Peppers (Sweet & Chilli)

Overview

Sweet pepper Capsicum annuum and Chilli pepper Capsicum frutescens

Both types of peppers require a long growing season, high humidity and consistent temperatures of 60F/16C they are best grown in greenhouses to maintain steady growth. It is possible to grow the chilli peppers outdoors in the warmer parts of the country but there will be problems with maintaining the humidity.

Important: Hot types of peppers can cause painful irritation or burning of the skin. Always take care to wash your hands after handling the fruits especially the seeds. Do not rub your eyes until your hands have been washed.

 

Varieties to choose, as sold by Kings Seeds

• Beauty Bell F1 - Large thick walled square shaped fruits of dark green turing to brilliant red. Good flavour and very prolific
• Atris F1 - Mild sweet pepper wtih long horn shaped fruits. Up to 50 fruits from one plant.
• Demon Red (AGM) - The ideal variety to grow on the window sill or patio. Very dwarf plant the produces bright red fruit which are very hot.

 

How to grow

Sow

Peppers are raised from seed. Sow the seed for greenhouse plants from mid-February to late March in small pots or trays filled with fresh seed compost. Place in a propagator set at 70F/21C  Sow the seed for outdoor plants during late March. As soon as the seedlings are large enough to handle prick them out individually into 3”/9cms pots filled with fresh potting compost. When the roots of the young plants have filled the pot it is time to re-pot them into 12”/30cm pot filled with fresh potting compost or to transplant them into a growbag (two plants per bag).    

Growing on

Depending upon the prevailing weather conditions it should be safe to transplant the outdoor peppers during June. Harden the plants off properly and some protection may be required during the early stages of establishment. Pinch out the growing tips of the greenhouse and outdoor plants when they are 12”/30cms tall to encourage side branching. Support the plants using short, strong canes. Pick off the some of the early flowers to increase the flower production on the side shoots. Water regularly never allowing the compost to dry out and feed with a high potash fertiliser after the flowers are produced. Spray overhead with plain water to provide the humidity. Provide some shading in the greenhouse on very hot summer days.

How to Harvest

The pepper fruits should be ready to harvest from August onwards. Always cut the stalks never pull or tear the fruits from the plant. Collect them when they are fully developed. Green peppers are the earliest but are not fully ripe; the yellow, orange and red coloured peppers indicate the various stages of ripening. Harvest all of the fruits at the end of the summer store them somewhere warm and they will continue to change colour.

Issues

Whitefly and aphids are a problem under glass use sticky traps at first before introducing Encarsia formosa to control whitefly and Aphidius to control the aphids. The outdoor plants can be sprayed with insecticidal soap to control both pests.