Green, yellow, orange or red, plump and mild or small and fiery, bell peppers and chillies (Capsicum annuum) are one and the same plant, simply grown from different varieties and in exactly the same manner. Both want full sun and daytime warmth above 68°F (20°C); give them that and the first fruits ripen right through summer.
| Name | Capsicum anuum |
|---|---|
| Family | Solanaceae or nightshade |
| Type | Vegetable, annual |
| Height | 20 to 32 inches (50 to 80 cm) |
| Exposure | Full sun |
| Soil | Rather light, rich and well drained |
| Harvest | 5 to 6 months after sowing |
Even though tropical and warm climates suit it best, it can still be found further north as long as a few precautions are taken to grow it.
Care from seed to harvest means accomplishing small tasks that will help you grow great green, red or yellow bell peppers.
Mastering the seedling phase is the key, since bell pepper seedlings need a few weeks to grow large enough and be planted to the ground at the appropriate time.
You must also wait for temperatures to exceed 68°F (20°C) during the daytime before you can plant them outdoors.
This can mean May in the South but it can translate to Early summer in the North.
Everything hinges on temperature: peppers and chillies only go out once the days are reliably warm. Here is how the different starting points compare.
| Stage | When | Conditions | Spacing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sowing in nursery pots indoors | Midwinter in the mildest areas, early spring elsewhere | Indoors or heated greenhouse, 65 to 68°F (18 to 20°C) | One sprout kept per pot |
| Transfer to the ground under cold frame | Towards mid-spring, or late spring | Only if the weather is suitable | 20 to 24 inches (50 to 60 cm) |
| Planting directly in the vegetable patch | Once protections can be removed | Daytime temperatures above 68°F (20°C) | 20 to 24 inches (50 to 60 cm) on all sides |
| Plants bought in containers | May in the South, early summer in the North | Daytime temperatures above 68°F (20°C) | 24 to 32 inches (50 to 60 cm) |
Whatever the starting point, warmth is the deciding factor rather than the date on the calendar.
In order for you to grow beautiful bell pepper and chili, it bodes well to enrich the soil all along the growing phase.
Ideally, you can use fermented stinging nettle tea since it is a natural option, but there are a great many organic fertilizers designed for use with bell pepper and chili.
Well sown and cared for, bell pepper will deliver its first harvests during the summer.
Wait for the bell pepper or chili to have reached full maturity, ie, they have stopped growing any larger.
That is when you can harvest them green or wait for them to take on a yellow, orange or red color which will guarantee tastier fruits.
Here are the steps to guarantee long-lasting chili supplies:
Store in a dry place, in the dark.
Sweet peppers and chillies are grown in exactly the same way, so the choice comes down to heat, fruit shape and whether you have a greenhouse or just a sunny windowsill. The varieties below are among the most widely sold and the easiest to succeed with.
| Variety | Type | Heat | Ripe colour | Best grown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redskin | Dwarf sweet pepper, F1 | None, sweet | Green to red | Pots and small containers |
| Corno di Toro Rosso | Long horn-shaped sweet | None, sweet | Deep red | Greenhouse or sheltered plot |
| Sweet Banana | Long tapered sweet | None, sweet | Yellow to red | Outdoors in a warm spot |
| Long Slim Cayenne | Thin drying chilli | Hot | Red | Greenhouse; dries well |
| California Wonder | Blocky sweet pepper | None, sweet | Green to red | Greenhouse or warm border |
| Early Jalapeño | Thick-walled chilli | Medium | Green to red | Outdoors, crops early |
| Bell Boy | Blocky sweet pepper, F1 | None, sweet | Green to red | Greenhouse or polytunnel |
| Big Bertha | Very large bell, F1 | None, sweet | Green to red | Greenhouse for full size |
| Gypsy | Wedge-shaped sweet pepper, F1 | None, sweet | Pale yellow to red | Early, reliable outdoors |
| Mohawk | Compact sweet pepper, F1 | None, sweet | Green to yellow | Pots, patio, windowsill |
| Padrón | Small frying pepper | Mild, occasionally hot | Picked green | Pots or open ground |
| Hungarian Hot Wax | Tapered wax chilli | Mild to medium | Yellow to red | Outdoors, very tolerant |
| Anaheim | Long mild chilli | Mild | Green to red | Warm border or greenhouse |
| Ancho Poblano | Broad stuffing chilli | Mild | Dark green to brown-red | Greenhouse or warm border |
| Serrano | Slim salsa chilli | Hot | Green to red | Greenhouse or warm patio |
| Apache | Dwarf bushy chilli, F1 | Hot | Green to red | Pots and windowsills |
| NuMex Twilight | Ornamental upright chilli | Hot | Purple through yellow to red | Pots, patio, indoors |
Native to the tropical Americas, bell pepper or chili are typical summer fruits which are savored both raw and cooked, in a ratatouille for instance.
The only difference between bell pepper and chili is that they come from different varieties. The first is rather mild, whereas the second is hot and spicy.
But as plants, both are grown in exactly the same manner.
Read also: Bell pepper health benefits and therapeutic properties
Avoid getting the leaves wet when watering, this simple practice is the best possible protection against powdery mildew.
