Pepper Seeds - Sweet - Miniature Chocolate Bell
75 Days to maturity (from transplant). Capsicum annuum. Miniature Chocolate Bell Pepper Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, drought tolerant, high-yielding, sweet pepper with no heat. 0 Scoville Heat Units. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. Miniature Chocolate Bell peppers are 2 inches long and 2 inches wide with thick walls and a sweet flavor. Each one matures to deep brown. ~5,000 seeds/oz.
Download Free Vegetable Growing Guide PDF
Growing Miniature Chocolate Bell Peppers in the Vegetable Garden
To grow your peppers, prepare your seed starting trays and plant the seeds. Start the process about 6-8 weeks before your last spring frost date. Plant the seeds in either a well-draining soil or in a seed starting mix like Minute Soil Coco Clair. The pH of the soil should be about 6.5. Plant the seeds about 0.25 inches deep. Try to keep the soil moist but not waterlogged. You can check whether you need to water your plants by sticking your finger into the soil - if it feels dry, then give your plants some water, but make sure not to overwater. If the soil looks wet, then wait for it to dry out a bit before you water your plants next. Keep your peppers in a warm spot for germination, somewhere around 80-90 F. You can use a grow light to create a warmer space that will help them germinate. After about 7-10 days, they should germinate, and you can move them to a cooler spot so they can be hardened off before you plant them in the garden. Plant your seedlings in a sunny location that has well-draining soil, ideally somewhere you haven’t grown nightshades in a while, to make sure the soil has plenty of nutrients. Plant the rows about 2-3 feet apart, and plant individual plants about 12-18 inches apart. Dig a hole and make sure the roots are covered completely!
Keep a close eye on your peppers throughout the growing process to make sure they are healthy and growing correctly! You should be watering them consistently. The soil should be moist beneath the surface, but make sure not to overwater them. You can stick your finger in the soil to see how the moisture levels are beneath the surface. Sprinkle some mulch around the base of your plants to keep the soil moist and prevent any pesky weeds. You can also try adding a fertilizer that is rich in phosphorus and calcium to provide essential nutrients to your peppers. Try companion planting with crops like marigolds and basil. This can help keep pests away and attract pollinators to your garden. Make sure to support the plants with stakes or trellises, which will help them grow upright and will support the plant as they grow fruit. And keep an eye on your peppers - if you spot any pests or diseases, make sure to treat them immediately!
Harvesting Miniature Chocolate Bell Peppers
As they mature, your peppers will turn from a green to brown, then purple-black. This variety will be ready for harvest about 75 days after transplanting. You’ll know the pepper is ready for harvest when it is a dark color and feels firm. Because these are sweet peppers, they taste best when fully ripe - harvesting them too early or too late may leave you with a bitter fruit. To harvest the pepper, you can cut the stem with garden shears of a knife. Make sure to be gentle and not damage the plant so it can keep producing fruit!
About Miniature Chocolate Bell Pepper Garden Seeds
These peppers were bred by a family in Ohio and passed down throughout generations. They were specifically bred for their small size and their sweet flavor.
These peppers are great to be stuffed, pickled, or used in salads!
These plants can grow pretty tall, so it’s not a great idea to grow them in hanging baskets. They grow well in pots and raised beds.
Tips From Our Gardeners
"The dark color and sweet flavor of these peppers make them a unique addition to dishes! They are great stuffing peppers."
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- Chelsea Hafer, True Leaf Market Writer |
Other Resources
Miniature Chocolate Bell Pepper Seeds Per Package:
- 500 mg packet - Approximately 90 Seeds
- 0.25 oz - Approximately 1,250 Seeds
- 1 oz - Wholesale - Approximately 5,000 Seeds
- 4 oz - Wholesale - Approximately 20,000 Seeds
- 1 lb - Bulk Seeds - Approximately 80,000 Seeds
Non-GMO Miniature Chocolate Bell Pepper seeds are available for Fast Free Shipping on qualifying orders.
Basic Info
| Latin Name: | Capsicum annuum |
| Pepper Type: | Sweet - These peppers (think Bell Peppers) are almost all at 0 on the Scoville Scale, meaning that they have no heat at all. A handful of sweet peppers do register very low on the Scoville scale but are still classed as sweet peppers. For example, Pepperoncinis are sweet peppers but usually rank around 100 to 500 on the Scoville Scale. |
| Miniature Chocolate Bell Pepper Color: | Brown |
| Miniature Chocolate Bell Pepper Flavor: | Sweet |
Growing Info
| Hardiness Zone: | 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 Technically a tender perennial, but commonly grown as an annual. Perennial in zones 10 and 11. |
| Days to Maturity: | 75 (from transplant) |
| Days to Germination: | 7-10 |
| Seeding Depth: | 0.25 inch |
| Plant Spacing: | 12-24 inches |
| Row Spacing: | 24-36 inches |
| Plant Height: | 18-24 inches |
| Growth Habit: | Upright |
| Soil Preference: | Well-draining, loose (sandy loam), slightly acidic (6.5 pH), and moisture retaining. Too much nitrogen in the soil may lead to more foliage production and less fruiting, similar to tomatoes. Peppers also need sufficient amounts of phosphorus and calcium. We recommend using a balanced fertilizer for the best results. |
| Temperature Preference: | Warmer (70-85 F). During high heat, foliar and flower development slow or pause until temperatures return to the preferred range. |
| Light Preference: | Full Sun |
Other
| Direct Sow: | No |
| Start Indoors: | Yes. Start Indoors 6-8 weeks before your last spring frost date. Harden off and transplant when seedlings are 6-8 inches tall. Bury the stem slightly deeper than the root ball. Avoid planting hot and sweet peppers right next to each other, as they can cross-pollinate, potentially affecting the flavors of your harvested peppers. |
| Pepper Pollination: | Peppers have perfect flowers (male and female parts) and will self-pollinate. However, wind and pollinator activity may increase success rates of fertilization and fruit production. |
| Plant Width: | 12-18 inches |
| Deer Resistant: | No |
| Scoville Heat Units: | 0 |
| Heat Level: | Sweet - Peppers with no heat. 0-99 on the Scoville Scale. |
| Growth Speed: | Early - Ready for harvest around 61 to 75 days from transplant. |
| Germination Temperature: | 80-90 F |
| Pests and Diseases: | Peppers are commonly susceptible to cutworms, aphids, flea beetles, bacterial spot, Phytophthora, sunscald, and blossom end rot. To avoid or reduce problems with pests and diseases, stick to a regular watering schedule (drip irrigation is preferred), plant into well-draining soils, and utilize practices such as crop rotation. When taking pest control measures, consider utilizing integrated pest management principles by using mechanical removal, biological control, and other cultural practices before turning to chemical agents. |
| Garden Size: | Greenhouse, Garden Plot, Raised Bed, Containers |
| Pepper Use: | Stuffed, pickled, salads |
| Climate Tolerance: | Drought Tolerant |