We may earn revenue from the products available on this pageboy and take part in affiliate programs . Learn More ›
Melville Bell peppers are members of the nightshade ( Solanaceae ) family , along with tomatoes and potatoes , and are native to Central and South America . Of all thepepper varieties , bell peppers are among the most popular thanks to the copiousness of sweet-smelling , mild fruits that come in a rainbow of colors . Though learning how to grow Alexander Graham Bell pepper is not Eruca sativa science , it helps to have a fast one or two up your sleeve when plant this garden raw material .
Growing Bell Peppers at a Glance
Common Name : Bell pepper , cherubic pepperScientific Name : pepper annuum(Grossum Group)Hardiness Zone : 9 to 12 ( grow as one-year in all zones)Soil : arenaceous , well - debilitate with a pH of 6.5 to 7Light : Full sunWater : RegularFood : Low - nitrogen fertilizerPropagation : SeedsSafety : Edible
Bell Pepper Characteristics
Typically , doorbell capsicum pepper plant are produce assummer annuals , though in frost - free areas of Zones 9 to 12 toll peppers can be repeated . chime peppers take between 3 and 4 months to mature and ask at least 6 to 8 hour of sun each day . They raise between 1 and 4 animal foot tall in a bush - like form .
“ Alexander Graham Bell peppers can be finicky to produce , but if you cater them with what they ask , they ’ll produce loads of peppers for you , ” says Shelby DeVore , a horticultural expert and father of the educational horticulture and homesteading siteGarden . Farm . boom . “ Bell peppers are heavy producers and thus need a lot of water . Your bell capsicum plants will grow in force in soil that is consistently moist , ” she says .
Recommended Bell Pepper Varieties
From fast cultivator to gamey surrenderer , there are many bell pepper cultivars to choose from . These are some of our favorites :
Propagating Bell Peppers From Seed
Similar togrowing jalapenos , arise bell peppers from seed requires start seed indoors 8 to 10 weeks before the average date of the last frost in the growing neighborhood . Use a seed tray with a skillful seed dirt mix or peat pellet . Keep the seed in sunlight or under a grow light , check they ’re warm and well watered . Many gardener prefer for aseedling heat flatness like this — the best overall peck inour buyer ’s guide — to keep the seeds at 70 degrees Fahrenheit or warmer to keep pepper sprouting .
Planting Bell Pepper Seedlings
transplanting Melville Bell pepper seedlings that outgrow their starter pot or tray when they ’ve create three set of leaves , typically about 3 or 4 weeks after implant . Pot them into a bigger container so they can stay on to grow and tone up . transplantation alfresco when daytime temperatures are in the 70s and nighttime temperatures are higher than 55 degrees Fahrenheit . Before planting them outdoors , be sure toharden offthe pepper seedlings by exposing them to outdoor conditions gradually over a week or so , include wind and fluctuating temperatures .
When is the best time to plant bell peppers?
When to plant will depend on the grower’sUSDA Plant Hardiness Zone . spring up peppers requires heat , so ideally pepper are establish to take vantage of the heat of summer , which commonly equates to late bound .
Where can bell peppers grow?
Choose a cheery emplacement with well - debilitate soil for the cultivation of bell white pepper . Do n’t imbed bell peppers where you ’ve grown tomatoes , tomatillos , potatoes , peppers , or eggplants in the past few yr . This is because these plant are vulnerable to the same pests and diseases , which can still be in the filth .
How do you plant bell peppers?
Enrich the filth with compost and afertilizer that ’s best for peppers . Cover the planting area with black plastic mulch to keep the soil warm . Be certain the Vanessa Bell pepper seedlings have been exposed to external elements for at least a week before establish . space of pepper plants can alter by variety .
Before Madagascar pepper grow too big , it ’s wise to consider about structural livelihood . “ Use a small interest or piece of bamboo in the middle of your ship’s bell peppers to sustain them up , ” give notice Kelsey Patterson , a gardener and food blogger atSigsbee Street . “ You will desire to use wind ties on the main base to obtain it to the stake . Doing this will keep the plant from being weigh down by the sound yield . ”
Can you grow bell peppers in containers?
Growing bell peppers in pots is not only potential , it can be preferable for some nurseryman .
“ Vanessa Stephen Madagascar pepper can do well in container if you keep a few things in mind , ” says Rebecca Sears , master selling officer and nonmigratory green thumb atFerry - Morse . “ First , plant a single plant in the biggest tummy you could happen , at least 14 inch in diameter , in a calorie-free , well - draining potting admixture so that the ancestor have the aeration they need , ” she enjoin .
“ 2d , be sure to keep up with dressing and consistent lachrymation throughout the season . Container plants dry out more speedily than those that are planted in the earth , so monitoring for wet is important , specially when the weather pay back hot . You may postulate to irrigate every day in the height of the summer , ” sound out Sears .
Photo: istockphoto.com
Watering Bell Peppers
A general rule of thumb for peppers is to give1 inch of water per week . Overwatering can lead to tooth root rot , so calculate for water with soaker hose or trickle irrigation . If the bootleg plastic mulch is surrounding the plants , be certain that the soaker hosiery or dribble irrigation baby-sit at the base of the plant .
“ Soil indoors of containers tends to hold wet longer , which is helpful with heavy - boozing plant like bell common pepper , ” DeVore says . “ Make certain that the bottom of your container has drainage holes to let excess moisture to drain out . Check the territory daily to ensure it feels like a wrung - out , damp kitchen sponge . Water as postulate . ”
Fertilizing Bell Pepper Plants
Pollination
Peppers are self - pollinating ; however , many thwartwise - pollinate thanks to busy bees and other pollinator . Peppers also do good from wind or agitation to release pollen . This can be done by hand by giving the backbone of blooms a gentle water tap , but it ’s generally not necessary .
Pruning Bell Pepper Plants
Pruning ship’s bell peppers is an authoritative stride to maintain plant life intelligent . The University of Illinois Extension recommendspruning only during the validation phase(early growth in the ground ) of capsicum pepper plant using a method acting called topping . Topping is the process of pinching off the top - most leaves , flower , fruits , and stem . This helps further a stronger works and more flowers and yield . Do this when industrial plant have reached about 12 inch mellow .
Safety Considerations
Peppers are eatable and safe for human consumption . in the main , the fruit of ship’s bell capsicum and sweet peppers is atoxic to pets such as detent and cats , but the parting , stems , and green yield of pepper plants contain alkaloids that can be toxic to pets .
Potential Pests and Diseases
unwashed diseases affecting pepper plants include mosaic computer virus , root and top rot , powdery mildew , curly top , spotted wilt virus , and Verticillium wilt . Peppers are also susceptible tocommon garden pestssuch as aphid , whitefly , thrip , and spider mite . Other pests include armyworms , cucumber beetles , folio miners , weevils , and more .
Fruits can sunburn if not protected by shade from the leafage . Peppers can get blossom - end rot , which is a lack of atomic number 20 in the fruit . However , this disease is usually brought on by discrepant watering . Peppers that do n’t get consistent enough heat will not grow or fruit , and blossoms may drop off . develop peppercorn indoors during moth-eaten snaps may be a impermanent solution .
Harvesting Bell Peppers
The color and ripeness of a bell shape pepper at harvest reckon on the assortment and how long the yield abide on the plant life . All varieties will be green at first , with some turning red , yellowed , or a range of other colors , include pearl or deep purpleness . Harvest the rainbow of peppers when they feel firm and are either a rich green ( if they are a immature variety ) or have fully changed to the coloring material signal by their variety show .
When is the best time to harvest bell peppers?
Bell pepper seedling take anywhere from 60 to 90 Clarence Day to mature , so harvest fruit allot to the color and size they should mature . If potential , harvesting fruits early on in the morning before peak hotness set in .
How do you harvest bell peppers?
black pepper can be harvest just as you ’re ready to employ them , or they can be reap before full ripeness and allowed to ripen on the heel counter .
How do you store bell peppers?
Peppers can be stored in the icebox at about 40 degrees Fahrenheit in a plastic bag with some trap for circulation . Once switch off , bell shape peppers can be wrapped in a paper towel to assimilate wet and invest in a sealed container .
Preparing Pepper Plants for Winter
Most gardeners simply replant common pepper each year ; however , some choose to overwinter pepper plants indoors . Repot pepper plants in fresh potting soil , rationalise them , and bring the containers into a warm room with direct sun . In areas with mild winters where temperature do n’t sink below 60 level Fahrenheit , capsicum pepper plant can be left in the garden to go hibernating .
Looking for more edible plants to rise and harvest at home ? Check out our guides on growingsquash , cucumber , andbeets .
Our Best Advice for Beginner Gardeners
Photo: istockphoto.com
We ’ll aid you put up your first garden — whether that ’s a few pots on your terrace , a raised layer , or an in - land plot out back — and select the ripe flora for your soil and neighborhood .
Photo: istockphoto.com
Photo: istockphoto.com
Photo: istockphoto.com
