Growing Organic Vegetables: Growing Capsicum

Latest Update 26th December 2019.

Capsicum

I grow red capsicum plants each summer in a row in an Ecobed.
They are easy to grow, and can be harvested as an early green fruit or left to ripen to a beautiful bright red colour.
When flowers appear, I buzz pollinate them with an electric toothbrush to ensure plenty of fruit is set, and usually harvest them when fully ripe.
I store my crop surplus (chopped) in a chest freezer.
Capsicum are used in our household to add colour and flavour to soups and casseroles.

Description.

Nutrition.

This food is very low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium.
It is a good source of vitamin K, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, potassium, manganese, dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin B6 and folate.
More from nutrition data.self.com.

This blogpage explains how I maintain healthy plants. It describes how soil is prepared prior to planting, how to regulate the sun's intensity and how to help protect and feed plants through their leaves.

This blogpage tells you when to make compost and plan other garden/household related activities.

Growing Instructions.

I harvest seeds from my best fully ripe capsicum each year. They are washed and dried and stored in small zip bags in the refrigerator for use in the following years crop.
Capsicum seeds are sown in soil blocks made from a special organic potting mix, and are germinated in an EcoPropagator. They are allowed to mature until they are ready to be transplanted into an Ecobed.
Mulch is removed from the prepared bed to expose soil at 375mm spacings where the capsicum plants are to be planted. These spaces are filled with fresh homemade compost, and holes made in them with a large dibber big enough to accommodate the soil blocks and seedlings without burying the blocks completely.
Once the seedlings have been planted, they are watered in with captured rainwater, and the mulch returned to protect the soil around the seedlings.
Exclusion netting is fitted to the Ecobed's frame and used to protect the seedlings from digging birds and the worst of the climate in summer (hot windy conditions).

Pollination

Capsicum are self pollinating, however the pollen grains are securely held on the plants anthers. Moderate vibration will release this pollen and often a strong breeze will be enough.
Bumble bees buzz pollinate capsicum by grabbing the flower and vibrating their flight muscles vigorously. Honey bees don't use this technique and consequently they are not very efficient pollinators of capsicum plants.
In mainland Australia where there are no bumble bees, we must rely on native bees (like the blue banded bee) or the wind. Both are unreliable in suburban gardens, and barriers like greenhouses and pest exclusion netting make the problem worse.
To ensure a good fruit set, buzz pollinate them by hand. I do this using an electric toothbrush. See related video.

Harvesting and Storage.

Capsicum can be harvested from December onwards.
Pick some capsicum early while still green. This encourages more flowers, but leave some to ripen to their beautiful red livery.
Capsicum can be stored, chopped into small cubes (skin on), in the freezer after removing seeds . I blanch them in boiling water for 2 minutes and cool them rapidly in cold water. I dry them and pack them into resealable plastic bags for storage in my chest freezer.
I only grow one variety of capsicum to remove any risk of cross pollination in the resulting seeds.

Organic Pest Control.

Capsicums, like most vegetables, are vulnerable to attack from certain pests in my garden. My blog on "Controlling Garden Pests" explains a little about these pests and what to do to protect plants from them. For details click on the appropriate link below.

Growing Organic Vegetables