How to Grow Bell Pepper
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🛠️ Supplies You'll Need
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🌿 Plant Overview
☀️ Growing Requirements
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Sun
Full Sun (6-8 hours)
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Water
Regular (1-2 inches/week)
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Spacing
18" apart
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Depth
0.25" deep
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Height
18-24"
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Germination
8-14 days
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Common Bell Pepper Varieties
Popular cultivars to look for at your local nursery or seed supplier.
California Wonder
The quintessential green bell pepper — thick-walled, blocky, and widely adaptable.
Red Beauty
Sweet red bell that matures earlier than most, with thick, crisp walls.
Orange Sun
Brilliant orange bell with high vitamin C content and fruity, mild sweetness.
Purple Beauty
Striking purple-green bell that matures to red; a unique conversation piece.
Golden Treasure
Long, tapered golden sweet pepper — great for roasting and stuffing.
Days-to-maturity figures are approximate and vary by climate and growing conditions.
Common Bell Pepper Problems
What to watch for — and how to fix it before it spreads.
Pests
Dense colonies on new growth cause curling leaves and sticky honeydew; attract sooty mold.
Blast with water; apply insecticidal soap; plant marigolds as companion plants.
Larvae bore into pepper stems and fruit, leaving entry holes and frass.
Apply Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) at first egg hatch; destroy affected fruit.
Small black weevils lay eggs in developing fruit, causing premature drop.
Inspect and destroy dropped fruit; use row covers early season; pyrethrin as a last resort.
Diseases
Water-soaked lesions that spread rapidly in warm, wet soils causing root and stem collapse.
Improve drainage; avoid overhead irrigation; rotate crops; plant in raised beds.
Circular, sunken lesions with orange spore masses on ripe fruit, especially in wet summers.
Harvest promptly; avoid wetting fruit; apply copper fungicide preventively in humid areas.
Small, water-soaked spots that turn brown and cause defoliation in wet conditions.
Use certified disease-free seed; apply copper sprays; avoid working in the garden when plants are wet.
Common Mistakes
Peppers need 8–10 weeks indoors; late starters won't produce well in short seasons.
Start seeds 10–12 weeks before last frost; use a heat mat to hit 80–85°F soil temp for germination.
All bell peppers start green; patience yields sweeter, more nutritious colored fruit.
Leave fruit on the plant 2–3 extra weeks after it reaches full size for color to develop.
Peppers drop blossoms when nights dip below 55°F — no amount of fertilizer fixes this.
Don't transplant until nights are reliably above 55°F; use row cover for brief cool snaps.
🌾 Seed Saving Guide
🟡 ModerateWhen to Harvest Seed
Let peppers ripen fully past the red stage — slightly overripe peppers have the most viable seeds.
Processing
Scoop seeds from ripe pepper, spread on screen and dry for 1–2 weeks.
Seed Viability
Up to 2 years when stored cool, dark, and dry.
Pro Tip
Peppers cross easily with hot peppers. Isolate by 300 feet or cage flowers to keep varieties pure.
Seed Storage Supplies
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Raised Bed Planting Guides
A 4×8 bed fits 14 plants of Bell Pepper. See plant counts, spacing grids, and companion pairings for every bed size →
Bell Pepper Planting Calendar by Zone
Bell Pepper Planting Calendar by State
Other Plants
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I plant Bell Pepper? +
Start Bell Pepper seeds indoors 10 weeks before your last frost date, then transplant outdoors 2 weeks after the last frost. Use the search on this page to find exact dates for your ZIP code or city.
How long does Bell Pepper take to grow? +
Bell Pepper typically matures in about 70 days from planting. Exact timing varies by variety, soil conditions, and local climate.
Should I start Bell Pepper indoors or direct sow? +
Bell Pepper should be started indoors 10 weeks before the last frost date. This gives seedlings time to establish before being transplanted outside after frost danger has passed.
How much sun does Bell Pepper need? +
Bell Pepper requires full sun (6-8 hours) to thrive.
How far apart should I plant Bell Pepper? +
Space Bell Pepper plants 18 inches apart to allow adequate airflow and root development.
How much water does Bell Pepper need? +
Bell Pepper has regular (1-2 inches/week) water needs. Consistent moisture is important especially during germination and early growth.
Can you save seeds from Bell Pepper? +
Yes — seed saving difficulty for Bell Pepper is rated moderate. Let peppers ripen fully past the red stage — slightly overripe peppers have the most viable seeds. Scoop seeds from ripe pepper, spread on screen and dry for 1–2 weeks.
How long do Bell Pepper seeds last in storage? +
Properly dried and stored Bell Pepper seeds remain viable for up to 2 years. Store in a cool, dark, dry location in an airtight container with a silica gel packet for best results.
Are Bell Pepper seeds open-pollinated? +
Yes — Bell Pepper is open-pollinated, meaning seeds saved from your harvest will grow plants true to the parent variety. This makes it an excellent candidate for building a self-sustaining garden.
About Bell Pepper
Sweet, crisp peppers that ripen from green to red, yellow, or orange. Excellent raw or cooked.
Expect your Bell Pepper to be ready for harvest in approximately 70 days from planting.
Use the search above or browse by zone or state to find the perfect planting dates for your location.