Bell Peppers: Info and Care

Are you planning on starting a little vegetable garden in your backyard? Have you been wanting to take that step in order to consume more fresh and healthy vegetables? If that is so, bell peppers are a vegetable you should keep in mind.

Bell papers are a culinary staple all over the globe. According to Healthline, bell peppers are a great source of vitamin C, apart from other vitamins and minerals, including vitamin K1, vitamin E, vitamin A, folate, and potassium.

Since bell peppers will be perfect for your vegetable garden, we will help you grow them perfectly. If you are planning to plant bell peppers, there is some information you must know, so keep on reading to find out!

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Let Us Get Started!

Growing bell peppers is no rocket science. This plant is low maintenance but as a seedling, it requires care and attention. You must start growing a bell pepper plant indoors, as the temperature can be controlled, and you can later transplant the plant anywhere you desire.

Bell pepper seeds need warmth to grow. The ideal temperature is between 70-89 degrees Fahrenheit or 21-32 degrees Celsius, which can be provided using a heating mat, or simply by placing the seed tray in a warm location.

The seed tray should be filled with well-draining potting soil, and place one to three seeds in every container. Covering the tray with cling film will also be a help. You should be able to see the seeds pop within a few weeks after this.

Keep an eye on the seed tray, and as soon as you start seeing the plant get a few inches tall, transplant them to a small pot. Initially, put the plant outside in the warm weather for a couple of hours to get it used to the new surroundings.

The plant can be transplanted into the garden when they are about 8 inches tall. Bell pepper plant thrives in warm conditions and soil with a pH of 6.5 or 7.

Perfect Conditions For A Bell Pepper Plant

Before transplanting the bell peppers to the garden, there is a lot a gardener needs to think about. The following are some things they must ensure and understand.

Transplant the bell pepper plant when the night-time temperature in your region is about 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
Make sure that the frost is long gone.
The soil must be well-drained.
The plants must be placed with a minimum of 18 inches between one another.
Try to keep the soil evenly moist. Not too dry, not too wet. Around 1 and a half inches of water is enough for the plant per week.
Nitrogen fertilizers should be reduced, as they can stunt the growth of the plant.

Pests and Diseases

Over-watering the bell pepper plant can cause root rot, which is a fungal disease that is highly damaging. Over-watering can also lead to Phytophthora blight, which causes root, crown, and fruit rot in many plants.

Blossom end rot is another disease that can affect the plant, that is caused by a calcium deficiency. This deficiency can be caused by either a calcium-deficient soil or a low pH soil which can reduce the calcium uptake.

Bell pepper plants can also be infested by pests. Some pests to look out for are:

Spider mites
Cutworms
Flea beetles
Stink bugs
Aphids

Neem oil is a good way to avoid all kinds of pests. Another way to get rid of them is by handpicking the pest and squashing them.

Harvest Time

The key to getting the tastiest bell peppers is knowing when they are ready to harvest. You can know that by picking the peppers when they are up to 3 to 4 inches long, and they look green and firm.

If your bell pepper is thin, they are not ripe enough. And if it is too soggy, they are beyond ripe. There are many different varieties of bell peppers, and if the gardener wants orange, yellow, or red bell peppers, they just need to leave them on the vine for longer, and they will take the desired color.

Types of Bell Peppers

Bell peppers come in many types and colors but red and green are the most popular ones. According to research, both of them have the same nutritional value. Some prominent types of bell peppers are:

Canary Bell – takes about 100 days to grow and has a beautiful yellow color.
Coral Bell – can be harvested after 78 to 88 days.
Big Red – takes 75 days to mature and has a bright red color.
California Wonder – it is a classic green pepper and takes about 75 days to mature.
Purple Beauty – can be harvested after 70 days.
Chocolate Beauty – matures in 67-70 days.

Extra Tips

These are some tips that will help you achieve a healthy bell pepper plant:

If you are collecting seeds of bell peppers from store-bought bell peppers, red ones are ideal as they are more mature.
Try to introduce the plant slowly to the outside environment before completely transplanting it into the garden. This process is called hardening off.
If you live in a cooler area, lay black plastic over the soil. This will lead to quicker growth.
Keeping the soil warm is great because the bell pepper plant prefers warmer conditions. But getting it too warm can kill useful soil bacteria. So do not overdo the heat.

Conclusion

In conclusion, bell pepper is a great addition to your garden. They are easy to manage and have great nutritional value. Just follow the tips mentioned above, be vigilant, and you’ll be rewarded with fresh bell pepper!

Hope this article guided you in the right direction and now you know a little more about taking care of your bell pepper plant. If you have any questions, drop them down below, and we will surely get back to them!

Other Peppers:

Cowhorn Peppers

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How long does it take for a bell pepper plant to produce peppers?

The cycle from sowing to picking peppers generally lasts from 60 to 90 days. But, it depends on the conditions in which the peppers grow and the variety you grow. Temperature, sun exposure of soil structures, and proper watering play a crucial role in the process. If any of these factors go beyond the optimum, it slows down plant growth and development.

What month do you plant bell peppers?

In a sheltered area such as a heated greenhouse or window sill in the house, you can sow peppers in late February or early March. However, you should not sow them outdoors before mid-April until the soil is well warmed. Heat is necessary for seed germination, so the chances of seeds sprouting in cold soil are minimal.

Do bell pepper plants need full sun?

Full sun combined with proper watering moisture is essential for a good pepper crop. So in continental areas, plant them in the sunniest part of the vegetable garden. However, in regions with arid and hot summers, a little shade in the hottest part of the day may still be a better option.

How long does it take for a bell pepper plant to bear fruit?

Healthy and well-developed plants bloom 45 to 60 days after planting. The flowers will be pollinated in the next 14 days and form the fruit. It will reach its full size during the next 35 days, so you can pick ripe fruits approximately 3 months after planting.