Why Are My Bell Peppers So Small

The bell pepper plant “Capsicum annum” is a species of the nightshade family and group Grossum cultivar. There are approximately 2,300 members of the nightshade family.

The Capsicum annum is just one example, as well as the “Solanum Lycopersicum (tomato plant), “Solanum melongena” (eggplant), and “Solanum tubersum” (potato plant).

The bell pepper comes in a range of colors, including orange, red, yellow, purple, white, green, and rarer brown. The texture is smooth and shiny when properly grown. They vary in size depending on the species and growing conditions.

Bell peppers need warm weather to produce bigger, better peppers. However, too much heat while the peppers are forming can cause them to be smaller and have an unusual appearance. Though they are still fine to eat, this can be disappointing at harvest time.

Bell Peppers Flowering Early

When bell peppers flower too early, it can lead to stunted growth. The contributor is believed to be improper nutrients.

The problem may not be related to the inefficiency in how the backyard gardener or commercial farmer provides nutrients. It may lean more toward how the nutrients are directed.

Pinching can help redirect nutrients to the root system and plant. It is recommended to start pinching off the flowers after two or three weeks of the transplant date.

Mark it on your calendar when you transplanted your bell pepper seeds. Carefully pinch off the flowers after two weeks of transplanting to redirect the nutrients to the root system.

The key is to pick the flower to push delay the buds from producing. While you may be eager to have some fresh bell pepper, producing too early could result in a smaller size.

Some gardeners may disagree with this theory because they have reported success without pinching intervention.

[Related Article: Why Are My Bell Peppers Turning Brown]

Bell Peppers Getting Too Much Water

Experts recommend approximately 2 inches (5 centimeters) of water each week. If you prefer, you can provide 7.5 liters (2 gallons) of water per square foot weekly.

Watering minimally over the recommended volume will have little impact on the bell pepper plants. However, excessive water will result in root rot. Bell pepper plants rarely survive severe root rot.

Watering bell pepper plants excessively washes away vital nutrients, such as nitrogen, potassium, phosphorous, calcium, magnesium, carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, boron, cobalt, molybdenum, iron, and chlorine.

Insufficient nutrients result in stunted growth, smaller bell peppers, an extended maturity, yellowing of leaves, and delayed fruiting.

Bell Peppers Getting Too Little Water

Insufficient watering results in the rotting of bell peppers on the vine. Another downside of insufficient watering is a bell pepper with an extremely bitter taste.

The stronger than the normal bitter flavor is linked to capsaicin production. Healthy bell pepper is a mixture of sweet and bitter flavors. While the key to avoiding an excessive bitter bell pepper is adequate watering, avoiding picking the fruit too early can also help.

Experts believe leaving the bell pepper on the vine for a few more days will add sweetness to the flavor.

Bell Pepper In Soggy Soil

Bell pepper plants thrive in the proper soil conditions. The soil must be able to drain no longer than three hours. Utilizing a mixture of nutrient-rich soil and compost, you can make your soil drain properly.

Never utilize clay because it holds water, instead of allowing it to drain.

When the root system is exposed to soggy soil conditions, it will eventually lead to root rot. Do a drainage test to ensure the water does not become stagnant. A 12-inch hole full of water should completely drain within two to three hours.

Not The Right Temperature

To ensure that your bell peppers reach the maximum size, you need to grow them in the perfect conditions. Therefore, you should grow them at the right time. In general, the soil should remain between 70 and 85 degrees.

Peppers do not thrive in cold soil or cold air. One way to resolve this is by starting the plants indoors. Start them inside roughly two months before the soil reaches the perfect temperature.

Either way, you don’t want to grow bell peppers in cold environments.

Doing so will make it difficult for the peppers to reach the maximum size. Make sure that the soil remains between 70 and 85 degrees for the best results.

The Plants Aren’t Getting Enough Sunlight

Besides worrying about the temperature, you also need to make sure that the plants receive sufficient sunlight. If you place the plant in a shady area, there is a risk that it won’t receive enough sunlight.

If this happens, the peppers likely aren’t going to reach the maximum size. The good news is that bell peppers do not need too much sunlight. You just need to make sure that your plants are going to receive at least six hours each day.

Put them in a location where they’ll receive plenty of sunlight.

When bell peppers do not receive enough sunlight, the plants will not thrive. Plus, there is a risk that the peppers will be smaller than desired. Combine organic matter or compost with the soil. Plus, make sure that the plants receive six to eight hours of sunlight each day.

You Haven’t Waited Long Enough

When you decide to plant and grow bell peppers, you need to be patient. Remember that the seeds must be planted eight to ten weeks before the weather gets hotter.

Then, you’ll have to wait until the plants reach their maximum size. In general, bell peppers have a long growing season. You can expect to wait 60 to 90 days for the bell peppers to reach the maximum size.

The seeds can be grown inside. Alternatively, you can buy starter pepper plants and grow them that way.

Regardless, you may not have waited long enough yet. Remember that the peppers will be the full color for the variety in question. Once it reaches its full color, the peppers can be harvested immediately. At this point, they should be a perfect size.

Summary

Your bell peppers can be small for a number of reasons. It is pertinent to identify the source of the problem so you can rectify it immediately.

When growing bell peppers, you must take precise steps to ensure that your bell peppers grow larger.

In some cases, the bell peppers haven’t received enough water. Your climate or the way you initially planted them could lead to problems too. Growing bell peppers with precisions and delivering sufficient water and nutrients can make a big difference.