Capsicum annuum

Capsicum

Perennial edible herb to 0.7m (2 feet), usually grown as an annual. Lanceolate leaves and solitary white flowers. Fruit varies in shape from long and tapering to globose, the colour varies from yellow to green to red, depending on the cultivar.

Uses

Harvest when fruits have glossy texture. Can be dried, cooked, eaten fresh, or used as a garnish or seasoning, depending upon the variety. Vegetable.

Culture

Requires warm growing conditions. Plant seeds after the frosts. Optimum temperature for new seedlings is 25-30 degrees C. Optimum temperature for fruit development is 18-25 degrees C. Prefers moist, well-drained soil. Fertilise with nitrogen to encourage vegetative growth and potassium to promote flowering. Will also benefit from additional calcium, boron and magnesium. Prefers a pH of 6.0-6.5 Can be attached by aphis (who also spread viral diseases), weevils, beetles, leaf miners and caterpillars. Can suffer from botrytis in humid conditions. Remove early flowers to encourage vegetative growth. Provide plants with support or protection from winds. http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/sustainable/peet/profiles/c14peppe.html http://osu.orst.edu/Dept/NWREC/pepper.html

Propagation

No information available at this time...

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