I have been growing Bell Peppers for several years, and I always getting asked “how I do it”, so I thought I’d share some tips. First things first, you need to decided what type of Bell Pepper you want to grow. There are several types on the market to choose from such as the Red Bell, or the Chocolate Bell. If you just aren’t sure, then plant a variety. If you choose to grow your peppers from seed, your in for a long wait. It will take you at least three months to get your plant the size of young plants in 4 inch pots. However, if your wanting to grow 5 or more plants, then seed is a much cheaper way to go.
If your starting from seed you will need to start them in a seed tray, then later plant them in your garden. Bell Peppers are very tender plants, and I don’t recommend sowing seed directly in the soil. Once your plant is 6 inches high you can then transplant it into your garden. I have planted my Peppers two different ways, one way was the tradition row garden, and the other was more of a flowerbed style garden. Personally I prefer the flower bed style because they are such beautiful plants to grow.
Bell Peppers need a few things in order to grow. First off they need lots of sun. I live in Florida where the summer sun is blistering, and my Bell Peppers do great with full sun. Your peppers also need water. Once your plants are mature you will not need to water them as often. I water mine twice a week in the summer, allowing for a good hour of slow soaking each time. Be careful not to knock the blooms off when you water, these are your peppers in the making.
When you plant gets peppers on it, you might need to support it. I use tomato cages over mine. This will help take some of the weight off your plant once them peppers start to grow. Your first few peppers will be small, but they do get larger in time. My two year old plants now produce up to 6 large peppers at a time.
Bell Peppers seldom have problems with bugs, however slugs will destroy a plant. To keep the slugs off your pepper plants crush a few egg shells up and place them around the base. Slug cannot climb over the shells, plus the egg shells are good for the soil. You can also use one teaspoon of Dawn dish soap mixed with a gallon of water directly on the leaves if any other pest become an issue.
Growing peppers takes time, actually it’s one of the slowest vegetables I have grown. But, it pays off, and they are very tasty. Just remember that all pepper plants freeze. You must make sure to cover your peppers if the weather drops below freezing. If you don’t you’ll have to start all over the following spring. Try adding new peppers each year to add color and flavor to your garden. I enjoy Red, Sweet Green, Chocolate, And Orange Bell Peppers. Next summer I plan to add some purple ones. As you can see, once you get started, you’ll be hooked.
