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              
        T T T          

(Best months for growing Capsicum in Australia - tropical regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • 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 64°F and 95°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 8 - 20 inches 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

Post a comment or question Display Newest first | Oldest first, Show comments for Australia | for all countries
17 May 17, Sean (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
You are onto a good thing!For good air circulation and general management tomatoes are better grown in a flat plane than on a cage anyway. re using stakes, etc is sustainable and save money as well. You could probably replant the tomato/capsicum site with climbing peas or grow a quick crop like radishes or leafy greens ready to sow climbing beans in the spring. Good luck!
Reply or Post a new comment
18 May 17, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
The way I did it, is how they grow them commercially here. With the stake you have to have something to tie them up with. I was buying ribbon and reusing it - but it is $5 a 25m roll. With 2-3 lots of tomatoes (?capsicums) in at a time can use a lot of ribbon and they tend to slide down the stake. I do mix it up a bit. I have had corn in, followed by, snow peas to be followed by climbing beans probably. I'm in the process of setting up 6-8 Styrofoam boxes to grow my leafy lettuce, hon tsai tai rocket baby spinach. Cheers
Reply or Post a new comment
22 Apr 17, Helena (Australia - temperate climate)
as I cut and deseeded my red capsicum, there was 2 little balls with a green stem, would that be plantable?
Reply or Post a new comment
23 Apr 17, Giovanni (Australia - temperate climate)
It is likely to be just a superficial growth in the seed cavity.
Reply or Post a new comment
23 Mar 17, Monique Bentham (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I have had the same issue with a few of my capsicums, after research I think the brown streaks are due to a mineral deficiency.
Reply or Post a new comment
25 Jan 17, Wendy (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi, I planted capsicum seedlings last October however they haven't seemed to have grown at all. I have fertilized them and watered them, used mulch but nothing :(. This is also happening to my eggplant seedlings which I planted at the same time. Please help
Reply or Post a new comment
26 Jan 17, John (Australia - temperate climate)
I don't know where you live but I live in South-eastern Australia and we have had hot days followed by cold days and the same inconsistency with rainfall. My eggplants are well manured and composted and have started to flower but are only about 30 or 40 cmss high. Now that we are having some more consistent weather I am looking forward to some better results. Trust this helps.
Reply or Post a new comment
17 May 17, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I'm in the sub tropical - Bundaberg. Over the years I have had very good caps and other years not so - little deformed fruit. I start planting in late Feb March. I have read recently that caps are a spring crop (Aug- Sept planting) so maybe that is the answer. I started some from seed and they are now about 10" high and looking good. My thoughts might be you planted a bit late. It starts to become very dry and hot by Dec and into January hot wet and windy. I don't grow things from Nov to Feb because of the different/difficult weather conditions in summer. It is a time I put some mulch and compost back into my soil.
Reply or Post a new comment
09 Jan 17, (Australia - temperate climate)
How do you know when to pick capsicum?
Reply or Post a new comment
16 Jan 17, John (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Pick them to eat when they are big enough! if you want an early feed. They are great stuffed and roasted when they are small. Green 'bell' capsicums will continue to mature and become yellow, orange or red. Longer capsicums will normally change to a bright yellow or red. It's mostly a personal thing. Trust this helps.
Reply or Post a new comment
Showing 91 - 100 of 430 comments
See comments for all plants

Hi Barbara, I had the same thing happen last year, those plants somehow survived a very hot wet summer and through autumn produced masses of fruit and are also now producing masses of new fruit after I pruned them back hard and started applying a vegetable targeted liquid plant fertilizer with seaweed included. I also added lime around the plants and sprayed the leaves with a bit of epsom salts dissolved in water around the time I pruned them. Don't give up on these ones give them a prune at the end of winter and they will come back for you, if you live in a cooler area you may have to wait til spring but if you get no frost they will come back bigger and better when the weather warms up later this year, caps do last longer than one year and I find they produce much more in the second year than the first, when they put most effort into producing strong stem and branch to support the weight of the following years fruit. Honestly one plant that did this weird year long wait had about 11 fruit on it in March. Sometimes it's better when they start out slow, good luck mate.

- Alison McGregor

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.