Spring planting doesn’t start when the air feels warm, It...Read More
Sweet Banana Pepper is one of the classics in the vegetable garden. These tapered 6 to 9 inch long, thick-walled, smooth fruits are mild when yellow and moderately sweet when they ripen red. This variety is very popular and can be used raw on salads, sandwiches, pizzas or for frying, but is most often used in pickling. Sweet Banana Peppers are very productive and an early producer.
The Sweet Banana Peppers is native to Central and South America, where Christopher Columbus and other explorers discovered it and took them back to Europe at the end of the 16th century. They became called “pepper” in Spanish, or pimiento, because their spicy flavor brought the spice black pepper to mind. For their excellent qualities, Sweet Banana Peppers won the prestigious AAS Award in 1941 and are still extremely popular today.
NAME: Pepper (Capsicum annuum)
VARIETY: Sweet Banana
DAYS TO MATURITY: 65 – 70 days
POLLINATION: Open Pollinated
TYPE: Annual in cool climates, perennial in hot climates
HARDINESS ZONE: Zones 3 – 12
SUNLIGHT: Full Sun
SOIL: Fertile, loose soil with a pH 6.5 – 6.8
PLANT HEIGHT: 18 – 30 inches
SPACING: 14 – 18 inches apart
TEMP: 55 – 95 °F
These seeds do not required stratification.
To learn more about Stratification, click here!
Starting Pepper seeds indoors is recommended to ensure a longer growing season and higher success rate.
Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep in seed starting soil mix 6 to 8 weeks before your last local frost, either in cell trays or small pots. Keep the soil moist and at 75°F and seedlings will emerge in 10 to 21 days.
As soon as seedlings emerge, provide plenty of light on a sunny windowsill or grow seedlings 3 inches beneath fluorescent/LED plant grow lights turned on 16 hours per day, off for 8 hours, raising the lights as the plants grow.
If you are growing in small cells, you may need to transplant the seedlings to 4-inch pots when seedlings have at least 2 pairs of leaves before hardening off.
Harden off seedlings for several days. Do this by taking them outside during the day and bringing them in at night (Outside temps should be above 50°F when you start this process).
After hardening off, transplant into your pre-prepared bed 14 to 18 inches apart, in rows spaced 2 to 3 feet apart.
It is not recommended to start pepper seeds outdoors unless you are in far southern climates.
Wait until after the last frost date in your area when the soil has warmed up and temperatures are consistently above 60°F (15°C).
Choose a sunny location with well-drained soil.
Prepare the planting area by loosening the soil and amending it with compost if needed.
Sow the seeds about 1/4 inch deep and space them 12-18 inches apart in rows that are 24-36 inches apart.
Cover the seeds lightly with soil and water gently to settle them.
Keep the soil consistently moist until the seeds germinate, which usually takes 7-14 days.
Thin the seedlings to the strongest plants, leaving 12-18 inches between each plant.
Before transplanting, you will want to prepare the bed ahead of time by selecting a location in full sun with rich & moist organic soil, removing weeds, adding compost and then covering the bed with mulch or tarp a week before you plan to transplant; this will heat the soil beneath and provide a better growing condition for young pepper plants.
Before planting into the soil make sure the ambient temperatures will not drop below 50°F during the day or night.
Peppers may also be planted in containers; use a container at least 18 to 24 inches wide and deep and use a commercial potting mix rather than garden soil..
Keep plants well-watered during the growing season, especially during dry spells; plants need about 1 to 2 inches of rain per week during the growing season.
Be sure to fertilize peppers with enough compost, calcium, phosphorus, and nitrogen.
Stake plants if they begin to lean over.
Banana Peppers can be harvested when they reach the desired size and color. Typically, they are harvested when they are 4-6 inches long and have turned yellow or red, depending on the variety.
Use scissors or pruners to cut the peppers from the plant, leaving a short stem attached.
Regularly harvesting ripe peppers encourages the plant to produce more fruit.
Enjoy fresh Banana Peppers in salads, sandwiches, or as a topping for pizzas and tacos. They can also be pickled or preserved for longer-term storage.
