Bell peppers are popular sweet peppers that look like bells and come in many colors like green, red, and yellow. They taste sweet and juicy, which is why many people use them in cooking and even grow them in their gardens.
Growing these peppers is easy, and they don’t need a lot of space. If you don’t have a big garden, you can even grow them in pots on your porch or balcony!
Growing bell peppers is fun and simple if you follow these steps:
Bell peppers are fun and easy to grow! Here’s a simple guide for middle schoolers:
Start with Seeds: If it’s cold where you live, start growing your pepper seeds inside. Do this about 6-8 weeks before the last cold day. Put 2-3 seeds in a small pot and pick the strongest baby plant after a few weeks.
Move Plants Outside: Wait until it’s warm outside, around 70 degrees. Find a sunny spot and plant your baby peppers 2 feet apart. This gives them space but also some shade in hot sun. Use good soil that drains well.
Add Mulch: Put mulch (like bark chips or straw) around your plants. This stops weeds, keeps the soil moist, and cools the plant roots.
Water Them: Your peppers need water every week. If it’s super hot, give them a little more. Pour the water at the base, not on the leaves.
Use Fertilizer: Once you see flowers on your plant, give it some fertilizer. This helps the plant make more peppers!
Watch for Bugs: Pests love bell peppers too! Check your plants and if you see bugs, ask a garden store how to safely get rid of them.
Harvest Time: You can pick your peppers when they’re the size and color you like. A cool fact: Green peppers are just young red, orange, or yellow ones! When picking, cut the stem above the pepper so you don’t hurt the plant or the fruit.
With these steps, you’ll have yummy bell peppers in no time!
