeds and grow from a flower, just like tomatoes, cucumbers, and zucchini.
Varieties
Bell peppers are a warm weather crop. It’s important to choose a variety that will ripen in time, based on your growing season. Your local garden center will have the right varieties for your climate.
Jewel-Toned Bells are my favorite type of sweet pepper. They grow into a large, uniform shape that’s great for making stuffed peppers. When unripe, they’re green; when fully ripe, they turn red, orange, or yellow.
Baby Belle are the kids’ favorite, because they’re “so small and cute.” They’re delicious for snacking, adding to salads, or scooping up hummus.
We’ve also grown these incredible Purple Beauty peppers, but it was hard to convince the kids to eat them!
Sun, Water, Soil
Peppers like warm weather and full sun. Plant them outside when the soil temperature is at least 60 degrees. Mix in some compost or EB Stone Sure Start to provide extra nutrients when planting.
Water well until established and then provide regular, consistent water. Don’t get water on leaves (use a drip system if possible).
Bell peppers can grow directly in your garden or in containers. They like rich, well-drained soil and will do best when the soil is covered with mulch (learn the best types of mulch for your garden).
Planting & Spacing
Plant peppers in grids or rows, between 18-36 inches apart. If you have hot summers, or the plants are in direct sun, plant them at 18 inches. They will form a leaf canopy that will help prevent the peppers from sunscald.
I also stake my peppers with plant supports because without them, the fruits will get heavy and break the branches. (Ask me how I know.)
Fertilizing
Confession: I rarely remember to fertilize after the initial dosage of Sure Start. If you have a better memory than me, use a phosphorus-rich fertilizer every two weeks.
Pests & Diseases
Common pests of bell peppers include aphids, flea beetles, and leaf miners.
Natural Ways to Get Rid of Aphids
Eliminate Flea Beetles Naturally
UC IPM Leaf Miner Management Guidelines
Other problems you may encounter are blossom end rot and sunscald. Learn how to fix blossom end rot here.
Sunscald happens when—as you may suspect—direct sunlight scalds the fruit as it’s growing. This results in a tough, leathery spot on the top or side of the pepper.
You can’t heal sunscald once it happens, but you can prevent it. On scorching hot days, shade your peppers with a patio umbrella or shade cloth. You don’t need to cover them completely, just give them a break from the direct sun.
Harvesting
Your peppers are ready to harvest around 70-90 days after planting. With almost every type, peppers start out green and ripen to their final color when mature. They’re good to eat at any stage or color.
Cut peppers from the plant with pruners or scissors. Frequent harvesting encourages production.
Have more peppers than you can eat? You can always freeze them for future use. Better yet, share your bounty with your local food bank!
Food banks don’t often get donations of fruits and vegetables, and their clients will welcome the fresh food. You can find your local food bank at Feeding America.org.