Banana Pepper
Very mild the banana pepper is ideal for sandwiches, stir-fries, pizza and Greek salads.
Also known as sweet banana pepper, yellow wax pepper or banana chili it is originally from Central America but often associated with Hungary.
This article will cover:
- How to grow banana peppers at home
- Example banana pepper recipes
It is very easy to grow, and takes about 3 months to grow.
More information in ‘where to buy peppers‘
1. How to grow banana peppers at home
The sweet banana pepper can be grown from seed.
The peppers prefer warmth & direct sunlight, well drained soil and need to be frost free.
Days from seed to harvest – about 75 to 90 (3 months) and it will grow to about 30 to 60 cm high
1a – When to grow banana peppers
There are 3 options:
- January to April – the best option is to start them indoors in individual pots and then repot them outdoors in late May.
- Feb to June – Or you can sow them outside, only when there is no more frost.
- All year round – Or you can grow them all year round on a sunny window ledge (or using grow lamps)
If you want to grow them outdoors then the best option is to start them indoors in individual pots and then transfer them when the nights are warmer.
1b – How to grow banana pepper at home:
Step 1 – The first step is to get the banana pepper seeds. You can order them online or some garden centres will sell them.
Not often mentioned but if you simply add the seeds into a bowl of water for 30 minutes to 1 hour they will start quicker then simply putting them in soil.
Step 2 – The next stage is to put the seeds in the soil.
Surface-sow or barely cover the seeds indoors, and keep warm and moist.
When sprouts appear move them to a sunny window. Set out well-developed transplants after last frost date when weather is warm. Peppers need rich moist soil and warm sunny conditions to flourish. Best sown in early spring.
Step 3 – re-potting and growing
It is best to re-pot in stages before their final pot size, but be very careful.
Too little heat, too much moisture, and lack of air circulation will cause poor results.
Once in final pot size plants may need staking for support.
Fully grown they can be up to 30 to 60 cm in height i.e. an individual pot might be the best option.
1c – How to grow banana peppers using Hydroponics or Aquaponics.
Because of the importance of moisture and light the peppers are ideally suited for hydroponics with additional lights – like the pictured automated hydroponic unit
As they will be ready to be harvested quicker than planted in soil.
A key advantage is that it is very easy to grow them, as the system is fully automated and will provide exactly the right amount of water and feed.
However please note they do love sunshine – and a grow light will help.
2. Example banana pepper recipes
Sweet Banana is a mild yellow pepper. The name comes from the shape of the fruit that look like bananas. This sweet pepper can be eaten raw or used in stir fries, as well as being great in sandwiches, pizza and Greek salads .
Example recipes:
- Deli Style Hot Pickled banana peppers
- Gluten-Free bacon banana pepper pizza
- Cuban banana pepper sandwich
Look fun and taste ok, and not to hard to grow in a greenhouse. But some of the other sweet peppers are just as good