🌱 Sowing & planting
- Latin name: Capsicum annuum
- Sowing depth: 0.25 cm (shallow sowing)
- Pre-sowing: in 5 cm seed trays
- Germination temperature: 24–28 °C
- Germination period: 14–22 days
- Planting distance: 50 cm between rows, 40 cm between plants
- Growth cycle: about 175 days (long cultivation)
- Plant out: when there are 6 true leaves and night temperatures are above 15°C.
📅 Growing times
- Sow indoors/greenhouse/glasshouse: sow February–March; plant out under glass in May; harvest July–October.
- Open ground: sow indoors February–March; transplant outdoors mid-May; harvest late August–early October.
Bell peppers are heat-loving and do best in a greenhouse or in a very warm, sheltered spot in the open ground.
Start cultivation (sowing)
Harvesting
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN
Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
🏠 Pre-sowing (indoors/greenhouse)
Open ground
🏠 Indoor / greenhouse / greenhouse
Outside (open ground)
🌿 Popular breeds
📘 Basic information
- Crop group: Fruit crop
- Crop family: Nightshade family (Solanaceae)
- Height: 60–90 cm
- Frost resistant: no
- Root system: 90–120 cm deep
- Fertilization: good with compost- treated soil; nettle manure in the initial phase and comfrey manure for strong plants and good fruit set
- Preferred soil: loam soil with pH 5.5–7.5
🌞💧 Pitch & water
Location: ☀☀☀ lots of sun – preferably in a conservatory/greenhouse or very sheltered patio.
Watering: 💧💧 moderate – water regularly without soaking the roots.
🤝 Good & Bad Neighbors
- Good neighbors: chili pepper , tomato, geranium, marigold, marjoram , basil, oregano
- Bad neighbors: kohlrabi, fennel bulb , beans , cabbage varieties, apricot
🧑🌾 Cultivation method step-by-step
- Pre-sowing: Sow indoors in February–March in warm seed compost (24–28 °C) at a depth of 0.25 cm.
- Keep the soil moist and warm until the seedlings emerge (14–22 days).
- Prick out into 5cm pots or larger trays when the plants are large enough.
- Planting out in a greenhouse: plant in the greenhouse in May as soon as it is warm enough there.
- Open ground: plant outdoors from mid-May when night temperatures remain above 15°C.
- If necessary, tie up the plants and ensure an airy location to prevent diseases.
- Feed regularly (nettle manure in the beginning, comfrey manure during fruit setting).
❗ Dangers & Concerns
- Aphids: mainly on young shoots; if necessary, control with beneficial insects or a mild soap/oil solution.
- Beware of cold nights and drafts; peppers are heat-sensitive.
🧺 Harvesting & storing
- Cut the fruits from the plant with a piece of stem so that you do not damage the plant.
- Green peppers are edible, but red (fully ripe) contain more flavor and vitamins.
- Store bell peppers in a cool place, but not in the freezer (unless they are blanched in pieces beforehand).
🍽️ Nutritional value
Per 100 g raw red pepper:
- 31 kcal
- 0 g fat
- 6 g carbohydrates
- 1 g protein
- 2 g fiber
- 4 g sugar
- Vitamins: A, B6, C and K
- Other: thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid, magnesium , potassium and manganese
