Growing Bell Peppers

Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Bell Peppers

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What’s the best way to boost the productivity of your pepper plants? See our guide to growing and harvesting strong, healthy plants that will produce peppers to be proud of!

Sweet bell peppers are a tender, warm-season crop with a long growing season (60 to 90 days).

Many gardeners need to start peppers indoors to give them a head start! However, if you don’t have the means to sow peppers or have simply run out of time, remember you can find a fantastic range of ready-to-go seedlings and young plants online, while some garden centers and nurseries stock plants on the cusp of fruiting.

Peppers resist most garden pests and offer something for everyone: spicy, sweet, or hot; and a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes. On this page, we focus on growing sweet bell peppers but much of the advice for growing peppers is the same.

We also have a growing guide for jalapeño peppers for those who like it spicy! (Bell peppers do not contain capsaicin, which is the compound that gives hot peppers such as heir pungency and heat.)

Common Bell Pepper Questions

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, which changes their color and lets them develop a higher Vitamin C content. More mature peppers also tend to be sweeter than their greener counterparts.

However, there are quite a few varieties of bell peppers out there, including purple, yellow, orange, white, and brown ones.

Are there male and female peppers?

There is a popular myth which states that pepper fruits can be either male or female—the 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 fruits is simply the result of growing conditions or variety.

Planting Dates for BELL PEPPERS

Planting Calendar for all Plants

Planting

When to Plant Peppers

If you’re sowing peppers indoors, wtart them off early in spring to give them more time to crop throughout the summer! Start seeds indoors 8 to 10 weeks before your last spring frost date. Germination is quickest at 77 to 90 Fahrenheit. If you’re planning to plant peppers outide, this should be done 2 to 3 weeks after the threat of frost has passed in the spring.
To achieve these sorts of temperatures you’ll need a heated propagator or heat mat. You can start seeds off at lower room temperatures but expect germination to be slower and potentially erratic. Ideal conditions should see seedlings appear within about two weeks, but some varieties take as long as five, so don’t give up on them too soon!
If growing from nursery-bought transplants, plant them outdoors 2 to 3 weeks after the threat of frost has passed. Be sure to harden young plants off prior to planting outdoors, as peppers are very sensitive to cool temperatures.

Start Peppers Indooors

Choose a potting mix that easily drains through after each watering. A quality, free-draining potting mix can be opened up a bit more by just mixing in some perlite like this. If your peppers are destined to go outside for the summer consider using a soil-based potting mix, which will add extra weight so that containers don’t topple over in the wind.
The soil temperature should be at least 70°F (21°C) for optimal seed germination, so keep them in a warm area for the best and fastest results. Use a heat pad under the seed tray, if necessary.
Plant seeds about ¼-inch deep (or refer to the seed packet).
Separate seedlings out and move them into their own pots before they become drawn and leggy. If seedlings do get a bit too tall, replant them up to their lowest leaves, just like tomatoes, to help support them. Keep seedlings warm until you’re ready to plant.
Peppers need plenty of light to encourage healthy, stocky plants that will be less prone to growing top-heavy and flopping over, so grow them on somewhere that is both warm and bright – a greenhouse or conservatory, or the sunniest windowsill you can muster until it’s time to move them outside.
Pot young plants on as the roots fill their pots. Transplanted seedlings begin at a pot size of around 3 inches, but it won’t take long for them to outgrow this. Once plants have around five to eight leaves and you can see roots at the drainage holes, it’s time to move them up a pot size – something like a 5-inch pot. Then once they’ve filled this, pot them on again, this time into a pot of about 8 inches. The final container size for most pepper plants is around 9 to 12 inches. Potting on in stages like this ensures plants aren’t ‘lost’ in containers significantly larger than their root balls. It also means less wasted potting mix should plants fail at a stage of growth.
You can keep the peppers in pots or transplant them outside into the garden.

Preparing the Outdoor Planting Site

Pepper plants require full sun to produce the largest and healthiest fruit, so pick a site that won’t get shaded out by trees or other garden plants.
Soil should be well-draining and rich in organic matter. Peppers don’t like to have “wet feet,” so avoid planting them in locations that get too wet.
A soil consistency somewhere between sandy and loamy will ensure that the soil drains well and warms quickly.
Soil pH should be on the slightly acidic side—6.0 to 7.0, ideally.
A week before transplanting peppers into the garden, introduce fertilizer or aged compost into your garden soil. Alternatively, mix in a slow-release fertilizer.
Avoid planting peppers in places where you’ve recently grown other members of the nightshade family—such as tomatoes, potatoes, or eggplants—as this can expose peppers to disease.

Planting Peppers Outdoors

Begin to harden off plants about 10 days before transplanting outdoors, which should be done
The soil temperature should be at least 60°F (16°C) at the time of planting (though warmer is better), as peppers are very sensitive to cool temperatures. 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.
When you transplant seedlings outdoors, space them 18 to 24 inches apart.
Plant the transplants no deeper than they were already planted in their pots; otherwise, the stems may become more susceptible to rot.

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

Care

Watering Peppers

Peppers should never be allowed to struggle and soil moisture is especially important in this regard. Peppers like a good dousing but should be left to almost dry out between waterings – they need that period of relative dry. Once a week is typical. If the leaves have gone a bit limp, you’ve probably left it a little too long, but a thorough watering should sort things out.
If you’re growing in pots you can gauge whether the potting mix is dry enough by lifting the container to check its weight – it should be noticeably lighter, by pushing a finger into the soil to feel for moisture about an inch down.
If you live in a warm or desert climate, or are simply experiencing a hot, dry summer, watering everyday may be necessary. Peppers are susceptible to blossom-end rot if watering is not adequate.

Fertilizing Peppers

Peppers will need regular feeding using a liquid feed that’s high in potassium to promote flower production and fruit set – a tomato fertilizer works well. A liquid seaweed with a good range of trace minerals works well, too. A lack of these minerals, together with over watering, is a common cause of yellowing leaves.
After the first fruit set, fertilize with a low-nitrogen fertilizer. (Too much nitrogen can cause the plant to produce foliage instead of flowers and fruit!)

More Plant Care Tips

Weed carefully around plants to avoid disturbing roots.
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.
In cooler, temperate climates or it gets windy where you live, consider growing your peppers under some form of protection. Peppers love this extra warmth. However, if it gets very hot, this can cause flowers to abort and drop, so move plants back outside when temperatures soar.

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

Pests/Diseases

Pollination can be reduced in temperatures below 60°F (16°C) and above 90°F (32°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 – identified by the fine webbing on the underside of leaves – 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 Spider mites and aphids are two common pests of peppers, especially plants grown under cover. Spider mites – identified by the fine webbing on the underside of leaves – 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

See more pest and disease information in the below chart:

Pest/Disease	Type	Symptoms	Control/Prevention
Anthracnose	Fungus	Yellow/brown/purple/black spots on leaves; sunken, dark spots on stems and fruit; spots may develop a salmon-pink, gelatinous mass; eventually, plants rot	Destroy infected plants; choose resistent varieties; provide good drainage; avoid overhead watering; apply compost for nutrition; use mulch; practice crop rotation. Find images and more information about anthracnose here.
Aphids	Insect	Misshapen/yellow leaves; distorted flowers/fruit; sticky “honeydew” (excrement produced by aphids); sooty, black mold that forms on honeydew; large presence of ants on plants	Grow 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. Find images and more information about aphids here.
Blossom-end Rot	Nutrient Deficiency	Caused 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. Find more images and information about blossom-end rot here.
Colorado Potato Beetles	Insect	Yellow-orange eggs laid in clusters on leaf undersides; larvae and adults chew holes in foliage	Remove eggs/larvae/beetles by hand; use straw mulch; weed around plants; use row covers; destroy plant matter at end of season; practice crop rotation
Flea Beetles	Insect	Numerous 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. Find more information and images of flea beetles here.
Mosaic Virus (Cucumber)	Virus	Symptoms vary, but may include: stunting; mottled green/yellow/white pattern or ringed spots on leaves/fruit; distorted leaf growth; warts on fruit	Often 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. Find images and more information about mosaic viruses here.
Root-knot Nematodes	Insect	Roots become “knotted” or galled; plants stunted/yellow/wilted	Destroy 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
Tomato Hornworms	Insect	Chewed leaves (initially toward top of plant); rapid defoliation; black/green excrement; gouged fruit	Check 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). Find images and more information about hornworms here.

Harvest/Storage

How to Harvest Peppers

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 more sweet they become and the greater their vitamin C content.
Use a sharp knife or scissors to cut peppers clean off the plant.

How to Store Peppers

Peppers can be refrigerated in plastic bags for up to 10 days after harvesting.
Gluts of bell peppers can be dried whole in a dehydrator or any warm place with good airflow. If you just have a conventional, here are directions on how to dry peppers for storage:
- Wash, core, and seed the peppers. Cut into one-half-inch strips. Steam for about ten minutes, then spread on a baking sheet. Dry in the oven at 140°F (or the lowest possible temperature) until brittle, stirring occasionally and switching tray positions.
- When the peppers are cool, put them in bags or storage containers or airtight jars. Or, chop peppers up for packing into ice-cube trays. Freeze them then pop them out into freezer bags ready for dropping into recipes as needed.

Green bell peppers on plant

Recommended Varieties

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

Green peppers that turn Red: ‘Lady Bell’, ‘Gypsy’, ‘Bell Boy’, ‘Lipstick’
…Orange: ‘Milena’, ‘Orange Sun’
…Yellow: ‘Golden California Wonder’

Wit & Wisdom

Recipes

Cooking Notes

To learn how to make pickled bell peppers, watch this video!
Get more tips on cooking with peppers.

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Reader Comments

Hot peppers can tolerate heat

Hot peppers can tolerate heat better than bells. Perhaps at the time of flowering, it was too hot for sufficient pollination for the bells, but the hot peppers came through? (That wouldn't explain the Cubanelles, though.) Too much nitrogen can also cause lack of flowering/fruiting, but the other plants seem to be OK. Are all plants getting the same amount of soil nutrients, sunlight, water, etc? If not, perhaps the area where the bells are is different enough to cause a problem.

This is the 2nd year I have

This is the 2nd year I have purchased red bell pepper plants from the nursery, planted them in my garden, and they grow several green peppers that never turn red. The green peppers have been on the plant at least a month and never turn. What am I doing wrong?

Hi, Elizabeth: Well, it's not

Hi, Elizabeth: Well, it's not really a "wrong," but what you're not doing enough of is being patient. They will turn color eventually. Sometimes, once you start to see a little color, you can speed up the final ripening by putting them in a paper bag with a ripe tomato. The ethylene gas it emits will help things along.

We have small bell peppers

We have small bell peppers coming on, but they are clumped together. Should we prune some of them off to allow more room for larger peppers to grow.

On one pepper plant, you may

On one pepper plant, you may get 1 or 2 peppers to form or you may 6 to 8. It depends on the pepper variety and your garden/weather conditions. If you pick the pepper before it's fully mature, you will spark your plant into producing more peppers because the plant wants its "babies" to succeed, though many gardeners say the pepper tastes better if it's fully mature. One idea is to harvest early on some plants and let others mature. Try this experiment and see what works for you!

I live in Denver CO. My

I live in Denver CO. My pepper plants look great but as they get bigger they thin and brown in spots. Any suggestions?

Most likely, the peppers are

Most likely, the peppers are suffering from blossom end rot, which can spread to any area of the fruit and is not always on the "ends". Provide a good mulch to prevent moisture evaporation, and shade your plants during the hottest hours of the day. Keep the soil evenly moist like a wrung out sponge, not wet and not completely dried out.

Hi i planted my peppers

Hi i planted my peppers almost 2 month ago from a farmer they were abit grown not too high not too low height, but since i planted them it barely changed at all! just got abit higher and nothing other then that, just nothing, meanwhile the watermelon plants are taking over all the area.

also there is some wierd black spots around leaf branch area if it means anything.

my garden is in very sunny area long very hot sunny days i used to water them 3 times a day when i started now i do 1 time a day also because its alittle bit less time with sun.

I am new to gardening, so I

I am new to gardening, so I started small with some green peppers. How many peppers does a plant usually yield? I have a plant that only has 1 and the other has 2. Is this all I will get this season or should I expect more? Thank you for your time?

Hi Ken, We have answered your

Hi Ken, We have answered your question a few times below so you're not alone. The number of fruits per plant varies with the variety. Bell pepper plants may produce 5 to 8 fruit per plant. However, do not be surprised if you get one or two. Peppers are sensitive to temperature and need consistent moisture, especially during dry periods. Read more below; there are a lot of common Q&As and good learning as a beginner gardener. Good luck!

Hi! I live in Montreal,

Hi!

I live in Montreal, Quebec. My green peppers are growing great but something is eating the baby fruit. There's a hole, then hole has black around it. Would basil plants or marigolds stop bugs? Should I do some kinds of garlic, pepper, onion spray, liquid dishsoap and water mix?

Thank you,
Lois

Holes in peppers could be

Holes in peppers could be anything from worms to flee beetles to weevils. However, pest holes are not usually surrounded by black. Bacterial spot is a disease that causes small black spots; the spots are lesions, not holes. Most outbreaks are tied to the original seed or transplant which was infected. If this is the case, there is little you can do except buy sterile seed and avoid replanting in this area next year. Also, overhead irrigation and splashing of water on the plant can spread infection. (Watering should happen at base of plant and never overhead.) This is a difficult disease to control. There are sprays that can be used at an early stage. We would suggest you bring a sample to your local cooperative extension office or garden nursery to get a confirmed diagnosis.

My peppers are about fist

My peppers are about fist sized on plants about 12-18" tall. I cut one pepper off to put in a salad, but when I tasted the pepper it was very bitter and just over-all yucky. Is this normal? Are they just not ready to be picked?

I live in Michigan and I

I live in Michigan and I started my first garden this May. I bought a California Wonder bell pepper plant and transplanted it into the garden. It had a little pepper bud with a bit of the flower around it when I purchased it. In that same place (the lower third of the pepper) there is a black patch. The pepper itself is growing just fine. However, the plant has not developed any more flowers or little peppers. Can you please tell me what is wrong and if it is fixable? THANKS!!

How big are they sapost to

How big are they sapost to get my bellpepers

It will depend on the

It will depend on the variety. Check the name on the plant tag or seed packet. Depending on the type, and growing conditions, the fruits can range from between 1.5 and 7 inches long. Plant heights can range from 6 inches to 5 feet tall, again depending on the type and your local growing conditions. 'Big Bertha', for example, can grow up to 5 feet tall and bear fruit that is up to 7 inches long and 4 inches wide. 'Red Mini Bell', on the other hand, grows about 16 inches tall and bears fruit just 1.5 inches long and wide. A standard type, such as 'Sweet California Wonder', grows up to 2 feet tall and bears fruit about 4 inches long by 3.5 inches wide.

I love planting plants that

I love planting plants that give you food instead of just looking at flowers. But I am just 16 years old and I all ready have grown and bought almost the whole store full of fruits and vegetables in my gardens. Like bell peppers, Cherry trees, Fig trees, Apple trees, Peach trees, avocados, pineapples, watermelons, canolops, plus iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, Zucchini, beets, and pinto beans, carrots, potatoes, Sweet potatos. But most have trouble growing because of temperature changes of hot and cold weather. 95high and 20 degrees low. With weather of thunderstorms high winds mostly in the summer time. Winter snow storms possible sometimes not somestimes with slow lightning with freezing high winds.

Hi, I sowed some pepper seeds

Hi, I sowed some pepper seeds in may. It is almost one month. The seeds sprouted but theya re not growing... The true leaves did not emerged till now. Can anyone help me what to do? May be the seeds are not good? If I sow some seeds now, can I get harvest in september or october?
And also my spinach and cilantro also growing very slow. I think these leafy veggies are fast growing, but They are also not growing fast.
Thanks.

Depending on what weather you

Depending on what weather you have had, it could be that cold temperatures are delaying sprouting, since pepper seeds like a warm soil temperature to germinate. Keep the soil moist (not soggy) to help penetrate the hard seed coat and help the seed germinate. The variety of pepper also affects how fast it will germinate: some hot peppers can take almost a month.

Cold temperatures can also slow plant growth (Look through the questions/answers below for similar problems.) If temperatures are still cool, you might place row covers over the plants to help keep them warm at night. Black plastic mulch helps to keep the soil warm.

As to whether sowing seeds now will give the plants enough time to produce, check this page and put in your zip code to determine best times for your area:
http://www.almanac.com/gardeni...
In some areas, sowing now through end of June should be fine for a Setember/October harvest.

I live in Eastern WA. My Red

I live in Eastern WA. My Red Pepper plants look great, very dark green leaves, but are only about 10 inches tall. They've started producing lots of fruit. I planted them in early May and kept them under cover to keep them warm. My question is...should I pick the fruit and allow the plants to get taller since it's still early in the season?

It seems that several

It seems that several gardeners are having the same problem (see questions/answer below), probably because of cooler temperatures (or the temperature fluctuations). You might want to pick the fruit and allow the plants to get taller; side dress the area with a bit of balanced fertilizer to encourage more plant growth.

I have a several red bell

I have a several red bell plants and a yellow bell plant. Each of the red bells are sharing a container with a tomato plant the container they're in is 24" in diameter). 3 of the 4 bell plants (2 of the red and the 1 yellow) have fruit, 1 each on the red and 3 on the yellow. However, the 2 red bells aren't very big (no where near the size of the yellow bell plant) The yellow bell plant only has the 3 fruit but has lots of buds that haven't opened for several weeks. The fruit on the yellow bell plant hasn't grown for several weeks either, they are about 3" around and only about 1.5" tall. It seems like the yellow ones are growing bigger around then tall. The 2 red bell plants have like miniature bells growing pretty well. My m-i-l has suggested that I cut the top off the 2 red bell plants, fruit and all. I'm not sure what to do about any of it at this point. Should I transplant the bells to their own container? Should I cut the top off? I'm lost...

When a pepper plant starts

When a pepper plant starts producing fruit before it has reached full growth, it sometimes helps to remove the tiny peppers and side dress the area with a bit of balanced fertilizer to encourage more plant growth. Cool temperatures during flowering may also affect pollination (the pollinators aren't out as much), resulting in tiny, misshapen fruit.

I planted my peppers in early

I planted my peppers in early may and I live in central Michigan. They seem to be stunted maybe due to cold weather. They are about two inches tall but don't want to grow bigger. Will they be okay now that it is hot out or should I give up on them?

Please see the answer below.

I planted my peppers in late

I planted my peppers in late April, probably before the ground temp was ready. They've been in the ground just around a month. They have not grown much in that time frame. They have, however started producing flowers and mini peppers. Will the plants ever recover from the cold air cold ground temp and begin to grow, or should I replant?
Thank you

They might perk up when

They might perk up when temperatures get warmer, although there is a possibility that they will remain stunted. In the meantime, if your area is still cool, you might place row covers over the plants to help keep them warm at night. Black plastic mulch helps to keep the soil warm. When a pepper plant starts producing fruit before it has reached full growth, it sometimes helps to remove the tiny peppers and side dress the area with a bit of balanced fertilizer to encourage more plant growth. Cool temperatures during flowering may also affect pollination (the pollinators aren't out as much), resulting in tiny, misshapen fruit.

My pepper plants leaves are

My pepper plants leaves are turning yellow. What can I do? I planted two weeks ago . I live near Reading Pa.

This could be any number of

This could be any number of things -- it's good that you're on top of it! Make sure that it is getting enough sun. Make sure that it is getting enough water, but not too much! Water regularly, but only when the top surface starts to dry out to a depth of an inch or two. It could be a nutrient deficiency; try a little bit of some well-balanced (10-10-10) fertilizer. It could be pests: Do an inspection and use some eco-friendly pesticide if necessary. So, your order of action here should be Pests, Water, Sun, Nutrients -- in successive but quick order!

I planted California wonder

I planted California wonder bell peppers. I have never grown any bells but I thought I would give it a try. Can they be planted in a pot? Will this work or should I just plant them outside. Short on space .