Growing Bell Peppers
Some Key Information On Growing Bell Peppers
When you have decided that growing bell peppers is something of interest to you, it will important for you to keep the end result of your efforts in mind. The green bell pepper varieties are the most robust and heavy in flavor, and can be even be a bit on the bitter or spicy side depending on the species you choose. These are very popular, even with the new strains and sweeter varieties, and are excellent for stuffed dishes and hardy salads. Although all bell peppers remain green for the better part of their development on the vine, the reds, yellows, and oranges will begin to change color toward the end of their plant life. A good rule of thumb for growing bell peppers is that the yellow are the sweetest, the orange next, the red more robust with a touch of sugary flavor, and the greens the most boisterous of the bunch.
Remembering that the peppers will stay green for quite a long time, do not panic if you are growing bell peppers of the yellow variety and they are large but still green. It is important to leave the peppers on the vine until they have really started to take on their end color. This latter stage of development compounds the sugars within, giving your peppers that sweet, healthy crunch and crisp that you seek, but rarely find, from the market. Also, the vitamin C contents of your bell peppers, which is something that they are prized for, will nearly double during this final week or two of finishing in the garden. Once your bell peppers have started to change color, you can snap them off of the stem and allow them to finish ripening in a warm place indoors. A window sill in the full sun is best.
When you are ready and armed with all of the knowledge that you need to begin growing bell peppers, you can probably bet on starting your seeds indoors toward the end of March in most eastern regions. If your warm season is less than 6 months long, and the frost season longer than one month, you will have better success starting them inside. Keep your soil moist, and give your germination pots a full sun window to enjoy. You can also purchase seedlings from your local greenhouse if you haven’t the green thumb to begin them yourself. Plant them about 16 to 18 inches apart once the final risk of frost has passed, and keep them moist for the first two weeks. Watch them grow, keep a look out for bugs and weeds, and enjoy the fruits of your labors by the middle of August.