Crop guide · Capsicum annuum
Capsicum (sweet pepper): what to measure and why
Capsicum pays for consistency and punishes swings. The losses that cost most in a pepper house — blossom end rot, flowers dropping in the afternoon heat and growth quietly stalling in a sealed house — are control problems, not input problems.
Also known as Pilipili hoho
Growing conditions
The ranges capsicum (sweet pepper) cares about
General agronomic ranges. A soil test and your agronomist decide the final numbers for your variety and site.
| Factor | Range | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Day air temperature | 21–27 °C | Fruit sets reliably in this band |
| Night air temperature | above ~15 °C | Cold nights slow growth and set |
| Flower abortion | above ~32 °C | Pollen viability collapses; flowers already made are shed |
| Relative humidity | below ~85 % overnight | Held above this, botrytis and powdery mildew build |
| CO₂ in daylight | near ambient (~420 ppm) | Below ~300 ppm CO₂ becomes the growth limiter |
| Root-zone salinity | below ~2.0 dS/m | Moderately salt-sensitive; quality suffers above this |
| Soil pH | 6.0–6.8 | Typical target range; confirm with a soil test |
Risks
Where capsicum (sweet pepper) loses yield
Blossom end rot
The sunken black patch at the base of the fruit is calcium failing to reach the fruit tip. Calcium travels with water, so irregular watering — dry spells then heavy soaks — causes it far more often than calcium-poor soil. Steady moisture fixes it; calcium sprays usually do not.
Root rot
Pepper roots are shallow and dislike both drying out and standing wet. Sustained saturation invites Phytophthora, effectively untreatable once established. Water little and often — several short pulses a day.
Heat flower drop
An unvented house in midday sun passes 40 °C easily. Extraction staged on temperature keeps the house out of the band where flowers abort.
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