Sweet Pepper Seeds - Purple Beauty

The Purple Beauty pepper is a striking and delicious sweet pepper variety known for its deep purple color and crisp, sweet flavor. Ideal for gardeners who enjoy growing unique and colorful peppers, this variety produces bell-shaped peppers that transition from green to a rich purple hue as they ripen. These peppers not only add a pop of color to your garden but also provide a mild, sweet taste that makes them perfect for salads, grilling, and a variety of culinary uses.

Key Benefits

• Unique Color: The deep purple color of the peppers provides a bold and beautiful addition to your garden and dishes.
• Sweet Flavor: Offers a mild, sweet taste that’s perfect for those who prefer bell peppers without the heat.
• Versatile Culinary Uses: Great for fresh salads, stir-fries, grilling, and stuffing.
• Rich in Nutrients: Packed with vitamin C, antioxidants, and fiber, making them a healthy addition to any meal.
• Attractive Garden Plant: The vibrant purple peppers on the plant offer ornamental value as well as culinary potential.

Variety Features

• Plant Characteristics: The Purple Beauty pepper plants are compact and bushy, growing to about 18–24 inches tall. The peppers themselves are large, bell-shaped, and ripen from green to deep purple.
• Flavor Profile: Mild and sweet, without the bitterness or heat found in many other peppers.
• Growth Habit: Peppers grow in clusters, with a high yield per plant.
• Size: Mature peppers typically reach about 3–4 inches in length and 3 inches in diameter, making them perfect for stuffing or slicing.

Planting Instructions

Planting Season

• Start seeds indoors about 8–10 weeks before the last expected frost date, or plant them directly outdoors once the danger of frost has passed.
• Purple Beauty peppers thrive in warm conditions, so wait for consistent daytime temperatures of at least 70°F (21°C).

Planting Details

• Seed Depth: Plant seeds about 1/4 inch deep.
• Spacing: Space plants 12–18 inches apart to ensure they have enough room to grow and produce a bountiful harvest.
• Soil Requirements: Prefers well-drained, fertile soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0.
• Sunlight: Requires full sun for best results, at least 6–8 hours of direct sunlight daily.

Care Instructions

Watering

• Keep the soil consistently moist, but avoid waterlogging. Water deeply to encourage strong root growth.
• Be sure to water at the base of the plant to prevent fungal issues.

Fertilization

• Apply a balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10) at planting time and once more when the plants are about 6 inches tall.
• You can also apply organic compost to enhance soil fertility throughout the growing season.

Weeding and Mulching

• Regularly weed around the plants to reduce competition for nutrients and water.
• Mulch around the base to help retain moisture, suppress weeds, and protect the soil from temperature fluctuations.

Pest and Disease Control

• Pests: Watch for aphids, spider mites, and flea beetles. Organic insecticides or neem oil can be used to control pests.
• Diseases: Keep an eye out for common pepper diseases like blight. Avoid overhead watering and practice crop rotation to reduce the risk of disease.

Harvesting

Maturity

• Purple Beauty peppers take about 70–80 days from transplanting to reach full maturity.
• The peppers can be harvested when they reach full size and have developed their deep purple color.

Method

• Use scissors or pruning shears to cut the peppers from the plant, leaving a small portion of the stem attached.
• Peppers can be harvested when still purple or allowed to ripen further on the plant for an even sweeter flavor.

Storage

• Short-Term: Fresh peppers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1–2 weeks.
• Long-Term: Peppers can be frozen after being blanched or dried for long-term storage.

Culinary Uses

• Salads: Freshly sliced Purple Beauty peppers add vibrant color and sweetness to salads.
• Grilling: Grill whole peppers and serve them as a side dish or in fajitas.
• Stuffing: These peppers are ideal for stuffing with rice, cheese, or meat.
• Stir-Fries: Add to stir-fries for a crunchy, sweet texture.
• Roasting: Roast with other vegetables for a sweet and smoky flavor.

Conclusion

Purple Beauty peppers are a beautiful and sweet addition to any garden. Their unique color and mild, sweet flavor make them a favorite in a variety of dishes, from fresh salads to grilled favorites. Whether you're a home gardener looking to grow a colorful vegetable or a chef seeking a versatile, sweet pepper for culinary use, the Purple Beauty pepper is a great choice.