How To Grow Sweet Peppers

How To Grow Sweet Peppers

Sweet pepper is a fruit used in many West Indian dishes. It can be grown throughout the year. Sweet Peppers may be grown in a variety of containers or on beds. They contain Vitamins A, B and C, protein, fiber, and calcium. This content deals with growing sweet peppers on beds. For a guide to growing sweet peppers in containers see Container Planting.

Varieties

• Pacific
• Blue Star
• California Wonder
• Florida Giant
• Yola Wonder
• Lady Bell F 1
• La Bamba F 1
• Bullnose
• Jeet
• King Arthur

Planting

1. Transplant Seedlings

• When seedlings are 3-4 weeks old
• Late in the afternoon

2. Mix two handfuls of well-rotted manure with the soil in each planting hole.

3. Into each planting hole, place a seedling and ensure it is firmly positioned.

4. Water seedlings immediately after transplanting.

Spacing 

If several sweet peppers are planted together space seedlings 45 cm apart within rows and 60 cm to 90 cm between rows. However sweet peppers can be intercropped with most other vegetables. Allow at least 0.5 m² of root room per sweet pepper plant.

Fertilizing

• At Transplanting, apply

1 Tablespoon High Phosphorus Fertilizer e.g. 12:24:12 dissolved in 1 liter of water. This volume will fertilize 10 plants. Apply once either to roots or leaves (foliar).

•  In the Growing Stage, apply 

High Nitrogen fertilizer e.g. 20:10:10, 10 g (2 tsp) per plant.

•  At Flowering, apply 

High Potassium fertilizer e.g. 12:12:17+2 plus Trace Elements, 10 g (2 tsp) per plant. Every 2 weeks for the lifetime of the crop. 

Pest and Control

Pests and Diseases if left unchecked can hinder a plant's ability to produce food for us. These problems can be managed with good cultural practices, biological agents, and chemicals. A combination of these methods is best and is known as Integrated Pest Management. See Integrated Pest Management. 

Cultural Practices

If you intend to harvest sweet pepper seeds for a subsequent crop make sure the plants are planted well away from hot pepper plants. Cross pollination can make the seeds you select produce 'hot' sweet peppers.

Harvesting

Sweet peppers are ready for harvest when the fruits have reached their full size, shape and color as shown below. Generally the walls are very thick and fleshy at this time.

A two finger method is recommended to pick sweet peppers. Mature peppers will snap off easily from the plant.