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Vegetable
Capsicum
Capsicum annuum · also Sweet pepper, Bell pepper
A warm-season crop that thrives in Adelaide summers, giving sweet peppers from midsummer into autumn. Plant only once soil and nights are warm, as cold checks growth for weeks. Water deeply and regularly; dry spells cause flower drop and blossom end rot.
- SunFull sun
- Spacing45 cm apart
- First pick13–17 weeks
- FrostFrost tender
- HeatHandles heat well
- Sow depth5 mm
When to plant where you live
Checking your area…
Add capsicum to my gardenVarieties (4)
- California WonderClassic blocky bell; thick walls; green ripening to red
- Giant Bell / Yolo WonderLarge, reliable bell types for stuffing
- Mini Snacking (e.g. Mini Sweet)Small sweet fruit in many colours; compact plants for pots
- Sweet BananaLong yellow fruit; prolific, early and tolerant of heat
Neighbours
Grows well with
From seed to plate
Plant
45 cm apart, seed 5 mm deep. Full sun.
Water
Even moisture; don't let pots dry out.
Feed
Balanced feed monthly once fruiting.
Pick, from about 13 weeks
Pick green or wait for full colour.
Good to know
- Stake plants once fruit sets; branches snap under heavy crops
- Pick some fruit green to encourage more fruit to set
- Mulch well to keep the roots cool and moist in heatwaves
Common problems
- Blossom end rot (dark sunken patch on fruit end)water deeply and evenly, mulch, keep calcium in the soil with compost
- Sunscald (pale papery patches)keep foliage cover; use shade cloth on 40 °C days
- Aphids and whiteflyhose off, encourage beneficial insects; use soap or oil sprays on bad infestations
- Fruit flypick fruit as it colours and remove fallen fruit; follow current SA biosecurity guidance
If you use a garden chemical, follow the label exactly. Try organic options first, and ask the community or Plant Doctor if you're unsure.
Guides
Safety: Leaves can upset pets' stomachs.
Where this information comes from
- Australian seed company regional sowing charts (temperate zone) (germination, low confidence)
- Alberta Agriculture: Soil temperature and field vegetable germination (FAQ) (germination, medium confidence, checked 27 Oct 2026)
- ABC Gardening Australia fact sheets (growing, medium confidence)
- ABC Gardening Australia plant finder: Capsicum (growing, high confidence, checked 27 Oct 2026)
- Gardenate: Growing Capsicum (comparison only) (growing comparison, medium confidence, checked 27 Oct 2026)
- Sustainable Gardening Australia: planting guides (sowing window, medium confidence)
- Poisons information centre plant guidance (Australia) (toxicity, medium confidence)
Reviewed by AI cross-check (Claude), not a horticulturist on 27 Oct 2026. Version 2.