The sweet varieties of peppers, especially the bells may be short and blocky. Long and skinny, tart or hot and available in all the colors- green, yellow, red, orange, lavender and white, even chocolate brown. They are eaten green or ripe and are used for salads, stuffing, soup, stews, relishes and pickling.
Give peppers a warm and sunny spot. Peppers need well-drained, fertile soil with adequate phosphorus and calcium and not too much nitrogen.
Peppers are best started from seeds indoors in late winter and then transplanted into the garden after the soil and air have warmed in the spring.
Set transplants 18 to 24 inches apart in the row, or 14 to 18 inches apart in all directions in beds.
For increased flower and fruit production, simply follow this. As soon as the first true leaves appear, transplant them into 4-inch (10 cm) pots and lower the soil temperature to 70 degree F, 60 degree F at night. When the third set of true leaves appear, lower the night temperature to 55 degree F (13 degree C) for four weeks. At the end of fourth week, grow plants at 70 degree F ( 21 degree C day and night until it is time to put them in the garden.
Peppers are very good container plant. Most of peppers are special needs have something to do with temperature. They are sensitive to frost and do not grow well in cold, wet soil. They like relatively high temperatures for germination and for growth outdoors.
Soaking the seeds overnight is said to help by removing germination inhibitors and so may speed germination.
Peppers like a deep, loose soil that is fairly rich in all of the plant nutrients, but especially magnesium.
Peppers are somewhat drought tolerant, especially hot peppers, but lack of water can affect fruiting, so they need to be kept moist for best production. Sweet peppers are vulnerable to water stress, so keep the soil evenly moist. If not given enough water, the fruits can develop slightly bitter flavor.
Sweet peppers take 4 or 5 weeks to reach full size from pollination and another 4 or 5 weeks to get fully ripe. The fruits can be harvested anytime after they reach full size and this is the way to get highest yields.
Sweet peppers can be stored in a Ziploc bag in the refrigerator for several weeks. For long term storage the fruits can be chopped and frozen.
