Bell Pepper Seed
Capsicum annuum • Solanaceae
🌱 Seed Category
Vegetable
🌍 Origin Region
Central and South America, widely cultivated globally
📅 Days to Maturity
60-90 days from transplanting to harvest depending on whether harvesting green or fully ripe (colored); continuous harvesting encourages further fruit set.
🌡️ Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 9-11 as a perennial, but predominantly grown as a warm-season annual in zones 2-11.
About This Seed
Seeds are small, flat, kidney-shaped or disc-shaped, measuring about 3 to 4 millimeters across, with a smooth to slightly wrinkled creamy-tan or pale yellow appearance. The resulting plant is a bushy, branching herbaceous annual growing 18-30 inches tall with glossy dark green leaves, small star-shaped white or purplish flowers, and thick-walled, blocky, multi-lobed sweet bell fruits that mature from green to red, yellow, orange, or purple.
Growing Information
Growing Season
Spring and Summer; start indoors 8-10 weeks before the last spring frost; tender annual with zero frost tolerance
Germination
Germinates in 7-21 days at an optimal soil temperature range of 70-85°F. High germination rate (70-85%) under proper warmth and moisture. No special pre-treatment or scarification required; does not need light to germinate initially, but needs light immediately after sprouting.
Planting Instructions
Plant seeds 1/4 inch deep in seed-starting mix. Space seeds 2 inches apart indoors, and transplant outdoors 18-24 inches apart in rows spaced 24-36 inches apart. Prefers rich, well-draining loamy soil with a pH of 6.0 to 6.8, amended generously with compost.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun, ideally 6 to 8+ hours of direct sunlight daily. Water consistently to maintain evenly moist soil, about 1-2 inches of water per week; moderate drought tolerance once established, but stress leads to blossom end rot or dropped flowers.
Companion Plants
Beneficial companions include basil, tomatoes, carrots, onions, and marigolds (repels pests). Avoid planting near fennel, kohlrabi, or members of the Brassica family.
Special Characteristics
Heat tolerant, highly attractive to pollinators when in bloom, produces vitamin-rich sweet edible fruits with no heat (0 Scoville units), and moderate resistance to common garden pests when healthy.