[pbjmama]

I would like to plant bell peppers again this year. Last year I had several plants but only got 1-2 fruits from each plant. They were delicious but I remember our plants producing several at the same time when I was growing up. I did square foot gardening and bought the plant seedlings locally. They were planted next to tomatoes and herbs for the most part. My jalapenos and hot peppers did just fine. Any tips for me? Do I need to fertilize these plants specifically?

 

[FarmerCathy]

I've never planted bell peppers, but wanted to bump in case anyone had any good advice. I think Devster4fun has done bell peppers in the past, but haven't see her around here lately.

 

[milagras]

I have had measured success with green peppers. They need full sun and moderate watering. They tend to be heavy feeders, so you need a balanced fertilizer (Nitrogen/Phosporous\Potassium fairly equal), but you need to be careful as far as over fertilizing. I rotate placement in my garden and do not fertilize at all, but I think I have rich soil. I plant mine right next to my tomatoes and do well. Though I have read you should not plant them in the same spot as the previous year's tomatoes. I don't get the large peppers like you see in stores though. They're mostly the size of my hand. I have noticed bell pepper plants are very susceptible to the weather. Mulching is key to keeping them happy and even watering is essential. Warm temps are necessary, so if you live in a climate you need to start indoors and provide about 16hrs of light per day.<br><br>
I don't know why bell peppers are more tempermental than hot peppers. I grew cayenne peppers this year and they were so easy. They even produced after our first frost. The bells gave up around the beginning of September while the others kept going deep into October.<br><br><br>
Good luck!! And don't give up, just try another angle!

 

[pbjmama]

Thanks for the tips. I guess I'm going to reanalyze what I did last year and still plant but not as many until I can figure it out. I'm a pretty low maintenance garden girl.

 

[geogal17]

I had OK luck with bell peppers this year, the peppers weren't huge, but I got about 6 or so peppers a week from the 8 plants I have...<br><br>
this spring I'm planning on spreading them out a bit more, I had them cramped about 6 inches apart in a small space and I think that affected them. I read somewhere that peppers like sulfer so drop a match with each seed/transplant. Another tip my neighbor said was to occasionally mix some espom salts in a watering can to sprinkle on them since peppers love the Mag. in it...not sure if I'll try that but if it wont hurt the plants it may be worth a shot.<br><br>
The plants are still alive in my garden, but since it actually got in the 50s here finally they have stopped flowering. I'm leaving them in just out of sheer curiosity if they will pick up flowering again once the brush of winter so cal gets passes and 90 degree days are the norm again.

 

[FarmerCathy]

This is so good to know. I am going to try <a href="http://rareseeds.com/seeds/Peppers-Sweet/Red-Cheese-Pepper" target="_blank"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Red Cheese Peppers</span></a> this year.