Grow a garden filled with a blend of colorful Bell Peppers, from freshly harvested Capsicum annuum seeds. This blend of Bell Peppers will produce thick walled fruits in an array of colors, including red, orange, yellow, white, purple, chocolate and green. Each fruit is about 4 to 4.5 inches in diameter, displaying a glossy outer skin, and a hollow inner core. Bell Peppers are mild & sweet and go great in Mexican cuisine, stir fries and salads. They are also popularly used in Italian dishes such as spaghetti, or for making stuffed peppers as well.
Bell Peppers are considered an annual crop, meaning that the plants will grow quickly from freshly harvested seeds, producing fruits within a single season. The plants will thrive in the Summer months, bearing dozens of Bell Peppers until the cooler temperatures of the Autumn season. Seeds can be collected from your Bell Peppers to grow new plants the year after. Pepper plants are fairly easy to grow and don’t take much space in the garden.
Sowing The Seed
Peppers are best started indoors, in a controlled environment, 6 to 8 weeks prior to the last frost. Sow them in peat pots, at a depth of 1/4” under topsoil. Peat pots will allow you to transplant the entire pot directly into the garden when the weather is warm and will also prevent root shock. Check below for additional info on spacing & growth habits.
Growing Conditions
Pepper plants will thrive in the heat of summer, so they should receive full sunlight for the majority of the day, with temperatures of at least 75F or more. A soil that is rich in organic matter is best, with a pH level of at least 6.2 and 7.0. Also make sure that your sowing medium is well drained, or your plants can wilt due to being waterlogged. Water your pepper seeds daily to provide them with ample amounts of moisture until germination has occurred.
Germination & Growth
Pepper seeds typically take anywhere between 14 to 28 days to germinate. After your seedlings start to grow, they will mature to an estimated height of roughly 24 to 30 inches tall. On average, Pepper plants can be spaced 18 to 24 inches apart from one another, in rows spaced 18 inches apart. These plants do very well when grown directly in the garden, or in large pots and containers as well.
Harvesting Bell Peppers
Once the plants are established, your fruits will grow to a size of roughly 4 to 4.5 inches in diameter. They ripen from green to a various color of red, orange, yellow, chocolate or purple, meaning that they are ready for picking. Simply snip or pick the stems an inch from the fruits and eat fresh, or store them by drying, freezing or pickling / canning. Harvest in roughly 60 days for green peppers, or 80 to 95 days for additional colors.