My Bell Peppers Are Growing But Why Do the Small Bell Peppers Have White Blooms?

Sowing

• Bell peppers may not be as spicy as other pepper varieties, but they still love heat. Warm soil between 80 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal for germination and encourages quick establishment. If starting indoors, a seedling heat mat helps move things forward. Remove early blossoms to ensure that the plant gets well established before it spends too much energy on fruit production. Place in the garden once soil temperatures are at least 60 F at nighttime.

Growing

• If selecting seedlings from a nursery, avoid immature plants with flowers or fruit and instead select individuals with three to five sets of true leaves. Young pepper plants may have difficulty producing quality fruit if they are not established first. Soil should be well-draining and enriched with phosphorus and calcium, but go easy on the nitrogen for these crops. Plant about 12 inches apart depending on the size of the plant, but keep in mind that pepper plants grow well close together.

Fruit Production

• Avoid cold temperatures and dry soil to ensure quality fruit production. Bell pepper fruits grow from the small white blossoms that appear on the plant. As fruit sets and matures, the blossom may stick on the end of the pepper, opposite the stem, until it grows larger and the petals ultimately slip off. Be gentle in handling these early blossoms as they can easily fall off the plant and reduce your harvest. Bell pepper plants often produce six to eight or more fruits per plant.

Boosting Fruit Production

• There's a little secret about growing bell peppers that only some gardeners know. Although the plants love heat, they benefit by an early cold shock right after germination that helps boost fruit and flower production. Start seeds indoors and move to small pots once first true foliage appears. Then, lower daytime soil temperature to 70 F. Once the third set of leaves appears, lower the temperature to 55 F for four weeks, then place in 70 F temperatures again until ready to place in the garden.