When to Plant Capsicum in Cairns, Tropical Guide
Also called bell pepper, sweet pepper.
Soil temperature is modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Cairns), not a live sensor.
What this month normally looks like in Tropical
In October the Tropical zone normally runs 34°C by day and 23°C overnight, with about 53 mm of rain over 5 or 6 wet days. Averages 1991 to 2026, 37 postcodes, SILO.
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This Capsicum guide is written for the Tropical zone, which takes in Cairns, Townsville and Darwin. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Planting window
- Feb to Aug
- Days to harvest
- about 11 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Regular
- Spacing
- 45 cm apart
- Soil pH
- 6.0–7.0
- Shop price
- $6.44/kg
Capsicums are warm-season Solanaceae closely related to chillies, tomatoes and eggplant. They need a long, warm growing season to produce well.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Planting Calendar for Tropical
- Jan -
- Feb S
- Mar S/T
- Apr S/T
- May S/T
- Jun S/T
- Jul S/T
- Aug T
- Sep -
- Oct -
- Nov -
- Dec -
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
Want a nudge when it is sowing time?
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How to Grow Capsicum in Tropical Australia
- Soil
- Rich, well-drained soil with generous compost. Slightly acidic preferred.
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- pH Range
- 6.0-7.0
- Sunlight
- Full sun (minimum 6-8 hours). Fruit colour development requires good light.
- Spacing
- 45cm apart, 60cm between rows
- Watering
- Consistent, even moisture is critical. Irregular watering causes blossom end rot and fruit cracking. Deep water 2-3 times per week. Drip irrigation ideal. Avoid wetting foliage.
- Good companions
- Nasturtium, Carrot, Basil, Marigold, Lemongrass
- Keep away from
- Apricot, Broccoli, Fennel, Galangal, Pear, Potato (shares diseases), Strawberry, Walnut (juglone sensitive)
- Grow before it
- Leafy greens and brassicas (Lettuce, Silverbeet, Broccoli)
- Grow after it
- Roots and alliums (Carrot, Beetroot, Onion)
Give the bed 3 turns before nightshades go back in. Tomato, capsicum, eggplant and potato share wilts and blights that live on in the soil.
Tropical Growing Tips for Capsicum
Recommended Varieties
- California Wonder
- Sweet Banana
- Yolo Wonder
- Sweet Bite (mini)
Key Challenges
- Fruit fly year-round
- Bacterial diseases in wet season
- Whitefly transmitting viruses
Pro Tips
- Fruit fly exclusion netting is essentially mandatory in tropical zones
- Dry season crops have far fewer disease issues
- Afternoon shade cloth (30%) reduces sunscald on fruit
Pests and problems for Capsicum in Tropical
- Bacterial Wilt Watch
- Queensland Fruit Fly Watch
- Early Blight Watch
- Bacterial Spot Watch
- Tomato Potato Psyllid Watch
- Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus Watch
- Blossom End Rot Consistent watering schedule. Mulch heavily. Avoid over-fertilising with nitrogen (interferes with calcium uptake). Drip irrigation on... Watch
- Damping Off Use sterile seed-raising mix. Avoid overwatering seedlings. Ensure good drainage and airflow. Sow thinly. Water with chamomile tea as... Watch
- Fruit fly year-round Fruit fly year-round Watch
Harvesting Capsicum
When ready: Green capsicums: full-sized, firm, glossy skin. Coloured capsicums: leave on plant 2-3 weeks past green stage until fully coloured (red, yellow, orange depending on variety). Coloured fruit is sweeter with higher vitamin C.
How to harvest: Cut with sharp secateurs leaving a short stem. Do not pull. This damages the plant. Harvest in morning when firm and cool.
Storing and preserving capsicum
How to keep it
- Freezing (Raw). Wash, deseed, cut into strips or dice. Spread on tray to flash-freeze. Bag. No blanching needed for capsicums. Texture will be soft when thawed. Best for cooking, not raw eating. Keeps: 12 months.
- Roasting and Freezing. Roast whole capsicums at 220C until skin blackens and blisters. Place in sealed bag to steam 10 minutes. Peel off skin, deseed, tear into strips. Freeze flat in bags with any collected juices. Keeps: 12 months.
- Dehydrating. Deseed and cut into strips or rings. Arrange on dehydrator trays. Dry at 60C for 8-12 hours until leathery or crispy. Store in airtight jars. Grind dried capsicum into paprika powder. Keeps: 12 months.
- Pickled (Roasted Capsicum in Vinegar). Roast and peel capsicums. Pack into sterilised jars with garlic and basil. Cover with white wine vinegar. Seal. Process in boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Keeps: 12 months.
Canning safety. Low-acid vegetables like capsicum must be pressure canned, never water-bath canned.
What capsicum costs in the shops right now, retailer by retailer, updated daily.
What members get
- Soil and weather from your nearest station
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- Your own garden plan, including planning from a photo
- Price history and price alerts
- Pest risk alerts for your area
- Full salt and canning detail
Common Questions About Capsicum
When do you plant capsicum in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Feb to Aug
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Jan to Apr, Aug to Nov
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Aug to Nov
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Aug to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Aug to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Jan to Feb, Jul to Dec
- Mediterranean (Perth): Jan, Jul to Dec
Can you grow capsicum all year round in Cairns?
No. In the Tropical zone the planting months are Feb to Aug. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
What else is capsicum called?
Capsicum is the usual Australian name. Overseas seed packets and recipes call it bell pepper, sweet pepper. Same plant, same growing advice.
When should I plant Capsicum in Cairns?
Can be grown most of the year around Darwin, but plants started from the end of the wet through the dry have the least disease. Pick green once full size or leave to colour.
What soil temperature do Capsicum need?
Capsicum germinate best when soil temperature is between 18°C and 35°C.
How do I know when Capsicum are ready to harvest?
Green capsicums: full-sized, firm, glossy skin. Coloured capsicums: leave on plant 2-3 weeks past green stage until fully coloured (red, yellow, orange depending on variety). Coloured fruit is sweeter with higher vitamin C.
What are the best Capsicum varieties for Cairns?
Recommended varieties for the Tropical zone include: California Wonder, Sweet Banana, Yolo Wonder, Sweet Bite (mini).
What grows well with Capsicum?
Good companion plants for Capsicum include: Nasturtium, Carrot, Basil, Marigold, Lemongrass.
Are capsicum salt tolerant?
Only a little. Capsicum are moderately sensitive to salt, so the harvest drops on salty bore water. Mix salty water with rainwater, and mulch the bed.
Which zone am I in?
Type your postcode into the box near the top of the page and it tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Tropical zone, Cairns is its reference city.