The Keys to Growing Bell Peppers that Thrive and The Prolific Sweet Banana Pepper

Growing bell peppers can be challenging. They tend to need a little bit more in the way of soil preparation and care, verses other peppers. The good news is that the extra care is pretty basic. As for the sweet banana pepper, it is just a very prolific, easy grower, that is perfect for all gardens. Not only do you get a ton of peppers, they also begin producing quite early in the season. They do well in most soil types and just aren't to picky.

Happy Thriving Bell Pepper Plants

This is the basic set up I use for growing most peppers in my garden. When you watch the video, notice the bell peppers are in a Vegega Metal Raised Bed  (use my link to view metal beds) and the banana peppers are in a wooden raised bed, I built. While they can be grown 100% in the earth, I like growing bell peppers in some sort of raised bed because I can really create a loose soil. Loose soil, to a good 10-12 inches minimum, really makes a difference for the bell pepper varieties. If you are planting in the earth, (not containers or raised beds), really work the soil to a depth of 12 inches. There are many ways to accomplish this, 'loose soil', and it will vary garden to garden. 

Mix One

50% compost and 50% native earth/soil (your ground) 

Mix Two (My Base Mix)

50% peat moss and 50% native soil and cheap bagged top soil (if native earth is not available)

Mix Three

75% of 'my base mix' and 25% compost

The first mix is the gold standard but we all don't have access to compost at times. The second is my general base mix of 50/50 peat/any earth. Once made, I make a mix of 2/3 'my base mix' and 1/3 compost. You can add in organic granular fertilizer once, the beds are filled or about a handful per planting hole. 'Mix Three' can really be varied based on what you like and have available, but the bottom line is that it will be very loose, it will hold moisture, and it is what a bell pepper's root system wants. While many pepper plants do just fine in different soil, they all will thrive in this type of mix. Again, the sweet banana pepper is your friend for production and lesser prepared soil. 

A Typical Bell Pepper Harvest from My Metal Bed

You probably have read or heard a lot about not over doing the nitrogen for peppers and to have a granular mix that is higher in phosphorous and potassium. While this is true, it doesn't make much difference with organic granular fertilizers. The reason is that no one tells what over doing nitrogen really means. It typically comes from using excessive water soluble fertilizers. Especially the chemical types that can have 24% nitrogen. Granular fertilizers are slow release fertilizers and tend to have lower numbers in the way of N, P, and K in general. I recommend buying whatever is on sale. 

The N, P, and K percentages in organic granular fertilizers are fine for initial bed preparation and for a mid-season top dressing. I use the water soluble types (your choice) at planting, a good deep drink for each plant and again midseason with a quick drink.  I don't recommend using the water soluble fertilizers more often than 2 or 3x's over the season. If your plants are struggling early on, a quick drink, for the extra nitrogen, will help. Water soluble fertilizers are fast release fertilizers, meaning the plants can access the N, P, and K immediately. Over-use of fast release nitrogen is what causes pepper plant to over grow leaves. This issue is not your slow release fertilizers.

Loose soil is the main key. The root systems, of the bell peppers, will thrive and fill up the space early on and they will love the extra care given to the soil.  A strong root system is what leads to thriving stems, leaves, and pepper growth. A lot of people focus less on soil preparation and more on fertilizers. Watering is also important, and this soil preparation holds moisture. Moisture is how the plants access all the nutrients. If you aren't watering your peppers 3 or 4x's a week, come mid summer, you aren't watering enough. Of course this varies garden to garden; but error on the side of more.

A Typical Sweet Banana Pepper Harvest - 6 plants

Finally, sunshine. Peppers love the sun and 8 hours of sunshine is the minimum. Less than that and you get wimpy stems and smaller peppers. I found my bell peppers do best with 10 hours of sun. Notice that I essentially said, earth, water, and sunshine. As I said, it is pretty basic.

General ongoing care would be staking and managing the flow of air.  I recommend removing lower leaves that are blocked by the upper canopy and other plants as the mature. Leaves in shade don't do much but for create homes for pests and diseases. My video from my YouTube channel covers everything discussed here. Bell pepper plants are very fragile. Keep them supported and always cut the peppers from the plant. There is nothing worse than breaking a stem with lots of small peppers on them.

"A Garden Wants to Give"

Cheers!

Gary (The Rusted Garden)

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