Bell Peppers

Seed starting: Bell peppers will perform better if their nutritional needs are met. These seeds are often started indoors, around two months before the last spring frost date. Bell peppers prefer a more shady, rich soil. In order to grow your pepper at it’s best ability, keep your ground conditions well-drained and warm. 

Planting Directions:

1. Plant the seeds 18 to 24 inches apart in a sunny, well-drained spots. Plants need at least 6-8 hours of sunlight per day. (Source: bonnieplants).
2. Mix compost or other organic matter into the soil when planting. (Source: bonnieplants)
3. Water immediately after planting, then regularly throughout the season. Aim for a total of 1-2 inches per week (more when it’s hotter). (Source: bonnieplants)
4. Mix a continuous-release fertilizer into the soil at planting and replenish as directed during the growing season. (Source: bonnieplants)
5. Spread mulch (such as chopped leaves or straw) around the plants to help keep the soil cool and moist. (Source: bonnieplants)
6. Support each pepper plant with a stake or small tomato cage, to help bear the weight of the fruit once it begins to produce. (Source: bonnieplants)
7. Harvest peppers with shears or a knife, then store in the fridge. Be sure to pick all peppers before the first fall frost comes. (Source: bonnieplants)

Growing Advice: The best time to plant bell peppers, is in mid-March to early April at the latest. The best thing to do is to count back 6 weeks from when you want to plant your transplants into the garden, to determine when to plant the seeds. (Source: Nola)

Harvesting: Your bell peppers will stay green for a while, but once they start to ripen, they’ll change to yellow, orange, and or red. Your peppers will be ready to harvest 60–90 days after transplant, and once they are 3-7 inches long, and about 4 inches wide.

Your freshly picked peppers can do best staying fresh in many different ways. On your countertop, in the fridge (dried), freezer (removing stems in advanced), as well as pickled, canned, or dried. You can actually try eating the stem of the pepper which is completely safe! It does not have much flavor, and is considered very mild.

Recipe for Bell Pepper

Try this tasted Roasted Red Pepper Spread, it can be used in so many ways and has become a very popular dish.

Ingredients:

• 1 jar (12 ounces) roasted sweet red peppers, drained 

• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Baking Steps/directions:

• Place ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment

• process until smooth, while scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

Red pepper spread can be refrigerated up to 2 weeks or frozen up to 3 months.

Nutrition Facts:

2 tablespoons: 16 calories, 0 fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 276mg sodium, 2g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 0 fiber), 0 protein.