Bell, sweet, jalapeno, pimento and poblano are all different types of peppers – some tickle your taste buds with sweetness, and others put your mouth on fire.
But what exactly are peppers? Are they fruits, or are they vegetables? Technically, peppers are both.
Botanically speaking, a fruit has at least one seed and grows from the flower of the plant. Peppers grow from the flowers of plants in the Capsicum genus, forming once the flower has been pollinated. Peppers also contain tiny seeds in the middle.
Culinary speaking, peppers are classified as a vegetable for its strong texture and a blander taste, compared to fruits. Peppers are prepared in savoury dishes such as stews or in fajitas, whereas fruits are often enjoyed raw and tend to be sweet or tart with soft texture.
Despite if you are following the botanical definition or the culinary definition, peppers are easy to grow and make delicious snacks that are a healthy option for anyone’s diet. Peppers range in colours, tastes and heat levels while providing fibre, vitamins, and minerals.
Peppers are divided into two groups - bell peppers and chili peppers, and are relatives of tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplants.
How to Sow and Harvest Peppers
Timing: Peppers need warm temperatures and a long growing season. Start peppers indoors 5-8 weeks before the last frost or in early March, and then transplant when weather is warm in early June or later. Be patient -- peppers may take up to three weeks to germinate.
Avoid night temperatures below 12°C (55°F).
Sowing: Sow indoors 5mm-1cm (¼-½”) deep. Keep soil as warm as possible.
Mix ½ cup of complete organic fertilizer under each transplant. Add lime and compost to the bed three weeks before transplanting. Aim for a pH of around 6.5.
Growing: Come mid-June, plant peppers in the garden 45cm (18”) apart. Peppers will tolerate dry soil but grow well if kept moist. Grow peppers in full sun.
Try to keep seedlings at 18-24°C (64-75°F) during the day, and 16-18°C (61-64°F) at night. Depending on soil temperature, seeds sprout in 8-21 days. Expect 5-10 large bell peppers per well-grown plant and 20-50 hot peppers per plant.
Protection: Using plastic mulch with a cloche can increase the temperature a few degrees.
Harvesting: Once the fruit is large enough to eat and is firm, it is ready to pick. Cut peppers from the plant with a pruning shear or knife. Do not pull peppers from the plant by hand as this can result in broken branches.
All peppers start out green and turn colour as they mature. If you wait longer, the fruit will ripen further turning red, yellow, or brown. The sweetness (or hotness) and vitamin C content go up dramatically when the fruit changes colour.
Use gloves especially when you harvest hot peppers to protect your skin. Hot peppers contain capsaicin oil which can burn the hands, eyes, nose, and mouth.
Pests and Disease: To prevent rot and wilt, plant in well-drained soils and follow a 4-year rotation. Utilize paper collars at the plant base if cutworms are a problem.
Companion Planting: Peppers are good neighbours to asparagus, basil, carrots, cucumbers, eggplant, endive, oregano, parsley, rosemary, squash, Swiss chard, and tomatoes.
Storage: Peppers do not stay fresh and crunchy for more than a few days so use while in season. Pickling peppers works for smaller varieties.
Knowing that peppers are both fruits and vegetables, this means to keep an eye on your pepper plant once it blooms and to avoid using any pesticides that harm pollinators