How to Grow Bell Pepper 'Sweet Chocolate'
Capsicum annuum 'Sweet Chocolate'
Bell Pepper 'Sweet Chocolate' is a warm-season variety prized for its rich flavor and striking dark fruit. Gardeners grow this easy-to-moderate difficulty plant to add vibrant color and nutritious produce to their summer harvests, thriving in full sun with consistent moisture.
📷 Wikipedia: Capsicum annuumStarting Bell Pepper 'Sweet Chocolate': indoors or direct sow?
🌾 Sow directly in the garden — Bell Pepper 'Sweet Chocolate' is not usually started indoors.
Do not transplant seedlings outdoors until all danger of frost has passed and soil temperatures are consistently warm.
Soil, care & harvest
Prepare loose, fertile soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0 for optimal growth. Since peppers are frost-sensitive warm-season crops, start seeds indoors after the last spring frost date or wait until soil is warm before direct sowing outdoors. Sow seeds about one inch deep; they typically germinate within seven to fourteen days.
Space plants eighteen to twenty-four inches apart to ensure good air circulation. Provide consistent moisture, aiming for one to two inches of water weekly, and apply mulch to retain soil moisture and regulate temperature. Feed regularly with a balanced fertilizer during the fruiting stage to support heavy production.
Watch for aphids, pepper weevils, cutworms, and hornworms; inspect leaves frequently and remove pests by hand or use organic sprays. Prevent bacterial leaf spot, blossom end rot, anthracnose, and pepper mottle virus through proper spacing and sanitation. Harvest fruits seventy-five to eighty-five days after planting when they reach full size and desired color.
When to Plant Bell Pepper 'Sweet Chocolate'
Planting windows vary by USDA hardiness zone. Look up yours by ZIP code.
| Zone | Start Indoors | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | May | — | October – August |
| Zone 2 | April – May | — | September |
| Zone 3 | April | — | September – October |
| Zone 4 | March – April | — | August – October |
| Zone 5 | March | — | August – October |
| Zone 6 | March | — | August – October |
| Zone 7 | February – March | — | July – September |
| Zone 8 | February | — | July – September |
| Zone 9 | January | — | June – August |
| Zone 10 | January | — | May – July |
| Zone 11 | January | — | April – June |
| Zone 12 | January | — | April – June |
| Zone 13 | January | — | April – June |
Companion Plants for Bell Pepper 'Sweet Chocolate'
✓ Good companions
Repels aphids, spider mites, and thrips while potentially improving pepper flavor
Loose soil around carrots improves pepper root aeration and water drainage
Deters nematodes, aphids, and whiteflies with natural pest-repelling compounds
Acts as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles, protecting peppers
Strong scent deters aphids, thrips, and spider mites that commonly attack peppers
Repels aphids and spider mites while attracting beneficial predatory insects
Attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies and parasitic wasps that control pepper pests
Similar growing requirements and can share space efficiently, mutual pest confusion
✗ Keep away from
Compete for similar nutrients and may attract flea beetles that can damage pepper plants
Releases allelopathic compounds that inhibit pepper growth and development
Produce juglone toxin that causes wilting and stunted growth in pepper plants
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving (USDA FoodData Central)
