Growing Sweet Banana Pepper
in Northeast Florida Vegetable Gardens
( Capsicum annuum )
.
Sweet Banana peppers grow from just 24 inch plants in abundance.
They yellow fruits are mild and sweet. These easy to grow and easy to care for peppers are the perfect pepper varity for beginning vegetable gardeners. Plant from your S & J Nurseyr contianer in March, April and May and again in July and August.
Foliage and Use of Sweet Banana Pepper for Northeast Florida vegetable gardens:
Large leafy plants of the sweet banana pepper stay compact at just 18-24 inches tall and 14+ inches wide.
Sweet Banana peppers are perfect for slicing up to serve fresh with salsas and salads, roasting on the grill, stuffing, in a skillet with mixed vegetables, topping your favorite pizza or pickling!
Planting Season for Sweet Banana Pepper in Jacksonville and St. Augustine Florida and the surrounding areas:
Sweet Banana pepper can be planted as soon as the weather warms in spring. Late February to early March through April and again in July an August are considered a warm season crop, they are frost sensitive and should only be planted in frost free months in Northeast Florida vegetable gardens, or placed on a porch or patio to keep the frost off during the winter season.
Start your peppers in February from seed and March from S & J Nursery transplants. Growing season for Sweet banana peppers in the Jacksonville and St. Augustine area garden is February to July.
Sun Exposure for Growing Sweet Banana in Northeast Florida Vegetable Gardens:
Plant your banana peppers in direct sun or part shade location for best results. Morning sun with afternoon shade or afternoon sun with morning shade locations will work well. Or plant your Sweet Banana peppers under taller native Pine trees where they will receive dappled light all day.
Soil Preferences for Sweet Banana Peppers in the Jacksonville and St. Augustine Florida areas:
Sweet Banana peppers will do best in the Northeast Florida garden when grown in soils that have been generously amended with compost.
Be sure to plant into well drained soils that do not hold water for prolonged periods after heavy rains.
Care of Sweet Banana Pepper Plants in the Northeast Florida Vegetable Garden:
Watering Your Sweet Banana Pepper:
Newly planted Sweet Banana peppers will require watering daily for the first few days to a week after being planted from seed or transplanted from an S & J Nursery container.
Once the Sweet Banana pepper plants are established and growing, be sure to keep the soil moist by watering at least once per week if rainfall is scarce, when plants are bearing fruits, start watering twice a week.
Mulching Your Sweet Banana Pepper Plants:
For maximum growth potential, mulch plants generously, this will help conserve moisture.
Fertilizing Your Sweet Banana Peppers:
Feed every two to three weeks with an all purpose fertilizer like 6-6-6.
Or for an organic approach, try fertilizing with a mixture of fish emulsions and seaweed (kelp) at one ounce each per gallon of water. Apply semi weekly as a foliar spray.
If your vegetable plants look like they could use a boost, give them a good watering with homemade compost tea as soon as the top few inches of soil around your plant is dry to the touch!
Harvesting Your Sweet Banana Peppers in the Northeast Florida Vegetable Garden:
Your Sweet Banana Pepper can be harvested when skins still green or once they have ripened to the bright yellow. Store at room temperature for a few days or refrigerate for about a week.