Green capsicums, also known around the world as bell peppers, are referred to by a variety of local names in Pakistan.

It is believed that the reason behind these names dates back to when the British first introduced the Subcontinent to capsicums. The colonisers first planted and grew the green, crunchy vegetable in Shimla, a mountainous city in India. Since then, the vegetable has been known as shimla mirch or pahaari mirch locally.

Bell peppers can be found in a variety of colours apart from green, including red, orange, yellow, white, purple and different shades of brown and black. This plethora of colours can help make meals visually arresting.

The seeds of the bell pepper are small, flat, disk-shaped and yellowish-white in colour. The seeds are sown indoors two months before the winter season ends. This helps to protect the germinating seeds from the harsh wrath of the winters. In warmer regions, where the winters are relatively milder, shorter in duration and have a lesser chance of snowfall, the seeds can be sown outside from mid-October onwards.

Green capsicums are a staple in Pakistani cuisine but can be quite tricky to grow since they require ideal conditions for growth

In order to sow the seeds, the potting mix should be well-drained, devoid of any stones and partly mixed with compost. After watering generously, the seeds should be sprinkled on top of this potting mix and then covered with a thin layer of compost. To ensure that the soil continues to retain water, the container with the sown seeds should be covered and placed in the shade.

Depending upon the climate, quality of seeds and potting mix, the seeds are likely to germinate within one to three weeks. After sprouting, the cover should be removed and the sunlight exposure should be gradually increased from one hour to three hours.

Once the plant starts to produce three to five true leaves, it should then be transferred to its permanent location. When it is being shifted, it should be ensured that the container is placed in such a location that it is exposed to direct sunlight. The plant requires maximum direct sunlight exposure for at least six to eight hours in a day from sunrise till noon.

A few supporting sticks should be inserted into the soil around the newly transferred plant. This is done because, in the future, it will need support as it may bend during the fruiting stage, because of the weight of the hanging capsicums.

There is a popular belief that the capsicum should not be planted along with or at a place where any of the nightshade vegetables were previously grown. Common nightshade vegetables include potatoes, tomatoes and eggplants. All these nightshade plants contain alkaloids. It is also believed that the capsicum plant will be more prone to plant diseases if grown at the same location where a nightshade plant was previously cultivated.

It is always better to grow green capsicums in the ground. Since the roots of the green capsicum plant are shallow, the vegetable can easily be grown in containers as well. If you opt to grow it in a container, ensure that the container is at least 10 inches deep.

Green capsicums generally require ideal conditions to grow. It is a very sensitive plant which may succumb to severe fluctuations in temperature or watering schedule and quantities. These factors may inhibit its growth and fruiting. Regular watering should be ensured. Overwatering and irregular watering may result in blossom-end rot in the yield, turning them black at the bottom.

Until the flowering stage, the plant should be supplied with nitrogen-rich fertilisers, such as decomposed cow manure. Once the plant starts to bloom flowers, begin to add any of the potassium-based fertilisers while limiting the nitrogen fertilisers.

After germination, the seeds turn into mature plants in three months. The flowers of the green capsicum plant are white in colour. The actual produce will be ready to be harvested in two to three months depending upon the multiple factors discussed above.

Please send your queries and emails to doctree101@hotmail.com. The writer is a physician and a host for the YouTube channel ‘DocTree Gardening’ promoting organic kitchen gardening

Published in Dawn, EOS, April 9th, 2023