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Annual Biennial

Capsicum annuum var. annuum (Grossum Group) 'Bell Boy'

sweet pepper 'Bell Boy'

A branching annual to 75cm tall, producing a heavy crop of blocky, bright green fruit 10-12cm long, becoming glossy scarlet when fully ripe. Early cropping and tolerant of relatively cool conditions

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Ultimate height

0.5–1 metres

Time to ultimate height

1 year

Ultimate spread

0.5–1 metres

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Well–drained

pH

Acid, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Solanaceae
Native to the UK: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy
Genus: Capsicum are annual or perennial plants, with simple, alternate leaves, and tubular or bell-shaped flowers. They are grown for their glossy, many-seeded edible fruits, including chilli and bell peppers, and as indoor ornamental plants
Name status: Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Best grow inside on a wide, sunny windowsill or in a greenhouse, but can be grown outside once all danger of frost has passed; select a sunny, sheltered position and grow in containers, growing bags or in open ground. Water regularly and feed with a high potassium liquid fertiliser once the first fruit has set. May need support. See Peppers (Grow your own)

Propagation

Propagate by seed. See sowing vegetable seeds or sowing seeds indoors for further advice

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Patio and container plants
Edible fruit

Pruning

Pinch out growing tips when plants are about 20cm tall to encourage branching

Pests

May be susceptible to glasshouse red spider mite, glasshouse whitefly and aphids

Diseases

May be susceptible to blossom end rot

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