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 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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11 Mar 12, Richard Ross (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I would like to get some seeds for litle red sweet round shaped chillies/ capsicums pickling and then stuffing with cheese. Supermarkets have them for about $38.00 a kg. The are red in colour.
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18 Jun 11, Averil (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
would like to buy cool climate capsicum seeds
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11 Jun 11, gloworm (Australia - temperate climate)
My green capsicums have just grown to a big enough size to eat June 2011) however they taste very irony. Any suggestions on what I am doing wrong?
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15 Jul 11, tropicalgal (Australia - tropical climate)
Not really sure but some people say Potash makes fruits tatse better?
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20 May 11, Tina (Australia - temperate climate)
The fruits of my bell capsicum plants are very small I don't know what I'm doing wrong as the fruit on my pointed capsicum grow quite large, they are treated the same. The leaves are dropping off now, should I prune the plants back?I'm south of Adelaide.
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21 Mar 11, caroline potter (Australia - tropical climate)
I have brown worms with stripes on my my capsicum leaves, hundreds off them, what do I use to get rid of them Thank you
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06 Mar 11, Gen (Australia - temperate climate)
My capsicum plant has produced a lot of fruit, however it is always being eaten / turning rotten before I can pick anything. What bugs are attracted to capsicum and how do I get rid of them. Cheers
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22 Jun 11, Sandy (Australia - temperate climate)
Caterpillars do the most damage to my capsicums. Either army worms or cut worms. One of the bacterial treatments are best - Success (Yates) or Dipel. Unfortunately if the little suckers get inside the fruit they are pretty hard to control. I have problems with eggplant as well - so this year I am going to get some mosquito netting and put it over the plant.
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28 Feb 11, jane callen (Australia - temperate climate)
I grew capsicums for the first time but none have turned red. How long does this take?
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09 Mar 11, jade (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
think it depends on the temperature - mine turn red over a couple of days, first see a patch of red and next day mostly all red. But still smallish 10cm.... guess that red means ready though
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Showing 321 - 330 of 428 comments
See comments for all plants

Ive had capsicums and chillies over winter and they usually come good once it warms up. I prune them back and when it gets warmer you should find new leaves starting to emerge. Give it a good feed. The old leaves will eventually drop off. I had a chilli plant live for several years in a pot.

- Corinna Wildenauer

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