About Bell Peppers
Bell Peppers originated in Hungary, but their history began in Central and South America. In 1493, Christopher Columbus and his explorers returned from America with pepper (hot). It started quickly in Spain and quickly spread to Europe and the rest of the world.
However, pepper was not developed until the 1920s in Hungary. The bell pepper contains a gene that shuts down the plant’s production of capsaicin, the chemical compound that makes peppers sweet and savory.
For this reason, although it is “spicy”, pepper is not as spicy as other members of the Capsicum family. To help clarify this term, people sometimes call them “sweet peppers”.Depending on their color, peppers can range from slightly bitter to sweet and juicy.
Like bell peppers, bell peppers are part of the larger nightshade family, which includes eggplants, potatoes, and tomatoes.
Planting of Peppers
Grow Peppers in a spot with full sun and ooh (but not wet) water well. The direction of sand and brown soil will make the soil drain well and heat up quickly. Mix a lot of organic matter (like compost) into the soil, especially if you are working with heavy clay.
Avoid planting peppers where you have recently grown members of the nightshade family, such as tomatoes, potatoes, or eggplant, because this can expose the peppers to disease.
How to start pepper indoors
To start indoors: Start by planting pepper seeds 1/4 inch deep, three in a pot filled with potting soil. For faster germination, keep soil at 70°F (21°C) or higher. To reach those kinds of temperatures, you’ll probably need a heat exchanger or heater and some heat sources.
Ideal conditions should see fruit appear in about two weeks, but some varieties take up to five weeks, so don’t give up too soon! Seedlings are the weakest; let the two remaining pepper plants in each pot grow as one. The leaves of two plants help to protect the pepper and often more than those of two different plants.
If the seedlings are too tall or too big before it’s time to plant outside, transplant them back into a larger pot down to their lower leaves, like tomatoes, to help support them.
Keep the seeds warm on high heat until you are ready to plant. If the plants have about five to eight leaves and you can see the roots in the drainage hole, it’s time to move them to the pot. Be sure to harden the seeds for about 10 days before planting them outside, because peppers are sensitive to cool temperatures.
How to plant peppers outdoors
If you buy peppers, choose those with long, hard, 4 to 6 leaves, and no flowers or fruit. To harden pepper plants, keep them outside for a week or more on frost-free days or when the average daily temperature reaches 65°F (18°C).
Before planting in the garden, mix aged food and/or compost into the soil about 8-10 inches deep and water it several times to break up large clods. Add the transplants to the soil once the soil temperature has reached 65°F (18°C). Speed up soil warming by covering it with black plastic or dark mulch about a week before planting. It is best to plant pepper in the evening or in cloudy weather. This will prevent the plant from drying out and wilting.
Make transplant holes 3 to 4 inches deep and 12 to 18 inches apart in rows. Keep the rows 2 to 3 feet apart. Before planting, fill the hole with water and let it soak. In each hole, put two or three matches (for sulfur) and 1 teaspoon of low-nitrogen, high-phosphorus fertilizer (too much nitrogen will reduce the fruit). When removing the transplant from its tray or pot, be gentle and leave as much soil around the roots as possible.
Place the strips about 8 inches deeper than they were in their original container. Fill the hole with soil and compact it around the plant. Leave a little water around each plant to hold water. Water plants after planting.
Using a liquid fertilizer (tea or starter fertilizer) is often beneficial at this time.
Heat the plant now to avoid disturbing the roots later. If necessary, support the trees in cages or stakes to prevent them from bending. Try the cone-shaped metal tomato sockets available for purchase. They may not be good for tomatoes, but they are perfect for peppers
Why are peppers different in color?
You may have wondered at times if different bell peppers come from the same plant. They do! There are two main factors that determine the color of pepper:
Harvest time / degree of maturity
A type of grape
All peppers start out green and change color as they grow. If left untreated, green peppers can turn yellow, orange, or red depending on the type. The longer peppers sit on the vine, the more flavorful and nutritious they become. Since they are not fully grown when picked, green peppers are less robust than mature peppers of other colors. However, writing green has a longer lifespan than other colors.
Health Advantages
Helpful for heart
Red peppers are rich in lycopene, which makes them good for heart health, while green peppers provide good cholesterol-lowering fiber. Elevated homocysteine levels can increase the risk of heart disease. Bell peppers contain vitamin B6 and folate that help lower homocysteine levels.
In addition to this, vitamin A and C are powerful antioxidants found in these vegetables that help eliminate free radicals. The potassium in pepper lowers blood pressure, which is also good for the heart.
Can help reduce the risk of cancer
Rich in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients, capsicum offers many anti-cancer benefits. Cancer risk increases due to chronic inflammation and unwanted chronic oxidative stress. These can be prevented by regularly consuming phytonutrients and anti-inflammatory substances.
In addition, pepper also contains health-promoting sulfur compounds. Bell pepper enzymes help prevent stomach cancer and esophageal cancer. The carotenoid lycopene is considered effective in the prevention of cancer of the prostate, bladder, cervix and pancreas.
Good digestive health.
Although they contain only 30 calories in each cup, dried peppers contain 2.5 grams of dietary fiber. Dietary fiber helps improve digestive health by adding bulk to your stool. This makes it easier for them to pass. Constipated foods can make you more likely to get hemorrhoids.
Reducing the risk of diabetes.
Fiber-rich foods, such as bell peppers, slow the rate at which sugar enters your bloodstream. Vitamin C may also help lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes, although this has been studied with supplements and not with pepper. Keep in mind that your overall diet is more important than any specific diet.
