Capsicum — Package of Practices
A sweet, thick-walled pepper that loves mild weather and steady feeding — give it drip, calcium and boron and it sets clean, blocky fruit over a long season.
Overview
Capsicum (bell or sweet pepper) is a warm-but-mild-season Solanaceae crop grown for its thick, blocky fruit, harvested green or fully coloured. It is more demanding than chilli — it dislikes heat and water stress and rewards drip irrigation and plastic mulch with high, clean yields.
Under shade nets or polyhouses it yields far more over a longer cycle; in the open it is best grown in the cooler months.
Climate & season
Capsicum prefers mild weather around 20–28 °C. It is frost-sensitive, and high heat causes flower and fruit drop, so time the crop for the cool season or grow it under protection.
- Mild, bright weather gives the best fruit set.
- High heat and dry winds shed flowers — keep moisture even.
- Protected cultivation extends the season and lifts yield sharply.
Soil & land preparation
A well-drained, fertile loam rich in organic matter suits capsicum, at a pH of 6–7. Avoid waterlogging.
- Plough to a fine tilth and form raised beds for drip.
- Incorporate 25 t/ha of farmyard manure with biofertilizers.
- Lay plastic mulch to keep fruit clean and moisture even.
- Rotate away from other Solanaceae (tomato, chilli, brinjal, potato).
Choosing a type & seed
Choose a type by colour and market (green, red, yellow, orange), blocky or lamuyo shape, and tolerance to viruses and fruit rot. Hybrids dominate for uniform, high yields, especially under protection. No specific cultivar is named here.
Seed rate
- Hybrid: about 200–400 g/ha (less under protection).
- Raise seedlings in pro-trays for clean, uniform plants.
Seed treatment
- Treat seed with Trichoderma viride against damping-off.
- Raise the nursery on a sterile, well-drained medium.
Nursery, transplanting & spacing
- Raise the nursery in pro-trays under light shade; keep moist.
- Transplant at 30–40 days into moist beds, in the evening.
- Spacing: about 45 × 30 cm (closer under protection).
- Gap-fill about a week after transplanting.
Nutrient management
Capsicum is grown much like its relative chilli and does best under drip fertigation. A balanced, fairly high dose suits it — about N–P–K 150 : 150 : 150 kg/ha (a 1:1:1 ratio) over the long crop, with added calcium and boron, which clearly improve fruit set, wall thickness and quality. Fine-tune to your soil test.
Apply as basal (before planting)
- Farmyard manure 25 t/ha with Azospirillum and Phosphobacteria.
- 75% of the phosphorus as superphosphate, worked into the bed.
- Form raised beds and lay plastic mulch for clean fruit and even moisture.
Give through the drip (fertigation)
Feed the rest with water-soluble fertilizers, weekly from about the third week after transplanting, raising the dose through flowering and fruiting. Inject mid-irrigation and flush the lines afterwards.
Irrigation
- Keep the root zone evenly moist — capsicum is sensitive to both drought and waterlogging.
- Drip with mulch is strongly preferred and also carries the fertigation.
- Flowering and fruiting are the critical stages.
- Uneven watering causes flower drop and blossom-end rot.
Weeds & special care
- Keep the crop weed-free early; mulch suppresses most weeds.
- Hand-weed carefully so as not to disturb the shallow roots.
- Stake tall hybrids under protection to carry the fruit load.
- Remove the first (king) flower on vigorous plants to build the frame.
Plant protection
Work the IPM way — clean nursery, traps, weekly scouting and need-based sprays. Sucking pests (and the viruses they carry) and fruit rot are the main targets.
Major pests
| Pest | Damage | Manage with |
|---|---|---|
| Thrips & aphids | Suck sap, distort leaves, spread viruses | Sticky traps, neem, conserve predators; need-based spinosad use sparingly |
| Mites | Downward leaf curl and bronzing in hot, dry spells | Maintain moisture, wettable sulphur or a recommended miticide |
| Whitefly | Sucks sap, spreads leaf-curl viruses | Yellow sticky traps, neem, rogue infected plants |
| Fruit borer | Caterpillar bores into fruit | Pheromone traps, Bt, hand-pick; need-based chemical only |
| Root-knot nematode | Galled roots, stunting | Neem cake, rotation, resistant rootstock |
Major diseases
| Disease | Signs | Manage with |
|---|---|---|
| Damping-off | Seedlings rot and topple in the nursery | Treated seed, raised beds, Trichoderma, avoid overwatering |
| Anthracnose / fruit rot | Sunken, dark spots on fruit | Clean seed, remove infected fruit, copper or recommended fungicide |
| Bacterial wilt & Phytophthora | Sudden wilting; root and collar rot in wet soil | Resistant types, raised beds, good drainage, rotation |
| Mosaic & leaf-curl viruses | Mottled, distorted, stunted leaves | Control aphids/thrips/whitefly, rogue infected plants |
| Powdery mildew | White patches, mostly on leaf undersides | Sulphur or a recommended fungicide; good airflow |
Use chemicals safely
The products above are examples, not a prescription. Doses, approved crops and pre-harvest intervals differ by country and change over time. Always read the label, wear protective gear, use the correct dose, observe the waiting period before harvest, protect bees, and confirm with your local agriculture officer.
Harvest & yield
- Pick firm fruit from about 60–70 days after transplanting — green, or left on to colour fully.
- Cut the fruit with a short stalk; it snaps and bruises easily.
- Pick every few days; coloured fruit fetches more but ties up the plant longer.
- Typical yield: 20–40 t/ha in the open, much higher under protection.
Post-harvest handling
- Handle gently and keep out of the sun; capsicum wilts fast.
- Grade by colour, size and firmness; remove soft or cracked fruit.
- Store cool around 7–10 °C with high humidity.
- Pack in ventilated crates, not overfilled.
Field tips that pay off
- Drip + mulch + steady moisture is the recipe for clean, blocky fruit.
- Add calcium and boron to beat blossom-end rot and flower drop.
- Scout for thrips and mites early — they bring viruses with them.
- Grow the cool season (or under shade net) to avoid heat-driven flower drop.
Related crops
Capsicum — Package of Practices
A sweet, thick-walled pepper that loves mild weather and steady feeding — give it drip, calcium and boron and it sets clean, blocky fruit over a long season.
Overview
Capsicum (bell or sweet pepper) is a warm-but-mild-season Solanaceae crop grown for its thick, blocky fruit, harvested green or fully coloured. It is more demanding than chilli — it dislikes heat and water stress and rewards drip irrigation and plastic mulch with high, clean yields.
Under shade nets or polyhouses it yields far more over a longer cycle; in the open it is best grown in the cooler months.
Climate & season
Capsicum prefers mild weather around 20–28 °C. It is frost-sensitive, and high heat causes flower and fruit drop, so time the crop for the cool season or grow it under protection.
- Mild, bright weather gives the best fruit set.
- High heat and dry winds shed flowers — keep moisture even.
- Protected cultivation extends the season and lifts yield sharply.
Soil & land preparation
A well-drained, fertile loam rich in organic matter suits capsicum, at a pH of 6–7. Avoid waterlogging.
- Plough to a fine tilth and form raised beds for drip.
- Incorporate 25 t/ha of farmyard manure with biofertilizers.
- Lay plastic mulch to keep fruit clean and moisture even.
- Rotate away from other Solanaceae (tomato, chilli, brinjal, potato).
Choosing a type & seed
Choose a type by colour and market (green, red, yellow, orange), blocky or lamuyo shape, and tolerance to viruses and fruit rot. Hybrids dominate for uniform, high yields, especially under protection. No specific cultivar is named here.
Seed rate
- Hybrid: about 200–400 g/ha (less under protection).
- Raise seedlings in pro-trays for clean, uniform plants.
Seed treatment
- Treat seed with Trichoderma viride against damping-off.
- Raise the nursery on a sterile, well-drained medium.
Nursery, transplanting & spacing
- Raise the nursery in pro-trays under light shade; keep moist.
- Transplant at 30–40 days into moist beds, in the evening.
- Spacing: about 45 × 30 cm (closer under protection).
- Gap-fill about a week after transplanting.
Nutrient management
Capsicum is grown much like its relative chilli and does best under drip fertigation. A balanced, fairly high dose suits it — about N–P–K 150 : 150 : 150 kg/ha (a 1:1:1 ratio) over the long crop, with added calcium and boron, which clearly improve fruit set, wall thickness and quality. Fine-tune to your soil test.
Apply as basal (before planting)
- Farmyard manure 25 t/ha with Azospirillum and Phosphobacteria.
- 75% of the phosphorus as superphosphate, worked into the bed.
- Form raised beds and lay plastic mulch for clean fruit and even moisture.
Give through the drip (fertigation)
Feed the rest with water-soluble fertilizers, weekly from about the third week after transplanting, raising the dose through flowering and fruiting. Inject mid-irrigation and flush the lines afterwards.
Irrigation
- Keep the root zone evenly moist — capsicum is sensitive to both drought and waterlogging.
- Drip with mulch is strongly preferred and also carries the fertigation.
- Flowering and fruiting are the critical stages.
- Uneven watering causes flower drop and blossom-end rot.
Weeds & special care
- Keep the crop weed-free early; mulch suppresses most weeds.
- Hand-weed carefully so as not to disturb the shallow roots.
- Stake tall hybrids under protection to carry the fruit load.
- Remove the first (king) flower on vigorous plants to build the frame.
Plant protection
Work the IPM way — clean nursery, traps, weekly scouting and need-based sprays. Sucking pests (and the viruses they carry) and fruit rot are the main targets.
Major pests
| Pest | Damage | Manage with |
|---|---|---|
| Thrips & aphids | Suck sap, distort leaves, spread viruses | Sticky traps, neem, conserve predators; need-based spinosad use sparingly |
| Mites | Downward leaf curl and bronzing in hot, dry spells | Maintain moisture, wettable sulphur or a recommended miticide |
| Whitefly | Sucks sap, spreads leaf-curl viruses | Yellow sticky traps, neem, rogue infected plants |
| Fruit borer | Caterpillar bores into fruit | Pheromone traps, Bt, hand-pick; need-based chemical only |
| Root-knot nematode | Galled roots, stunting | Neem cake, rotation, resistant rootstock |
Major diseases
| Disease | Signs | Manage with |
|---|---|---|
| Damping-off | Seedlings rot and topple in the nursery | Treated seed, raised beds, Trichoderma, avoid overwatering |
| Anthracnose / fruit rot | Sunken, dark spots on fruit | Clean seed, remove infected fruit, copper or recommended fungicide |
| Bacterial wilt & Phytophthora | Sudden wilting; root and collar rot in wet soil | Resistant types, raised beds, good drainage, rotation |
| Mosaic & leaf-curl viruses | Mottled, distorted, stunted leaves | Control aphids/thrips/whitefly, rogue infected plants |
| Powdery mildew | White patches, mostly on leaf undersides | Sulphur or a recommended fungicide; good airflow |
Use chemicals safely
The products above are examples, not a prescription. Doses, approved crops and pre-harvest intervals differ by country and change over time. Always read the label, wear protective gear, use the correct dose, observe the waiting period before harvest, protect bees, and confirm with your local agriculture officer.
Harvest & yield
- Pick firm fruit from about 60–70 days after transplanting — green, or left on to colour fully.
- Cut the fruit with a short stalk; it snaps and bruises easily.
- Pick every few days; coloured fruit fetches more but ties up the plant longer.
- Typical yield: 20–40 t/ha in the open, much higher under protection.
Post-harvest handling
- Handle gently and keep out of the sun; capsicum wilts fast.
- Grade by colour, size and firmness; remove soft or cracked fruit.
- Store cool around 7–10 °C with high humidity.
- Pack in ventilated crates, not overfilled.
Field tips that pay off
- Drip + mulch + steady moisture is the recipe for clean, blocky fruit.
- Add calcium and boron to beat blossom-end rot and flower drop.
- Scout for thrips and mites early — they bring viruses with them.
- Grow the cool season (or under shade net) to avoid heat-driven flower drop.