Survey the supermarket and you’ll see a rainbow for the picking.
Green fruits are actually immature peppers.
The soil should be well-draining and slightly acidic.
Credit:Marty Baldwin
How and When to Plant Bell Peppers
Peppers are a warm-season crop.
In many areas, they are one of the last vegetables to be planted in the garden in spring.
Wait until nighttime temperatures remain consistently above 50 to 55 degrees range planting transplants in the garden.
Credit:Marty Baldwin
Dig a hole that is about twice as big as the nursery pot and just as deep.
Place the plant in the hole and backfill with original soil.
Tamp down the soil and water the plant deeply.
Dean Schoeppner.
Light
Peppers require at least 8 hours of direct sunlight a day to produce fruit.
Soil and Water
Peppers need rich, well-drained soil with apHof around 6.5.
Prior to planting, incorporate a 2-inch layer ofcompostinto the planting bed.
Credit:Better Homes and Gardens
Water pepper plants deeply and at the base (not overhead).
Mulching around the plant will help conserve moisture.
in the fall, their lifecycle ends with the first frost.
Credit:Peter Krumhardt
Fertilizer
Fertilizingpepper plantsabout once a month with an all-purpose vegetable fertilizer is usually sufficient.
That way, the plant puts its energy into developing the fruit that is already there.
Pollination
Peppers have both male and female flowers and self-pollinate without the aid of pollinating insects.
Credit:Jay Wilde
Potting and Repotting Bell Peppers
Peppers areeasy to grow in containers.
Select a container that is at least 18 inches in diameter and fill it with high-quality potting soil.
Calcium deficiency and lack of water can lead to blossom end rot.
Credit:Illustration by Gary Palmer
Sow seeds 14 inch deep and 1 inch apart in a container of seed-starting potting mix.
Keep the mix moist but not soggy, and very warm.
Set the plant container on a heating mat for extra warmth.
When seedlings reach 2 inches tall, transplant them into individual pots.
Harvesting
Bell peppers are ready to harvest in late summer.
Peppers are edible at any stage, but glossy, fully colored fruits deliver the best flavor.
Not all immature fruits are green.
Some varieties develop creamy yellow, lilac,or purple fruits in their immature stages.
It turns red at maturity.
‘Admiral’
This hybrid variety bears blocky fruits that turn from green to yellow at maturity.
It matures in 80 days from planting.
The leafy plant protects fruits from sunburn.
The original variety turns red at maturity, but a yellow form is also available.
It matures in 75 days.
‘Golden Bell’
Peter Krumhardt
The 4-inch-diameter fruits on this hybrid variety turn deep gold at maturity.
It matures in 75 days.
The elongated fruits begin creamy yellow and turn red at full maturity.
It matures in 65 days.
‘Orange Blaze’
This early-maturing vibrant orange bell pepper hybrid is valued for its disease resistance.
It matures in 65 to 70 days.
thisgarden planis not limited to summer vegetables.
Often the damaged tissue gets infected by a fungal or bacterial disease.
There is nothing that can be done to reverse the process.
Selecting a variety with vigorous dense foliage can help to avoid the problem.
