Growing Capsicum, also Bell peppers, Sweet peppers

Capsicum annuum : Solanaceae / the nightshade family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
              S S S S  
                T T T  
              P P P P  

(Best months for growing Capsicum in South Africa - Semi-arid regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • P = Sow seed
  • Grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 18°C and 35°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 20 - 50 cm apart
  • Harvest in 10-12 weeks. Cut fruit off with sharp knife.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Egg plant (Aubergine), Nasturtiums, Basil, Parsley, Amaranth

Your comments and tips

31 Jan 13, Trish (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
My banana capsicum plant is smoothered in fruit but the plant isself looks like its dying. I know its been really hot but we water well every night. The plant looks like its dead when we get home and really only perks up a little by morning. The fruit is still ripening and growing, its just the plant itself. Should we start removing some of the fruit?
31 Jan 13, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Trish, It might help if you have some mulch around your plants to stop them drying out during the day. Water well then use something like newspaper and wood chips to cover the ground round each plant. You will still need to water regularly.
20 Jun 10, steve (Australia - temperate climate)
hi when are purple capsicums ready? and do they turn red thanks steve
02 Jul 10, John Bee (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Steve, normally purple, and other colored capsicums change from the green color to the expected color (purple in your case) as the seeds inside start to mature. This coincides with the green chlorophyll color breaking down and the purple color pigments dominating. However I notice you are in a temperate climate in Australia (which means winter and hence quite cool) so that final change to purple may take forever and they may even get fruit rots before that happens. (being so cool). So, my suggestion is to harvest them green now and during winter, and as the weather warms up in spring then let them mature to the full purple color. They should not turn red as they are purple capsicums. If they do turn red then maybe you have the normal red capsicum and not the purple one. Cheers, John.
04 Mar 16, marcus (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi all we have green capsicum grown from seed. For some reason the capsicums are turning brown or rotten on the bush before falling off. Any idea why? Or how i can fix this please
19 Jun 10, Vivienne (Australia - temperate climate)
We are growing capsicums, black, and green, and the problem we have is that the fruit is going soft and rotten before they get to maturity, most of them are about the size of a roma tomato, and even smaller, when they are getting spots on them of rotting. What can I do?
12 Jun 10, Wandy Robinson (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
when the capsicum is rotten ho can we overcome that problem for the capsicum to free from disease?
01 Apr 10, Barb (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
HI Sacha and Nicole, Sounds like you may have fruit fly getting your capsicums. I had the same, but now I cover each little fruit with a piece of cloth (cut up an old shirt) and it seems to stop the fruit fly impregnating the fruit. Now that the weather is cooling they take a very loooong time to go red, so we usually eat them green. In summer we did get lovely red ones.
30 Mar 10, Isabelle (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
When do you pick the capsicums? They are always growing but nothing happens.
23 Mar 10, Nicole (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I also have the problem of my capsicums rotting before they ripen. Plants are healthy and fruit is large and healthy but they take ages to ripen and then seem to rot before the process is complete. Any advice??
Showing 421 - 430 of 518 comments

Ask a question or post a comment or advice about Capsicum

Please provide your email address if you are hoping for a reply


All comments are reviewed before displaying on the site, so your posting will not appear immediately

Gardenate App

Put Gardenate in your pocket. Get our app for iPhone, iPad or Android to add your own plants and record your plantings and harvests

Planting Reminders

Join 60,000+ gardeners who already use Gardenate and subscribe to the free Gardenate planting reminders email newsletter.


Home | Vegetables and herbs to plant | Climate zones | About Gardenate | Contact us | Privacy Policy

This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
We cannot help if you are overrun by giant slugs.