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  

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

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings

August: Sow in pots

  • 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

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16 Nov 14, george (Australia - temperate climate)
Do you need more than one Capsicum plant to produce fruit.
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31 Dec 14, phil (Australia - temperate climate)
no george you don"t need more than one,i have one plant and it is packed with fruit.
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05 Nov 14, solomon wambugu (Australia - temperate climate)
Am planning to start the growth of capsicum plant yet i don.t know the conditions it requires:temperatures,altitude, soil type, soil PH and the season.also where can I get the seeds as they are not locally available from my area as I have come from the remotest area in the sub saharan country by the name Kenya, a place called Laikipia north which is uninhabited and most referred to as the driest part and I want to make it productive.
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24 Oct 14, anne (Australia - temperate climate)
I have grown plants from store-bought capsicums very successfully & they are now about 12 inches tall but would like to know if they need to be staked & do I just feed then liquid seaweed fertiliser. Also how long before the fruit appears
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16 Oct 14, ken (Australia - temperate climate)
Do capsicum need to be staked
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26 Oct 14, (Australia - temperate climate)
Yes, stake your your plants. They are akin to tomatoes and grow the same way outdoors. the plant can grow 2.0m high. You can use a liquid potash solution or liquid fish solution for best results.
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08 Dec 14, Chris (Australia - temperate climate)
Do mini capsicums need to be staked? I bought some Bello Rosso seeds & have planted tonight.
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04 Oct 14, helen creeley (Australia - temperate climate)
Why is my capsicum plant getting yellow tips on the leaves and what remedy do you recommend
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15 Aug 14, Steve (Australia - temperate climate)
Live in Melbourne and have dried out some seeds of a supermarket capsicum. Should I plant the seeds now or wait a little while longer??
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29 Aug 14, John (Australia - temperate climate)
Sow them now inside in trays, plant them out in 4-6 weeks time.
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Showing 191 - 200 of 430 comments
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Yes they do fall over sometimes. I have put up a little trellis this year. I had a 4" diameter split pine rail post 7 feet long - cut it in half - put them about 15" into the soil, 5' apart - I have 4 plants in. Drilled some 1/2" holes approx. every 9" and ran some twine (Bunnings 500m $12) between the posts around the outside of the posts. The plants are now just starting to come through the bottom lot of twine. I have done the same with tomatoes - posts are 7' out of the ground - I have a 6' steel post in the middle. If I have to, when the plants come through the twine I will pull the twine together and tie to the steel post. All a bit of an experiment this year to see how it goes. Did a lot of reading about growing indeterminate tomatoes and found I couldn't buy suitable wire netting to make cages. Very expensive also. I had the split rail posts from a shade structure I had pulled down, so it worked out very cheap. Use the twine around my snow peas also.

- Mike

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