蜜桃恋人

How to Grow Bell Peppers: The Complete Guide

Photo Credit
D. Leonis/Getty Images
Botanical Name
Capsicum annuum
Plant Type
Vegetable
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Soil pH
Slightly Acidic to Neutral
Bloom Time
Summer
Flower Color
White

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Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Bell Peppers (Sweet Peppers)

Catherine Boeckmann

Bell peppers are heat-loving summer vegetables that are pest-resistant and disease-resistant. Did you know that a green pepper is the same pepper as a red pepper? They’re simply harvested at different stages. See how to start, grow, care for, and pick your sweet peppers!

About Bell Peppers

Peppers have a long growing season (60 to 90 days), so most home gardeners buy starter pepper plants at the garden nursery rather than grow them from seed. However, you can start pepper seeds indoors if you want to grow your own. Northern gardeners should warm the outdoor soil by covering it with black plastic as early as possible in late winter/early spring.

Red and green peppers are good sources of vitamin C, some vitamin A, and small amounts of several minerals. They’re wonderful raw in salads or as a snack with dip or hummus. You can also stuff peppers with rice, seasoned bread crumbs, or meat and bake them.

Note that peppers can be divided into two categories: hot and sweet. Much of the growing advice is the same. That said, we also have a growing guide for hot peppers!

Read Next

Planting

Grow peppers in a space with full sun and well-draining, moist (but not wet) soil. Plant peppers in a spot where they will get at least six hours of direct sunshine every day. A balance between sandy and loamy soil will ensure the soil drains well and warms quickly. Mix large amounts of organic matter (such as compost) into the soil, especially when working with heavy clay.

Avoid planting peppers in places where you鈥檝e recently grown other nightshade family members鈥攕uch as tomatoes, potatoes, or eggplants鈥攁s this can expose peppers to disease.

When to Plant Peppers

  • To start peppers indoors in pots, sow seeds 8 to 10 weeks before your last spring frost date. 
  • Plant pepper starts or transplants outdoors about 2 to 3 weeks after the threat of frost has passed and the soil has reached 65掳F (18掳C).

How to Start Peppers Indoors

  • To start indoors: Start pepper seeds 1/4 of an inch deep, three to a pot filled with potting mix. For faster germination, maintain soil at 70掳F (21掳C) or above. To achieve these sorts of temperatures, you鈥檒l probably need a heated propagator or heat mat and some grow lights. 
  • Ideal conditions should see seedlings appear within about two weeks, but some varieties take as long as five weeks, so don鈥檛 give up on them too soon! Thin out the weakest seedling; let the remaining two pepper plants in each pot grow as one. The leaves of two plants help to protect the peppers.
  • If seedlings become leggy or too tall before it鈥檚 time to plant outside, replant them in a bigger pot up to their lowest leaves, just like tomatoes, to help support them. Keep seedlings warm with plenty of light until you鈥檙e ready to plant. If the plants have around five to eight leaves and you can see roots at the drainage holes, it鈥檚 time to move them up a pot size.
  • Be sure to harden off the seedlings about 10 days before transplanting outdoors, as peppers are very sensitive to cool temperatures. Before planting peppers outdoors, acclimatize plants to outdoor conditions by placing them in a sheltered spot outside for gradually increasing periods over two weeks. Take care to avoid frosts. Plant out only after your last expected frost date has passed.

How to Plant Peppers Outdoors

  • If you鈥檙e buying pepper starts, choose ones with straight, sturdy stems, 4 to 6 leaves, and no blooms or fruit. To harden off pepper plants, set plants outdoors a week or more after the frost-free date or when the average daily temperature reaches 65掳F (18掳C). 
  • Before transplanting in the garden, mix aged manure and/or compost into the soil about 8 to 10 inches deep and rake it several times to break up the large clods. 
  • Put transplants into the ground once the soil temperature has reached 65掳F (18掳C). Speed up the warming of the soil by covering it with black plastic or a dark mulch about a week before you intend to plant.
  • It is best to transplant peppers in the evening or on a cloudy day. This will keep the plants from drying too much and wilting.
  • Make the transplant holes 3 to 4 inches deep and 12 to 18 inches apart in the row. Space the rows 2 to 3 feet apart. Before planting, fill the holes with water and let it soak in. Into each planting hole, put two or three wooden matchsticks (for sulfur) and 1 teaspoon of low-nitrogen, high-phosphorus fertilizer (too much nitrogen will reduce the fruit set).
  • When pulling the transplant out of its tray or pot, be gentle and leave as much soil as possible around the roots. Set the transplants about one inch deeper than they were in their original container. Fill the hole with soil and pack it loosely around the plant. Leave a slightly sunken area around each plant to hold water. 
  • Water the plants after planting.
  • Using liquid fertilizer material (manure tea or starter fertilizer) is usually beneficial at this time.
  • Stake now to avoid disturbing the roots later. If necessary, support plants with cages or stakes to prevent bending. Try commercially available cone-shaped wire tomato cages. They may not be ideal for tomatoes, but they are just the thing for peppers. Or, build your own garden supports.

Check out this video to learn how to plant bell peppers:

Growing

  • Water regularly with 1 to 2 inches of water per week. This doesn’t mean shallow watering; peppers like a good dousing but should be left to almost dry out between waterings; they need that period of relative dryness. Slow, deep watering helps the root system grow strong. Do not let pepper plants wilt because this will reduce the yield and quality of the fruit. Inconsistent watering also makes pepper susceptible to blossom-end rot. 
  • Pinch out the growing points at the top once plants reach about 8 inches tall. This will encourage plants to become bushier, resulting in more fruits.
  • Once they start producing flower buds, begin feeding plants regularly. Use a tomato fertilizer or other liquid feed high in potassium.
  • In a warm or desert climate or at the height of summer, you may need to water daily. Note that in desert regions at around 4,000 feet of elevation, sweet bell peppers often fail to develop a thick, fleshy wall.
  • Peppers are extremely heat-sensitive. Blossoms may drop if plants are stressed鈥攊f it’s too hot (above 85掳 to 90掳F in daytime) or cold (below 60掳F at night) or if water is inadequate. Use shade cloth or row covers to avoid heat stress or sunscald (exposure to direct sun rays during hot weather, which will cause peppers to get papery, blister, or get papery). 
  • Mulch to maintain moisture and deter weeds. 
  • Weed carefully around plants to avoid disturbing roots.
  • Contrary to popular belief, spraying pepper plants with Epsom salts isn’t beneficial.

Here’s another great video on growing and boosting the productivity of your peppers!

Types

Look for varieties that ripen to their full color quickly; fully mature peppers are the most nutritious鈥攁nd tastier, too!

  • Green peppers that turn Red: 鈥楲ady Bell鈥, 鈥楪ypsy鈥, 鈥楤ell Boy鈥, 鈥楲ipstick鈥
  • 鈥谤补苍驳别: 鈥楳ilena鈥, 鈥極range Sun鈥
  • 鈥别濒濒辞飞: 鈥楪olden California Wonder鈥

Group of green bell peppers

Harvesting

  • Once the plants begin producing fruits, pick them promptly: the moment they have reached their full size and color. Regular picking encourages plants to produce more flowers and, of course, more fruits.
  • That said, the longer bell peppers stay on the plant, the sweeter they become and the greater their vitamin C content. 
  • Snip the stems of fruits with a sharp pair of clean pruners, scissors, or a sharp knife. 

How to Store Peppers

  • Peppers can be refrigerated in plastic bags for up to 10 days after harvesting.
  • Bell peppers can be frozen for later use. See how to freeze peppers.
  • Peppers can also be dried. Preheat oven to 140掳F. Wash, core, and seed. Cut into 1/2-inch strips. Steam for about 10 minutes, then spread on a baking sheet. Dry in oven for 4 to 6 hours; turn occasionally and switch tray positions. Cool, then store in bags or containers in a refrigerator.

Green and red bell peppers on plant

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Wit and Wisdom

Sweet bell peppers do not contain capsaicin, which is the compound that gives hot peppers their pungency and heat.

Do different-colored peppers come from different plants? 

Surprisingly enough, the green and red bell peppers that we commonly see in supermarkets are actually the same pepper; the red bell peppers have just been allowed to mature on the plant longer. The longer a bell pepper stays on the plant, the greater its vitamin C content, so red peppers have more vitamin C (and taste sweeter).

Are there male and female peppers?

There is a popular myth that states that pepper fruits can be either male or female鈥攖he difference between them being that male peppers have 3 bumps on the bottom and are better for cooking, while female peppers have 4 bumps, have more seeds, are sweeter, and are better for eating raw. This is not true! Pepper fruits do not have a gender, and any obvious difference between them is simply the result of growing conditions or variety.

Pests/Diseases

Pollination can be reduced in temperatures below 60掳F (16掳C) and above 90掳F (32掳C). Too much nitrogen in the soil can produce healthy foliage growth but discourage fruit from setting. Flower drop is caused by high heat OR very low humidity. If the air is very dry, douse the soil with water and thoroughly mist plants.

Spider mites and aphids are two common pests of peppers, especially plants grown under cover. Spider mites鈥攊dentified by the fine webbing on the underside of leaves鈥攖hrive in hot, dry weather. Mist-spray these areas regularly at the first sign of an attack to make conditions as hostile as possible for the mites. 

Aphids also prefer the undersides of leaves but are found on other parts of the plant too. Squish isolated clusters, or for more serious infestations, take plants out into the open, away from other peppers, then carefully turn the plants upside down so you can brush Spider mites and aphids are two common pests of peppers, especially plants grown under cover. Spider mites 鈥 identified by the fine webbing on the underside of leaves 鈥 thrive in hot, dry weather. Mist-spray these areas regularly at the first sign of an attack to make conditions as hostile as possible for the mites.

Aphids also prefer the undersides of leaves but are found on other parts of the plant too. Squish isolated clusters, or for more serious infestations, take plants out into the open, away from other peppers, then carefully turn the plants upside down so you can brush or blast the aphids off with a hose. 

See more pest and disease information in the below chart:

 
Bell Pepper Pests and Diseases
Pest/DiseaseTypeSymptomsControl/Prevention
AnthracnoseFungusYellow/brown/purple/black spots on leaves; sunken, dark spots on stems and fruit; spots may develop a salmon-pink, gelatinous mass; eventually, plants rotDestroy infected plants; choose resistant varieties; provide good drainage; avoid overhead watering; apply compost for nutrition; use mulch; practice crop rotation.
Aphids InsectMisshapen/yellow leaves; distorted flowers/fruit; sticky 鈥渉oneydew鈥 (excrement produced by aphids); sooty, black mold that forms on honeydew; large presence of ants on plantsGrow companion plants to either attract aphids away (nasturtiums) or repel them outright (basil, rosemary, strong-scented plants); knock aphids off plants with water spray, apply insecticidal soap; put banana or orange peel around plants; wipe leaves with a 1-2% solution of liquid dish soap and water every 2-3 days for 2 weeks; add native plants to attract aphid predators.
Bacterial leaf spotBacteriaVaries; water- soaked rust/black leaf spots between veins later dry/fall out, leaving holes; leaves yellow/ distort/wilt/die; stem cankersDestroy infected parts/ severely infected plants (do not compost); remove plant debris regularly; disinfect tools; prevent plant stress/injury; good air circulation; avoid overhead watering.
Blossom-end rotDisorderCaused by lack of sufficient calcium uptake.
Symptoms: dark, water-soaked spots on blossom end of fruit (the side opposite the stem) may enlarge and become sunken, leathery, rotted		Remove affected fruit; plant at proper soil temperature; water deeply and evenly; use mulch; maintain proper soil pH (6.5) and nutrient levels; avoid excessive nitrogen; provide good drainage; avoid damaging roots.
Colorado potato beetlesInsectYellow-orange eggs laid in clusters on leaf undersides; larvae and adults chew holes in foliageRemove eggs/larvae/beetles by hand; use straw mulch; weed around plants; use row covers; destroy plant matter at end of season; practice crop rotation.
Cucumber mosaic virusVirusSymptoms vary, but may include: stunting; mottled green/yellow/white pattern or ringed spots on leaves/fruit; distorted leaf growth; warts on fruitOften spread by aphids. Destroy infected plants; choose resistant varieties and certified virus-free seed; use row covers; disinfect gardening tools after each use; keep garden weed-free; use mulch.
Flea beetlesInsectNumerous tiny holes in leaves (as if they had been hit by a tiny shotgun)Use row covers to physically block flea beetles; mulch heavily; add native plants to attract beneficial insect predators.
Leaf minersInsectMeandering blisters in leaves caused by tunneling larvaeRemove infested leaves; weed; use row covers; till soil early in season; rotate plantings.
Root-knot nematodesInsectRoots become 鈥渒notted鈥 or galled; plants stunted/yellow/wiltedDestroy affected plant matter (especially roots); choose resistant varieties; expose soil to sun (solarize); add aged manure/compost; disinfect gardening tools between uses; till soil in autumn; practice crop rotation.
Spider mitesInsectFine webs;
yellow-specked under-side of leaves, later brown-edged or bronze or yellow leaves; leaf drop		Rinse plants with water, mist daily; apply insecticidal soap.
Tomato hornwormsInsectChewed leaves (initially toward top of plant); rapid defoliation; black/green excrement; gouged fruitCheck undersides of leaves for hornworms, remove by hand and dispose of hornworms. (If you encounter hornworms that have white, ricelike cocoons on their backs, relocate them instead; the cocoons belong to beneficial parasitic wasps.) Till soil in autumn and spring; companion plant with dill/basil/marigolds to attract (and trap) or repel hornworms; spray plants with Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis).

Recipes

Pickled Peppers
Fire-Roasted Tomato and Red Pepper Soup
Roasted Red Pepper, Mozzarella, and Basil鈥揝tuffed Chicken
Roasted Butternut Squash and Red Pepper Dip

Cooking Notes

Peppers are excellent with almost anything: sandwiches, scrambled eggs, pizza, salads, and dips. 

We also enjoy cooking peppers, whether beef stir-fry, smoky roasted peppers, or meat and rice stuffed peppers.

Plus, peppers can be pickled! See how to make pickled peppers!

Vegetables
About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it鈥檚 not surprising that she and The Old Farmer鈥檚 蜜桃恋人 found each other. She leads digital content for the 蜜桃恋人 website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana. Read More from Catherine Boeckmann
 

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Comments

zeffery d'souzaz (not verified)

9 years 3 months ago

I stay in Maharashtra the climate here is heavy rain in rainy season cool in winter and very hot in summer so please tell me what is the correct time or month to plant all colour bell paper seeds the soil is red drain soil

Burchel (not verified)

9 years 3 months ago

I planted a bunch of seeds I had gotten from some peppers I was using for cooking in a big pot outside that had my little sister's cabbage plant in it. That Cabbage had died because the land lord for some reason sprayed it with some kind of pesticide and I had a couple questions. The seeds had actually been just sprinkled over top of the cabbage plant before it had died, I think maybe up to 50 seeds total in a 2 foot diameter pot. right now, they're growing really well but I've been thinking could the poison the land lord used have been soaked up by the seeds and possibly made any resulting peppers poisonous or is that impossible? Also, I live in South Carolina and during Summer we typically get a thunderstorm every week sometimes even two or three or even a few regular rainstorms is this ok? The seeds actually started growing about a month ago and already they're easily foot tall each if not more. Any advice you guys could give would be just great thanks!

1) As to the pesticide, it might depend first on whether it was approved for use on edible crops. If it was not, then we would not recommend using any peppers from your plants, since it is possible that the plants can absorb certain chemicals that remain in the soil from that application. Whether the seed itself can do so, it might be possible, too (they were sown after the spraying, right?). We don't know how much of the pesticide would actually pose a danger, but you might want to play it safe and be overly cautious. If the pesticide was approved for edible crops, then you might obtain the name of the pesticide and call the manufacturer about safety procedures, or contact the National Pesticide Information Center at 1.800.858.7378
 
2) Peppers should be watered when the soil feels dry about 1 inch deep. How often will depend on your climate. If the heat of summer dries your container out quickly, you might need to water every day between storms. Or, you might need to water 2 or 3 times per week. But if the storms provide enough water, you may not need to water at all. Be sure that there is drainage at the bottom of the pot, though, so that the plant doesn't sit in water.

I use only natural spray on all my garden and shrubs, roses and all.
1gallon water
4 cups rubbing alcohol
4 table spoons of Dawn dish soap
Spray plants often

The seeds were literally sprinkled over the cabbage plant while it was still alive and before it was sprayed with the pesticide, so I think its safe to say the seeds definitely got sprayed with the pesticide I'll try to get the name of the pesticide that was used and if I can't, then to be safe I'll dispose of the soil in the pot and next spring or soon after disposing of the old soil if it is warm enough still and will be for a while I might plant them again from seed from new peppers I use when I cook. Do you know how long pesticides generally stay in the soil and cause anything planted in them to be non edible? I ask because I planted a peach seed in the soil next to the pot recently and I'm now worried that the soil may possibly still have had that pesticide in it.

Mary Martinsen (not verified)

9 years 3 months ago

I planted Sorano peppers and green bell peppers....they bloom but have not as yet formed peppers. What am I doing wrong?

Pepper blossoms are sensitive to temperature fluctuations. It is difficult for them to set fruit if the night temps are below 58 degrees or the daytime temps rise above 85 degrees. The blossoms will fall off before they can be pollinated. If that is not the case in your area, it may be due to a lack of bees or other pollinators.

Hussain (not verified)

9 years 4 months ago

Hi,

I live in Karachi, Pakistan and could not identify if the climate is appropriate for bell peppers.
Karachi has long and hot summers and short winters. Precipitation is low.

Leslynn (not verified)

9 years 4 months ago

Sweet Peppers grown indoors...I used a egg carton style starter kit that you generally buy for kids to start my plants...grown directly from fresh seeds....can I plant them in pots and grow them indoors if they have sufficient sunlight...they are about an inch or so high at present...

Hi, Leslynn: You can, but this is one of those things that is often more easily said than done. Even what might appear to be sufficient sunlight to us might not be enough for the peppers, which really do require a lot. They shouldn't be transplanted until at least two sets of leaves have fully developed. They need adequate space. They need never to go drier than slightly damp. And they may need help with hand pollination. Other than these requirements, not a prob! Good luck! And do let us know how you make out!