do bell peppers need special treatment?

by Mary Oliver
(Hants County, Nova Scotia, Canada)

I have tried several times to grow bell peppers - the plants thrive and do well, but the frost kills the tiny peppers, they seem to take too long to develop. My area - zone 4b or 5 - has lots of bell peppers grown. Do they need a certain type of soil, or sunlight, or fertilizer?

Doug says they need heat. Lots of heat. And the kind of care that's described in the article on peppers.

But those in cool maritime climates are also going to have to pick the earliest peppers they can find because you're cool... too cool for the big green peppers you find in the stores.

You could also use row covers to protect the plants and hold in the heat.

Good luck with it.

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do bell peppers need special treatment?

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Bell Peppers
by: Evelyn

I am in South Dakota and the first year of gardening I planted Bell Peppers and had the same problem you are having. I love bell peppers and didn't give up so the second year I decided to plant them early. I made an open box (4 1/2" deep by 12" square) so they would be by themselves and I could take extra care of them. I put top soil in the box and mixed it with my garden soil and planted 4 bells per box. I covered them in the late spring frost until the frost was over and covered them in the early fall frost. They produced apple size bells until snow came in. I also added top soil to them after they were about a foot high. I just feel like they are something special in my garden because I love them so much and I have to give them extra care. You might try this. I got a frost blanket for them and for my beans. This frost blanket can be left on all the time...during rain or frost as it lets the sun get to the plants. It is made out of straw and it doesn't take much so you will have enough of it for a couple of more gardening years.

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Doug Green