Pimento Pepper
Be sure to check out our Pepper Growing Guide to learn how to successfully grow peppers at home.
Pimento Pepper is an heirloom, open-pollinated pepper variety famous for its frequent appearance in stuffed olives and pimento cheese preparations. An All America Selection, these are truly some of the best-tasting sweet peppers you’ll ever eat! The flavor is succulent, sweet and very aromatic. Also known as “sheepnose pepper,” these fruits are heart-shaped and average 4.5″ long by 3″ wide. Fruits will initially be green and will mature to a bright red color. Harvest at the red stage, while still firm, for maximum flavor. Pimento Pepper stores well after harvest and the meaty, thick walls make it a great option for roasting, frying and stuffing.
Peppers are in the nightshade family along with tomatoes and eggplant. Plants in the nightshade family are susceptible to blossom end rot, which is a result of a calcium deficiency. To prevent or alleviate this problem, apply pelleted gypsum at the base of the plant at bloom set. Peppers do best when transplanted, as the germination time can be longer than most vegetable seed. Peppers grow very well in our heavy-duty seed starting trays. Plants should be started 4-6 weeks before the intended outdoor planting date.
If conditions outside are favorable, transplants may be planted directly from our 162 cell trays. If conditions are still too cold for planting peppers, transplants may be “stepped-up” to 4″ pots to allow more room to grow. Peppers can produce heavy fruits and will require some form of support to keep the plant upright. We recommend using the Florida Weave trellising technique that involves using stakes and twine along the row. This ensures that plants and fruits stay off the ground, reducing the possibility of disease and keeping fruits clean.
Pimento Pepper Planting Information
Planting Method: transplant
When to Plant: after last frost
Planting Depth: 1/4″
Seed Spacing: 2′
Row Spacing: 3-4′
Days to Maturity: 65
Disease Tolerance: None
