Pepper Seeds - Sweet - Cubanelle
65 Days to maturity (from transplant). Capsicum annuum. Cubanelle Pepper Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, drought tolerant, sweet pepper with mild heat levels. 100 to 500 Scoville Heat Units. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. Famous for delicious fried peppers. Sweet frying pepper, 4.5-6 inches long x 2-2.5 inches in diameter, 3 lobes, tapers to a blunt end. ~4,200 seeds/oz.
Download Free Vegetable Growing Guide PDF
Growing Cubanelle Peppers in the Vegetable Garden
To start growing your peppers, plant them in seed starting trays 6-8 weeks before the last spring frost date in your area. First things first, grab your seed starting trays and get ready to plant the seeds with either well-draining soil or go for a seed starting mix like Minute Soil Coco Clair. Make sure the soil stays moist, but don’t overwater your seeds. You can stick your pinky into the soil to see if it is dry below the surface. If it is, then give your plants a little water, but make sure you don’t overwater them. The pH of the soil should be about 6.5. Plant the seeds in this soil in a seed starting tray and keep it in a very warm area, somewhere around 80-90 F. You can use a grow light to keep this area warmer. 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. After they are a few inches tall, you can plant them in the garden or in planters! 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 them 12-18 inches apart, and space your rows about 1-1.5 feet apart. Make sure you aren’t planting hot and sweet pepper varieties close to each other to avoid cross-pollination.
Taking good care of your plants will ensure that you end up with a great harvest of peppers! Make sure to water them consistently. You can sprinkle some mulch around the base of the plant to keep the moisture in and suppress any weeds. You can also try companion planting - plant some marigolds and basil with your peppers to attract pollinators and keep the pests at bay. You can try giving your plants a fertilizer full of phosphorus and calcium to help promote their growth. 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, be sure to treat them immediately!
Harvesting Cubanelle Peppers
These peppers are full size when they’ve grown about 4.5 to 6 inches long. They will either be a bright red or a bright orange, and they should have a somewhat glossy sheen. They’ll be ripe somewhere around 65 days after transplanting. When the peppers have grown to their full size and color, you can harvest them with garden shears or a knife by cutting off the peppers, leaving a small stem on the pepper. Be sure to be gentle with the plant so you don’t damage the plant and it can keep producing fruit. Because this is a sweet variety, try not to harvest them too early, because they won’t have their full sweet flavor. Also try to avoid leaving them on the plant for too long, because overripe peppers might be a little bit bitter. Store them in a cool and dry place.
About Cubanelle Pepper Garden Seeds
Cubanelle peppers are a product of the Columbian exchange! They were introduced to Europe by explorers from Spain and Portugal in the 1400s and 1500s, but originate in South and Central America.
This variety is famous for its frying peppers. It is drought tolerant, so can be good for gardeners in drier climates.
Even though it’s a sweet variety, this pepper has a little bit of a bite. It ranges from 100-500 Scoville Heat Units. It has a similar heat level to a Pepperoncini or Poblano pepper.
This variety can be grown in containers, but may not be a good fit for hanging baskets. It also grows well in gardens or raised beds.
Tips From Our Gardeners
"Try to plant your peppers in areas where you haven’t recently grown nightshades so you can be sure the soil isn’t drained of the nutrients it needs for these peppers to grow."
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- Chelsea Hafer, True Leaf Market Writer |
Other Resources
Cubanelle Pepper Seeds Per Package:
- 250 mg packet - Approximately 30 Seeds
- .25 oz - Wholesale - Approximately 4,200 Seeds
- 4 oz - Wholesale - Approximately 16,800 Seeds
- 1 lb - Bulk Seeds - Approximately 67,200 Seeds
Non-GMO Cubanelle 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. |
| Cubanelle Pepper Color: | Orange, Red |
| Cubanelle Pepper Flavor: | Distinct, 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: | 65 (from transplant) |
| Days to Germination: | 7-10 |
| Seeding Depth: | 0.25 inch |
| Plant Spacing: | 12-18 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 7-9 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: | 18-24 inches |
| Deer Resistant: | No |
| Scoville Heat Units: | 100 to 500 |
| Heat Level: | Mild - 100 to 2,500 on the Scoville Scale. Example: Poblano Ancho or Pepperoncini |
| 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: | Container, Greenhouse, Garden Plot, Raised Bed |
| Pepper Use: | Frying |
| Climate Tolerance: | Drought Tolerant |