Planting and care
How to grow bell pepper — red preference
Warm season · Annual
Usually transplant
18–36 in
About 60–90 days from transplant for full-size green fruit; allow another 2–4 weeks for ripe colors. Habaneros may need 90–120 days.
Heavy feeder
Bush Fruiting
How to prune
Stake branches carrying heavy fruit. Remove damaged or diseased leaves and branches; healthy pepper plants need little pruning. Avoid heavy topping or removing leaf cover, which exposes fruit to sunscald.
How to harvest
Clip full-size peppers after they develop their intended red color. Green fruit is edible earlier, but waiting brings sweeter flavor. Leave a short stem attached and protect branches from tearing.
Harvest and kitchen use
Fresh, roasted, stuffed, pickled, dried or used in sauces depending heat/type
Nutrition and garden value
Excellent vitamin C source; colored fruits provide carotenoids
Compact, productive warm-season crop with long harvest window
Common challenges and troubleshooting
Aphids, bacterial spot, sunscald and slow growth in cool weather
Safety note
Hot varieties can irritate skin/eyes; use care when children handle very hot peppers