• To not miss anything and get all the information to succeed in your pepper planting, check out our Ultimate Pepper Growing Guide

The Zsuzsanna bell pepper is a variety from Northern Europe. It is somewhat more accustomed to cooler temperatures than other bell peppers and can be harvested until the first frost of the year. As a bell pepper, it is not hot, but it is very aromatic. Its fleshy fruit looks just like any other bell pepper, and the plant can easily reach 60 cm in height.

• heat level: 0 on the Scoville scale.
• plant size: approximately 60 cm
• medium-sized fruit, approximately 8 to 10 cm long
• fruit color: Green during growth, Red at maturity
• genus: Capsicum Annuum
• ideal germination: between January and April.
• harvest: between September and November.

What Equipment for Growing My Peppers?

For the best results, we recommend having the following on hand:

Zsuzsanna bell pepper seeds.
An enclosed growing space, such as a mini greenhouse.
Coconut coir pellets, peat or cotton (for germinating the seeds).
Labels (to keep your seedlings organized).
Potting mix (ideally 50% black peat and 50% light peat), or a flowering plant potting mix, which will also work.
Chili pepper or tomato fertilizer, or 5-5-10 fertilizer if you know your way around fertilizers.
A spray bottle or watering can.
Gloves (if you don’t like touching soil).
Pots 7 or 8 cm in diameter to start with, followed by pots of 10 liters or more, depending on the pepper, when repotting.

To make things easier, we offer a mini greenhouse for growing your peppers.

How to Germinate My Pepper Seeds?

Planting Peppers is a process that requires patience and some knowledge, but don't panic—we'll explain everything you need to know to germinate your pepper seeds!

Pepper seedlings are typically started at the beginning of the year, generally between January at the earliest and March for the beginning of spring. To do this, you will need the equipment listed above.

You then have 2 options:
Plant your seed directly in a pot full of potting soil at a depth of half a centimeter
Place a seed on a coco coir pellet or on a piece of cotton.

In both cases, once the seed is in place, you will need to spray enough water to moisten the soil or cotton without soaking it, then place your coco coir pellet or cotton in a container such as a mini greenhouse, which will retain heat and humidity, thus providing oxygen. If you use a flower pot, you can simply stretch plastic wrap over it and make small holes with a toothpick to oxygenate the plant.

The ideal is to maintain a constant temperature of 28 degrees. You can place your container behind a sunny window, on or near a radiator, or on a heating mat or heating pad designed for this purpose.

OUR TIP:

Place your mini greenhouse on your internet router!

Remember to air out your growing area from time to time to prevent the appearance of fungi while keeping the soil moist. Once the first leaves appear, you will need to make sure to give your seedlings enough sunlight for 12 to 14 hours per day. Once the second set of leaves is well developed, you can then repot them.

Once in a pot, keep your plant near a heat source and exposed to the sun (ideally try to filter the light to avoid heat stress).

After the Ice Saints around mid-May, you can move your plant outdoors and plant your pepper in the ground if you wish, or leave it in a pot and place it on a balcony, a windowsill, or even along a wall, preferably on the south side.

How should I water my Zsuzsanna bell pepper?

When watering your Zsuzsanna bell pepper, be careful not to overwater. Too much water can drown and kill the plant. Simply let the soil dry out between waterings to help prevent insect infestations and waterlogging.

Once the plant is well established (when it reaches around 30 cm in height), you can induce water stress by stopping watering for several days before resuming. Be careful not to overdo it, though—it would be a shame to let your pepper plant die.

How to Properly Prepare My Harvest?

Once your Pepper plant is in place, here are our tips to optimize your future harvest:

When your Pepper plant reaches 15 to 20 cm in height, you can pinch the top of the stem (without breaking it), which should allow the plant to grow bushier and produce a little more.

If flowering is early for one of your plants, remove the first flowers to prevent them from demanding too much energy from the plant.

If your pepper plant is outdoors, insects will take care of pollinating the plant, which will then produce peppers. If your plant is indoors, you will need to do this manually: take your clean finger and gently rub it against each flower, from one to another.

Don't hesitate to use a bamboo stake or rod to support your plant.

When should I harvest my Zsuzsanna bell pepper plant?

To know when to harvest your Zsuzsanna bell peppers, look at their color! Harvest them when red, or eat them green for a more herbaceous flavor. Try both and decide for yourself—take a big bite!