Bell Pepper Varieties in South Texas

Climate

• Most of South Texas experiences mild winters, with average annual extreme minimum temperatures of 15 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit in USDA zone 8b, 20 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit in zone 9 and 30 to 35 degrees in zone 10a. Rainfall varies from wet in areas near the Gulf Coast such as Houston, which has an average annual rainfall of 45.3 inches to drier interior areas such as Edwards County, with 22 inches. These conditions give South Texas a long, warm growing season that closely resembles that of bell pepper's (Capsicum annuum) homeland of Mexico, Central America and South America.

Green Peppers

• According to South Texas gardening expert Bob Webster of San Antonio radio station KTSA, bell peppers grow extremely well in South Texas. Peppers recommended as the best varieties to grow in Texas include "Bell Tower," "California Wonder," "Keystone Resistant Giant," "Shamrock" and "Yolo Wonder." Extension horticulturists from the Texas Cooperative Extension Service consider the newer variety "Capistrano" as an outstanding candidate that is replacing older varieties because of its high yield of bigger peppers and its darker green, thicker fruit walls.

Colorful Bell Peppers

• All bell peppers are green as unripened fruit. You need a long, warm growing season such as that in South Texas to produce ripe, colorful fruits. The taste becomes sweeter and richer in ripened bell peppers due to the development of plant sugars in the fruits. "Capistrano" ripens to red, as does "Yolo Wonder" and "California Wonder." Texas Cooperative Extension Service agents recommend "Summer Sweet 860" as the best-quality, highest-yielding yellow-ripening bell pepper. Purple "Merlot" tolerates heat and high humidity and does well in Southern gardens.

Cultivation

• The "Texas Gardener's Handbook" advises to wait until late March or early April to plant peppers, since they need warm weather to develop fruits. By May, some peppers should be ready to harvest. Peppers need evenly moist soil for fruit production, with irrigation every three to five days recommended by Texas A&M. During hot weather with abundant sunshine, peppers can sunburn or stop setting fruit, so shade the plants with row covers or plant them where they get partial shade. When temperatures drop in late summer and fall, fruit production picks up again. Plant pests and diseases thrive in USDA zones 9 and 10, and bell peppers are susceptible to root rots, fungal diseases, and viruses and bacteria. Choose disease-resistant varieties such as "Capistrano" and "Yolo Wonder" or use row covers.