Orange Bell Pepper – 20 Seeds

Orange bell pepper is medium to large in size, averaging 5-8 centimeters in diameter and 5-12 centimeters in length, and are rounded, square, and blocky in shape with 3-4 lobes and a thick green stem. The smooth skin is firm, glossy, and bright orange, and underneath the skin, the equally bright orange flesh is thick, juicy, crisp, and succulent. There is also a central, hollow cavity that contains very small, flat and bitter cream-colored seeds and a thin, spongy white to pale orange membrane.

Orange bell peppers are favored by chefs and home cooks for their sweet, fruity flavor and juicy, crunchy texture. Their nutritional value is considerably more than that of the green bell pepper. Orange Bell Pepper can have twice as much vitamin C as green bell peppers and more than 10 times the vitamin A.

Growing Orange Bell Pepper

Indoor Sowing: Mid Winter, Late Winter and Early Spring.

Direct Sowing: Not Recommended.

• Peppers take a long time to grow large enough from seeds to produce mature fruit, and they require a fairly long growing season.
• The best way to get a good crop is by planting the seeds indoors 8-12 weeks before your average last frost date.
• Soak your seeds overnight in warm water to help them germinate faster.
• Sow the Pepper Seeds about 1/4-inch deep in a moist sterile potting mixture.
• Mist the potting mix with water daily so it stays moist, or seal the pots in plastic bags so they don’t dry out.
• For best germination, keep the soil between 23 and 26 degrees Celsius.
• The pots won’t require light until the seeds sprout.
• Peppers typically require 14 days to germinate, but they may take as few as seven or as many as 30 days or longer to sprout.
• After the seeds have germinated, place the pot on a light windowsill or in a heated greenhouse.
• When they are 2.5cm tall prick out seedlings, moving each into their own 10cm pot. Make sure the roots are well covered and the leaves are just above the surface of the compost.
• Water and place in a light spot indoors.
• While plants are still growing indoors, move into 13cm pots filled with general purpose compost when roots begin to show through the drainage holes in the base.
• When plants are about 20cm tall, or before if they start to lean, stake with a stick.
• Pinch out the tops of peppers when they are about 30cm tall to encourage lots of branches.
• Plants are ready to go when all danger of frost has passed.
• Either plant directly into the ground, spacing them 45cm apart or transfer them to 22cm pots to give them plenty of space to grow.
• Make sure you water regularly, especially in hot weather and feed every two weeks with a general purpose liquid fertilizer. Feeding should start when the flowers first appear and should continue until the fruit have been harvested.