Capsicum
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You can’t beat capsicum for adding colour, crunch and sweetness to summer dishes. This small bush can be grown in any climate.
When to plant/sow in zone:
Requirements:
Grow best in full sun protected from wind; appreciates shadecloth cover on scorching hot days
Soil:
Rich and free-draining soil with lots of organic matter. Add some compost or well-rotted manure when preparing your soil, and apply blood and bone and sulfate of potash.
How to start: SEEDS: Sow direct in the ground or in punnets into seed-raising mix, 5mm deep. Keep moist. Germinates in 10-20 days. SEEDLING: Plant outside when seedlings are 10cm+ tall. Space 50cm apart, in rows 100cm apart. Water in and mulch with straw.
How to grow: Water consistently and deeply, particularly when fruit are forming. Keep mulched with straw. Apply seaweed solution or liquid fertiliser fortnightly. Apply organic fertiliser pellets monthly. Apply sulfate of potash when flowers start appearing. Plants will need supporting with stakes or a trellis.
When to harvest: Start harvesting in 12 weeks. Cut fruit with secateurs.
Troubleshooting:
Fruit fly; broad mite may attack new leaves; Blossom-end rot; whitefly; rats
Wondering what to plant when?
Use our planner to create a planting calendar for your climate zone
View Planting Guide
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