Whatever color you like your bell peppers, the proper care will make them large and healthy. Green peppers thrive with lots of sunlight (at least 6-8 hours a day) and temperatures of 70-80 degrees. High humidity also helps the plants produce fruit. Use well-draining soil and give them 1-2 inches of water per week, reducing water when plants reach 4-5 inches tall. Mulch around the base to help prevent weeds and provide stakes for taller pepper plants to keep them upright.

Gardeners love that peppers are pest- and disease-resistant. That said, frail plants are more susceptible to aphids and spider mites. These insects gravitate towards the underside of leaves, so check those areas. Basil and marigolds are good companion plants to keep pests away.

In colder growing zones, you can extend green pepper season by starting seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the final spring frost. Sow the seeds close together in an open or cell tray. Use a good seed-starting mix and plant them a quarter-inch deep. Keep the soil moist and at least 70-75 degrees; use a heating mat if you don’t want the ambient temperature to be that high. When you see true leaves, thin or transplant the seedlings so there is one per cell or they’re spaced 2-3 inches apart. For 1-2 weeks before transplanting, slowly increase the plants’ exposure to outdoor conditions.

It’s safe to plant or transplant green peppers once soil temperatures are at least 60 degrees. Seedlings and seeds should be planted 18-24 inches apart; separate the rows by at least 12 inches. For transplants, cover the root ball and let the bottom leaves barely touch the top of the soil. Make sure the location is protected from heavy wind.

Dwarf and compact peppers are great to grow in well-draining containers. Five- to 10-gallon containers will accommodate several plants. Limit small containers to one or two plants.

By feeding your green peppers well, they’ll feed you come harvest time. Early on, use a balanced or high-nitrogen fertilizer every 2-4 weeks for leaf growing and overall health. Once flowering begins, switch to a low-nitrogen/high-phosphorus blend to best support fruit growth. Organic fertilizer options include compost and bone meal. Overfeeding produces too much leaf growth, so do soil testing to determine what the plants need.

Green pepper plants can produce for years with proper overwintering. In warmer areas, add extra mulch during winter, reduce watering and use frost blankets or row covers for insulation. If you live in a cold region, bring plants indoors during the winter; this will mean carefully uprooting ground plants before the first frost and transplanting them to large containers.

Pruning your plants will improve air circulation to reduce disease risk and create bushy growth. Use sharp shears to remove damaged leaves, non-bearing branches and suckers at the base. This directs resources to the main stem growth.
You can harvest green peppers once they reach full size and color, which takes 2-3 months from planting. Frequent harvesting encourages new fruit while peppers left to grow longer are sweeter and more vitamin-rich; they also change to other colors like red, orange and yellow. Hold the pepper in one hand and gently cut the stem with shears or a knife.