Bell Pepper for Growing Zone 8

Varieties

• Several cultivars of bell peppers grow well in zone 8. The Allegiance and Regiment both ripen to a dark green. For a thick meaty red pepper, plant Aristotle or Crusader. Gold Crown turns yellow when mature with thick walls and a sweet flavor.

Care

• Bell peppers prefer warm soil that is fine, sandy and well-drained. They require a lot of water and, in dry Southwestern locations, will need irrigation, sometimes daily. Cultivate the soil as for any garden plant. You can plant peppers from seeds or transplant established plants for an earlier harvest. Put in your transplants after the last frost date. In zone 8, you can also plant bell peppers in the fall. Put your plants in the ground about 100 days before the first expected frost date, usually June through August. After the first fruit sets, add fertilizer. Some large plants may need support. Tomato cages work well for this.

Problems

• Locations with a high concentration of salt in the water will have less luck growing bell peppers. Although peppers thrive in warm temperatures of zone 8, they set little fruit when the temperature exceeds 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Both of these conditions often exist in the southwest. Peppers are susceptible to several pests. You must watch for aphids, whiteflies and cutworms. Pepper weevils and several kinds of beetles can chew through the leaves and destroy the plant. Rotating the plants every three or four years helps avoid some of these problems. Of course you must keep weeds under control around your plants.

Harvesting and Storage

• You can pick and use most bell peppers when green, even though they have not matured. However, depending on the variety, mature peppers may become orange, red, green or yellow. If you wait until they mature they become sweeter, and the vitamin C content increases. It is best to cut the peppers from the plant to prevent the risk of damage. They keep well refrigerated in plastic bags for up to 10 days. Bell peppers can be frozen, dried or cooked.