The Gardeners Almanac

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My Back Garden

Capsicum annum

Common name: Sweet Peppers

Related Links

Week Numbers

Aminopyralid

Aphids

Biological control

Blossom End rot

Compost

Containers

Fertiliser

Growbags

Heating

Pricking out

Red Spider mite

Ring Culture

Seed sowing

Slugs & Snails

Thrips

Watering

Whitefly

Overview:

Sweet Peppers can range in colours from Green to Yellow to Red depending on the stage of ripeness.

Similarly they can come in various shapes, sizes for example; carrot shaped, bell shaped or block shaped.

They can be eaten cooked in stews, stir fries and or raw in salads.


Yellow Carrot shaped Pepper
Sweet Banana
Red Bell shaped Pepper
Calahonda (Own Seed)
Red Carrot Shaped Pepper
Corno de Rosso
Yellow Block shaped Pepper
Luteus
Purple Block shape Pepper
Purple Beauty
Carrot shaped Pepper changing colour from green to red
Spanish (Own Seed)

They are not fully hardy and should only be grown outdoors in the south and west of the UK. i.e. in areas where the temperature does not drop below 12°-15°C (55°-60°F)

In the cooler northern areas, they can be stood outside in pots during the summer and brought indoors when the weather becomes much cooler.

Otherwise, plant them out 600mm (24") apart in a cool Greenhouse border, Tunnel, Growbags, Large pots or Ring Culture.


Depending upon variety, they will grow to a height of 750mm (30")

Aim for a minimum night temperature 15 °C (60 °F), and avoid temperatures above 30°C (85°F) under glass, by providing maximum ventilation.

Avoid starting pepper plants too early in the spring this practice can lead to leggy plants that may never fully recover.


Pests and Diseases:

Leaf peppered with hole formed by Spider mite

Red Spider Mite Damage (Topside of Leaf)

Leaf peppered with hole formed by Spider mite

Red Spider Mite Damage (Undersde of Leaf)
Indoors:

The main three pests that can affect Sweet Peppers are Thrips, Whitefly and Red Spider Mite, all of which can be controlled biologically or by proprietary insecticides.


Regular misting will deter Spider Mite, and aid fruit set.


Outdoors:

Tell tale Wrinkled leaves due to Aminopyralid damage

Aminopyralid

Tell tale Wrinkled leaves due to Aminopyralid damage

Aminopyralid

Signs of rot at base of Pepper

Blossom End Rot

Aphids, Snails and Slugs can be troublesome.

As with Tomatoes, Peppers are sensitive to temperature fluctuations, which can cause bud drop or poor fruit set.

Similarly, irregular watering or dry compost can cause Blossom End rot.

Affected fruits show a leathery pale brown patch at their base, pick off affected fruits to encourage new flowers.


Adequate staking to support the heavy fruit is important to avoid branches breaking, particularly with plants grown outside that are subject to winds.


Cultivation:

Seedlings emerging from compost

Germinated Seedlings

Saved seed in varying stages of drying out

Saved Seeds
Week 11:

Sow seeds in pots / trays of seed compost and germinate at a temperature of 21°C (70°F)


Germination should take around 10-12 days


Week 13:

Peppers approx 10cm (4

Ready for Planting Out

Pricked out peppers in coldframe

Hardening Off

Peppers pricked ou into 7cm (3

Pricked Out Seedlings

When the seedlings are large enough to handle, prick them out individually into 75mm (3") pots of potting compost.


Week 18:

If planting out is delayed perhaps because of the weather, pot up plants into 125mm (5") pots rather than letting them becoming potbound in the smaller pot.


Week 21-22:

Plant out in a sheltered border or into 250mm (10") pots or two or three plants per grow bag after all danger of frost has passed.

Cover plants with fleece or cloches, or coldframe until plants are established.


Alternatively, plant them out 600mm (24") apart in a cool greenhouse border, growbags and / or large pots.


Various Stages of Growth in Greenhouse Border
Planted out in Greenhouse Border
Plants approx 15cm (6
Peppers approx 30cm (12
Peppers aprrox 60cm (24
Peppers approx 75cm (30
Plants approx 90 cm (36

Various stages of growth using the 'Ring Culture' Method

Plants planted out into 25cm (10
View of watering aid in place
Plants approx 30cm (12
Plants approx 45cm(15
Plants approx 50cm (18
Plants approx 60cm(24

Aftercare:

View of 3 red peppers

Ripe Stage

View of fruit changing colour from  green to red

Colour Changing

View of 3 Green fruit on plant

Green Stage
Week 27:

From now on give a dilute liquid feed (potash) at two week intervals when the embryo fruits appear.

Continue feeding up until the fruit changes colour.


If grown under glass, lightly shade the glass during the hottest months.


The Harvest


Week 34 onwards:

The fruits should be ready for picking in September / October depending upon variety and season.