7 Steps on How to Grow Green Peppers

Mahlatse Matlakana owner of the 8 hectare green pepper farm in Blouberg

Green peppers like plenty of sunlight and moist, warm soil. If using seed, plant under a shelter about 8 weeks before you anticipate the last frost in your area, then transplant.

Step 1: Loosen the soil deeply and mix in fertiliser, manure or compost thoroughly and evenly using a rake. For best results, add a dressing of organic fertiliser. Use one handful of fertiliser to every 1m² or four handfuls of manure or compost.

Draw the ridges and furrows at least 1m apart. Plant the seedlings at least 40cm apart along the waterline on the ridges. Stakes will keep the plants upright.

Step 2: Plant your seedlings about three weeks after the last frost. Draw the ridges and furrows at least 1m apart. Plant the seedlings at least 40cm apart along the waterline on the ridges (not the top).

Step 3: Always water the roots, never the peppers. You can do this by using flood or drip irrigation. If the peppers get too wet, they will rot. Also, mulch heavily.

Step 4: Tie the growing plants to stakes to keep them upright.

Step 5: Fertilise regularly. If you’re using manure, use chicken manure. When peppers start flowering, feed them every four weeks with a balanced organic fertiliser. Too much nitrogen causes the leaves instead of the fruit to grow.

Step 6: Weed regularly and fight pests with chemical or organic remedies. Green peppers are relatively pest and disease-free, but fruit flies can be a problem. If the leaves become wrinkled and distorted by aphids, spray with soapy water.

Step 7: Green peppers will start bearing fruit about 11 weeks after transplanting. Pick fruit as soon as it’s big enough by cutting it off with a sharp knife. Don’t leave fruit on the plants for too long as this will inhibit flower production. Peppers will produce fruit for many months, until winter begins.

This is where we will be ending our discussion for today.

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