Whether you garden in the ground, in raised beds, on the patio, or anywhere else, bell peppers are a great addition or re-addition to your plant family. Read on for simple, straightforward specifics about growing bell peppers.
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Family | Container Size | Good Companions | Bad Companions | Soil Conditions | Germination | Sun | Water | Temperature Range | Height | Lifespan | Reproduction | Yield Per Plant | Ingestibility | Further Reading
What Family Do Bell Peppers Belong To?
Bell peppers (Capsicum annuum) belong to the Solanaceae family, also known as the nightshade family.
Some of its relatives include tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplants.
What Size Container Should I Use for Growing Bell Peppers?
The minimum container depth recommended for bell peppers is 10-12 inches.
Learn more in our Choosing the Right Planter for Your Container Garden article here.
What Are Good Companion Plants for Bell Peppers?
Some of bell peppers' best companions are as follows:
- Tomato
- Onion
- Carrot
- Cucumber
- Squash
- Eggplant
- Tomatillo
- Corn
- Pea
- Spinach
- Orach
- Lettuce
- Chard
- Amaranth
- Basil
- Tulsi
- Toothache plant
- Dill
- Rosemary
- Oregano
- Okra
What Are Bad Companion Plants for Bell Peppers?
Bell peppers are not compatible with every plant. Some things to avoid planting with bell peppers are as follows:
- Broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and other Brassicas
- Fennel
- Beans like green beans
- Wild ginger
- Blackberry
What Soil Conditions Do Bell Peppers Need?
Bell peppers prefer well-drained, warm soil that is sandy to loamy.
How Long Do Bell Peppers Take to Germinate?
Bell peppers take 1-3 weeks to germinate at a temperature of 65-95°F.
How Much Sun Do Bell Peppers Need?
Bell peppers need full sun, meaning 6 hours or more of sun per day.
Since bell peppers need both sun and warm to hot temperatures, as indicated in the ideal temperature section below, those who live in mild-summer climates like the Pacific Northwest may want to compensate by giving peppers more sun (10+ hours per day) and choosing "mini" varieties. As with cherry tomatoes, mini bell peppers are better-adapted to milder sun and heat intensities than medium to large varieties are.
How Much Water Do Bell Peppers Need?
Bell peppers need 1-2 inches of water per week. In most areas, this is best divided over 1-3 watering sessions per week.
Bell peppers grow best when their soil is neither dry nor waterlogged. They need consistent moisture, but they do not like "wet feet."
What Is the Ideal Temperature Range for Growing Bell Peppers?
Bell peppers grow fastest in temperatures of 70-85°F.
This is their ideal temperature range. Although they will grow in temperatures both cooler and warmer than this range, the growth could be slower or even stunted.
Most bell peppers are hardy to 55°F, meaning that they cannot survive at temperatures of 54°F or lower.
Minimum and maximum temperatures will vary by variety. Some bell pepper varieties are bred for longer harvests and others for warmer climates.
How Tall Do Bell Peppers Get?
The average height of bell peppers is 3-6 feet.
Are Bell Peppers Annual, Biennial, or Perennial?
Bell peppers are perennial, meaning that they live longer than a couple years, in tropical areas. They can also be perennial if brought indoors and placed on a heat mat whenever outdoor temperatures are below 55°F or, to be safe, 60°F.
Otherwise, in cooler climates, they are grown outdoors as annuals, meaning that they start and end their lives in the same year.
How Do Bell Peppers Reproduce?
Bell peppers reproduce by seed.
How Many Bell Peppers Are Produced Per Plant?
For bell peppers, how many are produced per plant (also called the yield) largely depends on the variety.
Most varieties produce 5-10 peppers per plant.
Peppers planted in hot climates will have a higher yield since the plants have a longer season and grow faster with the more direct sunlight.
Can Bell Peppers Be Ingested?
Bell peppers, the fruit of Capsicum annuum, are edible.
There are no known uses of bell peppers or the bell pepper plant in herbal preparations.
There are no known safety concerns associated with ingesting bell pepper fruits. Consuming other parts of the plant besides the peppers is not recommended.
Further Reading
This article is intended as a quick-reference guide for gardeners. Consult your seed packet or seed catalog for variety-specific information.
When you have a bumper crop of bell peppers rolling in, you may not have enough time for long, complicated recipes or many-step preservation procedures. Check out my article on quick, simple uses for bell peppers here!
Bell peppers are featured in these Plant to Plate articles:
- Simple Uses for Bell Peppers
- Gardening in Full Sun
- Choosing the Right Planter for Your Container Garden
- What is a Heat Zone?