Bell Pepper Starter Kit Guide: Instructions for growing sweet bell peppers

Congratulations on your Bell Pepper Starter Kit! This garden kit includes everything you need to get started growing delicious, sweet bell peppers. Soon you’ll have a colorful array of peppers to harvest.

• To get your Pepper Garden growing, follow the instructions for hydrating the soil discs. Once the soil is expanded and in pots, you are ready to start planting.
• Plant the seeds according to the instructions for each specific seed packet. 
• Water by misting until the seeds start to sprout. Take care that the seeds don’t dry out too quickly. Pepper seeds need to stay moist but not waterlogged to sprout. 
• Peppers love the sun, so give them a warm spot to germinate. Usually 70 degrees and above.
• Once the pepper seedlings are growing, continue to keep the soil moist. 
• Less frequent but deep watering will encourage root growth. 
• The pot should only dry out partially between waterings, just the top layer of soil.

Now that you’ve got your peppers growing and the watering down, you’ll want to consider the other thing that flowers need – food. The soil that comes in your kit has added amendments that create a fertile growing environment. You may want to add fertilizer when you transplant to a garden or larger pots.

You will need to transplant your peppers so they reach their full potential.

The fiber pots in the kit make transplanting less stressful for the plant. Start preparing the peppers to move outside when they are about 6” tall. Begin by placing them in a shady spot for just a few hours daily. Each day increase their time outside, giving them time to adjust to the windy and temperamental weather outdoors. Take care not to plant them outside until the soil is above 60 degrees. We cover hardening off seedlings in more depth in our Planter’s Library.

The included biodegradable pots can easily be planted directly into the garden. When soil and outside temperatures are above 60ºF, soak the pots to soften the fiber. Then, break the sides of the pot with your hands and bury the pot completely in the soil.

Adding organic matter, such as compost, to your garden beds before transplanting can help supplement the additional nutrients your pepper plants need as they grow.  

• Choose a sunny spot so the pepper plants can thrive. Their beautiful foliage and colorful peppers can add beauty to flower beds and traditional vegetable gardens.

• Pepper plants are generally strong, but they still benefit from the support of a tomato cage to keep them upright when they are loaded with peppers.

• Picking peppers at their full size and color will encourage the plants to produce more fruit.

  We cover more specifics on growing peppers in our Planter’s Library.