Bell pepper plants are part of the genus Capsicum and belong to the Solanaceae or nightshade family. Although they can grow more like perennials in hotter climates, in most gardens, these plants grow like annuals. By reading this article we all know growing stages of bell pepper.
Stages of Growing bell pepper :
Germination
Seed germination is the first part of Bell Pepper Growing Stages. Pepper plants are known to thrive in soil temperature between 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit since they are tropical plants. A quarter inch layer of moist soil should be used to cover the seeds. As the processing time is pretty lengthy and can take up to four weeks for the seeds to germinate and sprout, you will need to have patience. You can prepare the plant for its life outside once the plant produces third true leaves. Third true leaves are actually the second set of leaves produced by the plant. The sunlight can further stimulate the root growth at this stage. So if it’s not already near a window, it is better to move it someplace where it will get plenty of sunlight.
Vegetative Growth
The root system will be large enough and you can plant the pepper seedlings in a container about six weeks after germination. Just make sure the container is at least four inches in diameter. The plant will grow more leaves after eight weeks. Then you can transport the plant to the garden.
It is important to make sure that you do not plant pepper seedlings outside until about two weeks after the area’s last freeze. Peppers need warm weather to thrive and colder seasons will affect its progress. It is better to keep the plant indoors at least until the daytime temperatures reach a minimum of 60 Fahrenheit.
If you want the best results, you can add a fertilizer in the garden’s soil and ensure that the soil has a pH between 6 to 6.5. In order to make sure that the plants have enough room to grow, it is best to space the plants 18 to 24 inches apart when planting them.
Flowering
The bell pepper plants will produce white or even yellow blooms when they are exposed to direct sunlight after the growing stage. They will bloom in groups of two or three and the blossoms will be a star or bell-shaped. Until the temperature reaches over 70 degrees Fahrenheit, the plant will continue growing.
Pollination
In order for the plant’s life cycle to continue, the bell pepper plants must be pollinated.
Bell peppers don’t rely or depend on other plants or even flowers to complete the pollination process since they can self-pollinate.
It is true that some flowers spread their pollen with the help of insects. However, flowers also will pollinate themselves by directly dropping pollen from their anthers to the stigma.
Fruiting
The flower’s ovary will be fertilized once their blossoms are pollinated. Hence, the bell pepper plant will be ready to harvest. The ovary of the flowers develops into a fleshy pericarp which encloses at least two or more locular chambers. The pericarp of the peppers develops the walls of the ovary. Eventually, you will get bell peppers as the pericarp thickens and swells. The seeds form within the hollow regions of the bell pepper known as the locular cavities.
Ripening
Bell peppers turn yellow as they become more mature while the immature bell peppers are generally green. The bell peppers change from green to its mature color as the chlorophyll in the pepper starts to break down. The mature color can range from yellow, red, orange, purple or even variegated.
Do different-colored peppers come from different plants?
- Regardless of its color difference, the green and red bell peppers that are most commonly seen in the supermarkets are actually the same pepper. The red color is due to the peppers being allowed to mature on the plant longer. Also, the red bell peppers have more vitamin C and taste sweeter from staying on the plant longer.
Are there male and female peppers?
- The fact is that pepper fruits do not have any gender. If there are any physical differences, it is purely related to the difference in their growing conditions or variety. There is a very popular myth regarding peppers having mala and female genders with different traits. Apparently, the male peppers have 3 bumps on the bottom, which is better for cooking. As for the female peppers, they have 4 bumps, more seeds and are sweeter. However, they are just myths and theories and not based on facts.
Do Bell Peppers Grow on Vines or Trees?
- Bell peppers do not grow on vines or trees. They grow similar to bush-like plants if left to nature. You may have noticed the “V” system in greenhouses where they look like vine plants. But that is because they are regularly trained to up twine over 10 feet tall from pruning regularly to keep an orderly and productive greenhouse. However, it is not natural and not the way pepper plants grow. Also, bell peppers do not grow on trees and are perennial plants. They can live for 5+ years if they grow in areas without frost or brought indoors overwinter. From constant pruning in order to maintain a certain height and width redirects growth back into the branches and stems. As they continue to grow, they thicken into a stout plant. They end up being with more woody branches than herbaceous.
Where do Bell Peppers grow?
- Bell peppers are produced in Mexico, Turkey, Indonesia, and the United States. However, China remains the number one producer of bell peppers across the globe. Within the United States, the states that are the top producers of bell peppers are California, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, Ohio, North Carolina and Michigan. Even though supply increases in the summer, making them cheaper during that time of the year, bell peppers are available all year around from productions in greenhouses.
How Deep Do Bell Pepper Roots Grow?
- Bell pepper roots grow about 8-18” deep and wide as they are shallow to medium depth. Bell peppers that started in pots indoors will have 4 inch deep roots when transplanted. They will normally grow deeper than those that started from seed. For those growing them in pots, it is better to have a pot at least 12 inches deep. During vegetative growth, water the bell peppers with 1” of water every week. Then water with 2” of water every week once flowering starts and follow the same watering procedure until they start to reach their full size. You can go back to 1” of water once the fruits reach near their full size. Rainfall should be included in these measurements. By using a rain gauge, you will be able to get an accurate idea of the rainfall. For those who use sprinklers, you will need to figure out how much water will fill the gauze in between 15 to 30 minutes.
How Tall Do Bell Pepper Plants Grow?
- Bell peppers that have grown for multiple years are bigger in size than those that have grown for a single year. In one season, bell pepper will reach between 18-36 inches tall and 12 -24 inches in width. They can even reach 4-6 feet tall and wide by the next growing season if the bell pepper varieties overwinter with supplemental lighting. When they are trained up two lengths of twine in greenhouses where they use the “V” system, they can reach thirteen feet tall.
Bell pepper plants enter a dormant state if overwintering plants indoors are left without supplementary lighting. They will survive, but will not continue to grow or produce fruit.
By watering, fertilizing, and exposing them to more light, you can break the plants out of dormancy when the next season approaches. If successful, you will notice new growth in about a month or so.
Final Thought
Bell peppers are versatile vegetables and are able to grow all year around in different climates. Still, as they soak up the sun and benefit from the dry weather, bell peppers grow best in the summer. During their life cycle, they grow through a few stages and are completed when they are harvested. If you want to take better care of the plants and want to ensure a successful harvest, it is helpful to understand the different life cycle and growing stages of bell pepper.
Related Blog