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Growing sweet/bell peppers/capsicum in the greenhouse, varieties and advice.

johnbaronjohnbaron Posts: 75
in Fruit & veg
So I’m planning on adding sweet bell peppers / capsicums to the growing list of veg in the greenhouse. I tried last year in pots on the patio in a plastic greenhouse but only ended up with some tiny hard green fruits in about october.

Can anyone offer any advice for growing nice big red typical bell peppers as well as some of the sweeter longer type peppers? Advice on varieties and greenhouse cultivation appreciated.

Thanks. 

Posts

  • Purple OrangePurple Orange Posts: 19
    I am planning growing some, I sowed them in .March though and they are still quite small. I sowed chilli last year and they are only just starting to fruit now. Maybe it's time.
  • treehugger80treehugger80 Posts: 1,923
    all peppers need a long growing season, most of us have them all sown by the middle of February, so you might not get many fruit (unless we get a long hot summer - which isn't likely in this country),

    you might be better going to a garden centre and buying some plants
  • johnbaronjohnbaron Posts: 75
    I hadnt bargained on getting the green light for a greenhouse this year so I only have my root veg and beans sown so anything else will have to be bought as plants this year. 

    Any recomendations for varieties? 
  • Allotment BoyAllotment Boy Posts: 6,774
    I have grown the long sweet pepper Diablo for the last couple of years, & had success with the little "snackbite" ones too. 
    AB Still learning

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I've been growing Marconi peppers the last few years and they are delish.
    Thin skinned and full of flavour.
    I make Delia's Piedmont Roast Peppers with them along with some home-made rosemary and garlic focaccia. I can almost taste it - but sadly I'll have to wait about 3 more months to actually taste it :(
    I grow the little snackbite peppers too - lovely in salads.
    And when the glut arrives - lots of roast pepper soup and tomato and pepper soup for the winter months.
    I sow seed during the first 1/2 of march and treat them just like tomatoes.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • Jason-3Jason-3 Posts: 391
    It' too late to grow from seed imo. Ive tried mid April and the fruits are very small and bitter... they need much longer growing than say interminate toms. 

    Chilli' I've grown apache and cayanne realy well and they well. Just do need maximum warmth and sunlight

    Sweet peppers thor is reliable as is bonata
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,384
    If you like standard-shaped sweet peppers (ie Bell peppers), 'Rainbow mixed' are pretty reliable. Like Pete, I also grow 'Marconi' and 'Lipstick' (Pimiento types.)  As others have said, too late for seeds this year but you should be able to find plants online.  You might also like to try grafted peppers which give you a massive head-start.  Cost more but they do what it says on the tin.

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    Yes, the guys are correct, you need to start peppers off by February at the latest, somehwere warm, I have cheated this year, got 3 grafted plants, Chelsea,Britney and Milena, small "lunchbox size peppers".You could probably get some grafted or pepper plants now somewhere like Homebase, the bigger the better to start you off.
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    This is the first year I havent grown Apache, all ways had an amazing crop, from them, last year I made the mistake of adding one tiny supposedly not very hot chilli to the "jam" mix, it burnt my hands for days, I gave it to an Indian friend.
  • johnbaronjohnbaron Posts: 75
    Thanks for the advice.

    ive got my chilli plants, bought seedlings from Aldi again as last year they did amazingly; I had three Apache plants and had such a glut of chillies I ended up making my now patent '200 chilli' chilli jam! Made about 25 jars in the end. 

    This is year I have four each of apache, yellow habanero and jalapeño. I'm hoping the specialist chilli shop has some more seedlings in in time so I can buy some stupidly hot varieties and some ornamental purple ones. 

    I think i might buy some seeds for next year and pay a trip to the garden centre for my peppers and tomatoes. Hopefully they will have a nice selection. 
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