Sweet bell peppers are a tender, warm-season crop and a relative of the tomato. Here’s how to plant and grow bell peppers in your garden!
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.
Unlike their spicy brethren, bell peppers do not contain capsaicin, which is the compound that gives hot peppers such as jalapeño peppers their 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.
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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.
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 .
We had unexpectedly low
We had unexpectedly low temperatures last night, down in the low 40s. I'm new to gardening and hadn't thought ahead regarding the peppers, because we've had such warm weather for the past couple of weeks––I planted them outside three days ago. Is there any hope for them yet?! Or do such low temps mean they're already a lost cause?
Okay this has sorta been
Okay this has sorta been addressed, but sorta not. I am curious about this particular part of the instructions: "Start pepper seeds three to a pot, and thin out the weakest seedling. Let the remaining two pepper plants spend their entire lives together as one plant." So I put the 3 seeds together in one small hole. They sprouted and I pulled out the weakest one, now I have 2 seedlings RIGHT next to eachother, like, 1/3" apart. So is this the correct way to do it per the quoted part of the directions or am I gonna have a problem having these 2 plants this close together?
Our advice would be to thin
Our advice would be to thin just to one seedling (pinch one off, rather than pull it out) because these are so close together and might be competing too intensely. When you plant the peppers in the garden, you could place another plant about 3 inches away; this might help with the sunscald and the plants may support each other as they grow further. If you don't have a problem with sunscald, then regular spacing might be best.
What do we used to protect
What do we used to protect the plant from white flies?
Hi William, If you already
Hi William,
If you already have white flies on your peppers try predator insects, such as parasitic wasps and ladybugs. Some folks recommend putting yellow sticky tape around the garden and others have used insecticidal soap and oil sprays with some luck.
Hi. I am not a gardener but a
Hi. I am not a gardener but a person who enjoys the beauty of watching things grow and if I am blessed with veggies then I am quite pleased. In April I tossed all of the seeds from a red pepper in to a pot of potting soil/dirt mixed. The seeds had been soaked in water for about two months. I placed the pot outside on a table and I water it every morning. I now have numerous little plants growing happily in this pot. Some are almost an inch tall. What is the best thing to do with them at this point and will they grow peppers before winter?
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