Plant profile
Capsicum
Capsicum annuum
Also known as Bell pepper, Sweet pepper.
Capsicums need warm soil, sun and steady moisture. In frost-free climates they can live for more than one season.
- Grows well in
- Tropical, Subtropical, Temperate, Cool / mountains, Arid / inland, Mediterranean
- Lifecycle
- Warm-season annual or short-lived perennial
- Light
- Full sun
- Mature size
- Usually about 50 cm–1 m tall and wide, although vigorous peppers can grow considerably taller in warm climates.
- Spacing
- About 40–50 cm apart in warm climates; a little more room can help plants receive enough sun in cooler areas.
- Growth habit
- Bushy, branching warm-season plant that behaves as a short-lived perennial in frost-free climates and an annual where winters are cold.
- Native range
- Southern United States to Brazil, including the Caribbean.
- Natural habitat
- Seasonally dry tropical and subtropical scrub, woodland and forest margins.
When to plant
Tropical
March–August
Subtropical
August–March
Temperate
September–December
Cool / mountain
October–December
Arid inland
August–October, February–March
Mediterranean
September–December
Planting
Raise seedlings in warmth and plant out after frost risk when soil has warmed. Avoid disturbing roots more than necessary when transplanting.
Position and light
Full sun in mild and warm weather. In very hot climates, some afternoon shade can reduce fruit sunscald and flower drop.
Soil
Fertile, well-drained soil with compost. Mulch once the soil is warm to reduce moisture swings.
Watering
Keep moisture reasonably even during flowering and fruit development. Large swings in soil moisture can contribute to fruit problems.
Feeding
Use a balanced vegetable feed while plants establish, then a fruiting fertiliser at the label rate once flowering begins.
Pruning
Most capsicums need little pruning. Remove damaged growth and support branches if they become heavy with fruit.
Harvest
Fruit can be picked green once full-sized or left to colour and sweeten. Regular harvest encourages continued cropping.
Propagation
Grow from seed. Saved seed from open-pollinated varieties may come true; hybrid seed may not.
Common problems
Fruit fly, aphids, mites, caterpillars, blossom-end rot, sunscald and flower drop in very hot weather can occur. Blossom-end rot is usually linked to uneven water uptake rather than a simple lack of calcium in the soil. Keeping moisture steady during fruit development is generally more useful than adding extra calcium without first checking the growing conditions.
Worth knowing
Capsicums can keep cropping for more than one season in warm frost-free gardens. Extreme heat can cause flowers to drop and fruit to sunscald, so some afternoon protection can help during very hot spells.
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How it grows around Australia
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