Bell peppers at home

Ensure that the seeds are warm enough.  Bell pepper seeds do need a warm period in order to germinate. Ambient air temperatures of over 80° Fahrenheit (26.6° Celsius) and slightly warmer soil temperatures are recommended for good results. Seeds that are slow to sprout may benefit from the use of heating mats. Gardeners should note that the plants will not sprout at all if temperatures are below 55° Fahrenheit (12.7° C).

Peppers are believed to have originated in South America and Mexico. And, if Columbus didn’t bring these world-changers across the border into North America, who knows what would have become of today’s cuisine. From omelets to tacos, to pasta dishes and salads, sweet bells provide a tasty crunch to so many popular meals without the spice. But nothing beats the crunch of a freshly picked fruit. Like the tomato, bell peppers are botanical fruits but culinary vegetables. Pieces of bell pepper are commonly used in garden salads and as toppings on pizza or cheesesteaks. There are many varieties of stuffed peppers prepared using hollowed or halved bell peppers. Bell peppers (and other cultivars of Capsicum annuum) may be used in the production of the spice paprika.

The bell peper plants I planted in qurantine 💚

Use black plastic or mulch to control weeds.  The former material is also a good way to speed pepper growth in cool climate areas. Gardeners in warm climates will want to stick to mulch because it helps conserve moisture and protects the plants’ roots from hot temperatures. Fertilize the bell pepper plants.   These plants benefit from an addition of slow release granular fertilizer, such as Osmocote, or organic varieties, like those made with fish meal or alfalfa. However, if one has leafy green plants and no peppers, gardeners should probably cut back on the nitrogen fertilizer. This element is known for producing lush, fruitless plants.

Replant the seedlings into containers once they have grown their first true leaves. Bell peppers do well in containers. They can reach up to 3 feet (0.9 m) in height and width, so gardeners should select a pot that measures about 10 inches (25.4 cm) in depth to keep them from being overcrowded.