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 S S
T T               T T T

(Best months for growing Capsicum in Australia - sub-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 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

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??
15 Mar 16, Wendy (Australia - tropical climate)
I have the same problem. I have been advised that they like potash once a week so that may also help them to ripen I am going to try garden lime, Epson salt, tomato fertilizer and fish fertilizer as per the following video and see how mine go. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdfnhXJU9fM
28 Sep 15, Brenda (Australia - tropical climate)
Some of my My capsicum leaves are turning brown on the edges & dropping off. I have fruit in the tree that don't seem to be affected yet. Any suggestions on what could be causing this.
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