How to Grow Sweet Pepper 'Bull's Horn'
Capsicum annuum 'Corno di Toro'
Sweet Pepper 'Bull's Horn' is a warm-season heirloom variety prized for its robust growth and flavorful fruit. Gardeners value this plant for its moderate difficulty level and ability to thrive in full sun across many USDA zones.
📷 Wikipedia: Capsicum annuumStarting Sweet Pepper 'Bull's Horn': indoors or direct sow?
🏠 Start indoors 6 weeks before your last spring frost, then move the seedlings outside.
Transplant seedlings outdoors only after all danger of frost has passed and soil temperatures have warmed sufficiently for this heat-loving species.
Soil, care & harvest
Prepare loose, fertile soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0 before starting seeds indoors. Sow the seeds about one inch deep, as they typically germinate within ten to fourteen days. Since this is a warm-season crop sensitive to cold, start seeds six weeks before your last expected frost date.
Space plants eighteen to twenty-four inches apart in full sun locations. Provide consistent deep watering totaling one to two inches weekly, ensuring the soil remains moist but not waterlogged. Apply mulch around the base to retain moisture and feed the plant regularly during its active growing season.
Watch for pests like aphids and cutworms, as well as diseases such as bacterial leaf spot; practice crop rotation and remove infected leaves promptly. Harvest fruits seventy-five to eighty-five days after transplanting when they reach full color and firmness. Handle peppers gently to avoid bruising the skin.
When to Plant Sweet Pepper 'Bull's Horn'
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 Sweet Pepper 'Bull's Horn'
✓ Good companions
Repels aphids, spider mites, and thrips while potentially improving pepper flavor
Help break up soil and don't compete for nutrients, while peppers provide light shade
Repel nematodes, aphids, and whiteflies while attracting beneficial insects
Act as trap crops for aphids and cucumber beetles while repelling squash bugs
Repel aphids, thrips, and other pests that commonly attack peppers
Deters aphids, spider mites, and provides ground cover to retain soil moisture
Attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies and parasitic wasps that control pepper pests
Share similar growing conditions and can help deter certain pests when grown together
✗ Keep away from
Compete heavily for nutrients and can stunt pepper growth due to different soil pH preferences
Releases allelopathic compounds that inhibit pepper growth and development
Produce juglone which is toxic to peppers and can cause wilting and death
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving (USDA FoodData Central)
