How to Grow Bell Peppers: The Complete Guide (2024)

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Grow peppers in a space with full sun and well-draining, moist (but not wet) soil. A balance between sandy and loamy soil will ensure the soildrains well and warms quickly. Mix large amounts oforganic matter (such as compost) into the soil, especially when working with heavyclay.

Avoid planting peppers in places where you’ve recently grown other nightshade family members—such as tomatoes, potatoes, or eggplants—as this can expose peppers todisease.

When to PlantPeppers

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

How to Start PeppersIndoors

• To start indoors: Start pepperseeds 1/4 of an inch deep, three to a pot filled with potting mix.For faster germination, maintain soil at 70°F (21°C) or above.To achieve these sorts of temperatures, you’ll probably need a heated propagator or heat mat and some growlights.
• Ideal conditions should see seedlings appear within about two weeks, but some varieties take as long as five weeks, so don’t 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 thepeppers.
• If seedlings become leggy or too tall before it’s time to plant outside, replant them in a bigger potup to their lowest leaves, just like tomatoes, to help support them. Keep seedlings warm with plenty of light until you’re ready to plant. If the plants have around five to eight leaves and you can see roots at the drainage holes, it’s time to move them up a potsize.
• Be sure to harden off the seedlingsabout 10 days before transplanting outdoors, as peppers are very sensitive to cooltemperatures.

How to Plant PeppersOutdoors

• If you’re 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°F(18°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 largeclods.
• Put transplants into the ground once the soil temperature has reached 65°F(18°C).Speed up the warming ofthe soil by covering it with black plastic or a dark mulch about a week before you intend toplant.
• It is best to transplant peppers in the evening or on a cloudy day. This will keep the plants from drying too much andwilting.
• Make the transplant holes 3 to 4 inches deep and 12 to 18 inches apart in the row. Space the rows 2 to3 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 fruitset).
• 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 holdwater.
• Water the plants afterplanting.
• Using liquid fertilizer material (manure tea or starter fertilizer) is usually beneficial at thistime.
• 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 bellpeppers:

• 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 toblossom-endrot.
• Ina warm or desert climate or at the height of summer, you may need to water every day. Note that in desert regions at around 4,000 feet of elevation, sweet bell peppers often fail to develop a thick, fleshywall.
• Peppers are extremely heat-sensitive. Blossoms may drop if plants are stressed—if it’s too hot (above 85° to 90°F in daytime) or cold (below 60°F at night) or if water is inadequate. Use shade cloth or row covers to avoid heat stress or sunscald (exposure to direct rays of the sun during hot weather,which will cause peppers to get papery, blister, or getpapery).
• Mulch to maintain moisture and deterweeds.
• Weed carefully around plants to avoid disturbingroots.
• 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 yourpeppers!

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

• Green peppers thatturnRed: ‘Lady Bell’, ‘Gypsy’,‘Bell Boy’,‘Lipstick’
• …Orange: ‘Milena’, ‘OrangeSun’
• …Yellow: ‘Golden CaliforniaWonder’

• 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, morefruits.
• That said, the longer bell peppers stay on the plant, the sweeter they become and the greater their vitamin Ccontent.
• Use a sharp knife or scissors to cut peppers clean off theplant.

How to StorePeppers

• Peppers can be refrigerated in plastic bags for up to 10 days afterharvesting.
• Bell peppers can be frozen for later use. See how to freeze peppers.
• Peppers can also be dried. Preheat oven to 140°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 arefrigerator.

Catherine Boeckmann