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

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15 Mar 09, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
i'd like to know how to tell when a purple capsicum is ready for picking?
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12 Mar 09, travis (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
you should pick it by the bottom of the capsicum
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04 Mar 09, Mary Ann (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Crocodile Manure, I have a friend who gets it for me from a reserve at Airlie Beach. It is not commercially available yet, but we are planning to market it soon. I will keep you all posted. In the interim you could do a search of the above mentioned farm, (which I cannot name for obvious reasons), on Google. There are also other reserves in Australia. Snap to it!
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03 Mar 09, nancy (Australia - temperate climate)
fruit fly attack on capsicum we need to know can we cover the plant or will this stop pollination?
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03 Mar 09, Hannah (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I have a problem that sounds similar to some others... the plant will produce one flower begin to grow a capsicum and then it just falls off. Sometimes the flower bud doesn't even open and drops off. How can I stop this from happening? The plant is about 6 months old.
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16 Feb 09, Jeannette (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
What makes capsicums turn brown and rot just around the stem??
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31 Jan 09, Louisa (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I have a problem with capsicums that fall off when small and green. i can eat them like this, but would like to have the choice and get some bigger and / or red ones too. could an animal be knocking them off the bush? the plant seems quite delicate?
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21 Jan 09, sarju (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
hi i am a farmer son. i want to know how to grow capsicum,and what type of a fertilizer should i use...and at wat time i have to plant .andfrom where should i get seeds of capsicum......
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19 Jan 09, cal (Australia - temperate climate)
We have had our capsicums for a couple of years now and they still produce crop every season if they are not let too dry out
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12 Jan 09, Lucy (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Hi, I am wanting to know why my capsicums are getting dry on the bottom of the base stem, my mum says it's because i'm not watering them enough (i'm 13) but I water them every day, can somebody please tell me why and how I can fix it?
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