Comparing Bell pepper plant vs Jalapeno plant help you to figure out what will be the best pepper to plant in your garden. So I compared everything between Bell pepper vs Jalapeno.
Here’s the Bell pepper plant vs Jalapeno plant comparison table for their growing conditions.
| Condition or requirement | Bell Pepper | Jalapeno |
|---|---|---|
| Soil Ph | 6.0 – 6.8 | 6.0 – 6.8 |
| Soil type | loamy and well drained | rich soil and well drained |
| Watering | 1 – 1.5 inch a week | 1 inch a week |
| Fertilizing | high Nitrogen in early and low Nitrogen after flowering | high Nitrogen in early and low Nitrogen after flowering |
| Temperature | 70 F – 90 F | 60 F – 80 F |
| Sun | full sunlight/ thrives on partial shade | full sunlight/ thrives on partial shade |
Looks like there are no differences between growing Bell pepper and Jalapeno. But there are some things you have to accomplish with these two peppers to keep them alive and productive.
Table of Contents
Bell pepper and Jalapeno varieties for planting
When consider growing Bell pepper or Jalapeno, there are many of the varieties that you could grow in your space.
Let’s find out them and I will hand over you to decide what will be the best pepper variety to plant in your garden.
Bell pepper varieties to grow
There are many Bell pepper varieties that use to grow which are colored in red, yellow, green, purple and white.
Let’s find out the most common Bell pepper varieties that you can grow and care for easily.
Antebellum
This is a Bell pepper variety that is usually dark green in color. This pepper variety having the ability to resist diseases such as bacterial spots.
The average maturing time for Antebellum is around 2 and a half months.
Antebellum has a deep blocky shaped and large fruit.
Bayonet
This Bell pepper variety is having colors between green to red. Bayonet could fight against Tobacco mosaic virus and bacterial spot disease, because of it having a good resistance against diseases.
Bayonet is having a high yield potential and large fruits. Usually they maturing their fruits within around 2 months.
Blitz
Blitz is known as a Bell pepper variety that having green to red-colored fruits. They usually take 70 – 75 days to mature their fruits.
And they could fight against black spot diseases and some Viruses too. Blitz can be planted all around the world and their production would be excellent.
Galileo
Galileo is a Bell-type pepper that has colored from dark green to red. Averagely they are getting 70 days to mature fruits.
Galileo is having a good resistance against Phytophthora diseases and the black spot diseases. They produce large fruits and even large yield potential.
Jalapeno varieties to grow
Jalapeno peppers having more than dozens of varieties since it is the most famous pepper variety ever.
Chichimeca
This Chichimeca Jalapeno variety is mild in hot. And Chichimeca Jalapeno plants growing up to 4 inches tall and not that much wider.
Mammoth Jalapeno
This Jalapeno variety is getting big like a Mammoth, and it’s mild with heat. But it still provides more heat than Chichimeca.
Mammoth Jalapenos grow up for 5 inches tall and get 2 inches wider. They could be plant many of the regions in the world.
Jalaro Jalapeno
Jalaro Jalapeno is a medium heated pepper variety that is becoming red when mature their fruits.
Also their having a decent heat when the fruit is on the middle age.
Required conditions to grow bell pepper plant vs Jalapeno plant
Whether we plant bell peppers or Jalapenos, there are some required conditions that we should consider when growing them.
If you grow your peppers giving those exact required conditions, you are going to have a healthy plant and a massive crop.
So here is a comparison of Bell pepper plant vs Jalapeno plant considering the requirements of soil, watering, fertilizing and temperature.
Soil
Bell pepper
Mostly, bell pepper requires loamy soil, which is also slightly acidic in Ph value as much as 6.0-6.8.
Bell pepper plants prefer well-drained soil, while they don’t look much comfortable in wet soil.
These bell pepper plants are likely to grow on much warmer soil. 80 F of soil temperature required to execute a successful germination process of bell pepper seeds. On the other hand, the minimum soil temperature requirement for transplantation of a bell pepper plant is 65 F, which still looks warm.
There is a special thing to note.
When choosing a location to plant bell peppers, don’t choose a location that you’ve recently used to grow any kind of nightshade family plants such as tomatoes, potatoes, and bonnie plants.
You know why?
There is a possibility that diseases of those plants are storing on the soil for a long time. Such as fungus and bacterias.
Therefore don’t be risky with that kind of soil. Instead, Choose fresh garden soil and use some kind of potting mix to make it rich. The rest of the nutrients we can provide through fertilizers.
For planting bell peppers, the recommendation is to have a one deep inch soil. Therefore you’ve to work on improvement of the soil as deep as 1 inch
Jalapeno
As a commonly growing pepper plant, Jalapeno plant soil requirements are a bit familiar with the bell pepper plant required soil conditions.
Jalapenos need loamy and well-drained soil as same as bell peppers. They prefer growing 6.0-6.8 Ph, slightly acidic soil.
But because jalapeno is bit hungrier than bell pepper plants, they like to grow on a rich soil with good organic matter.
Jalapenos also show quick growth and more productivity when they are growing on warm soil between 65F-80F.
When considering the soil preparation for jalapenos there is something you should do.
Because Jalapenos love nutrient-rich soil, You can use an all-purpose fertilizer on the soil before planting. That will help the roots to practice absorbing nutrients and minerals more efficiently and easier.
As to home guides SF-gate, a 5-10-10 vegetable garden fertilizer will be ok to use for soil preparation of Jalapeno.
Watering
Bell pepper
When growing a crop such as bell pepper, we should have to care about consistency and the quantity of watering.
Because when the bigger the fruit, the more water needed. Also, bell pepper is much meaty and fleashier than other traditional peppers.
Therefore you’ve to keep watering consistently until the flowers bloom. Generally, it’s between 1 inch to 1 1/2 inch per week.
You can reduce the watering when flowers are beginning to turn onto fruits. That will help the plant to concentrate nutrients on the fruit. Otherwise, bell pepper fruit tastes like water.
You have to care over watering issues on your bell pepper plant, as much as you worrying about under watering.
Bell peppers are getting on to critical diseases such as blossom end rot because of overwatering.
Therefore manage your watering by considering the weather, temperature and the rain.
Jalapeno
For Jalapenos, watering 1 inch per week is the average. Even Jalapenos prefer well-drained soil, keeping them little bit of moist is still a fine thing to do.
The time you have to water Jalapenos is in the morning. When you water in the morning foliage drops will be dry out on the sun.
It saves the plant from many fungal diseases.
Related – What happen if you water plants at night?
Also don’t flood in water on your Jalapeno plant. Allowing water to pool on the soil will attract many diseases for the roots and the plant.
Especially for Jalapenos, if you don’t keep watering consistently during hot weather and dry periods, your pepper plant will not produce any fruits.
So keep watering your Jalapeno plants and increase or decrease the amount of water by considering weather and temperature, without sticking into a single number of measurements.
When we summarized the above requirements and conditions for watering the Bell pepper plant vs the Jalapeno plant, I have found that using a drip irrigation system will help to improve the watering on these crops.
It allows us to water the plants into a schedule, therefore we can keep things going consistently. Also, it makes life easier.
So I recommend you to own this drip irrigation horse for watering bell peppers and Jalapenos while it’s a fairly cheap option.
Fertilizing
Bell pepper
Bell peppers are ready to be fertilized after 10-14 days, once they established their seedlings.
But I recommend you not to fertilize by considering the time, instead begin to fertilize Bell pepper plants once they’ve got 2 inches tall.
Once your bell pepper plant hits the 2-inch mark, you’ve to start fertilizing it with Nitrogen.
The reason you’ve to use Nitrogen from the beginning is, they are always help plants to stay energized and healthier.
Especially Nitrogen is doing a major role in making a healthier root system, making leaves and flowers colourful, and also Nitrogen is very useful chemical that work on Photosynthesis.
You’ve to use Nitrogen,1/2 of the lifetime of the Bell pepper plant until it starts producing flowers.
Usually, you may have to use a Nitrogen-rich fertilizer for 3-4 weeks on a bell pepper plant.
Then for the rest of the season, you should cut down the amount of Nitrogen you fertilize. Even stop fertilizing Nitrogen is also fine.
You have to fertilize the bell pepper plant with high amount of Phosphorous and Potassium. That encourage the bell pepper plant to set up a good, healthy crop.
As to homeguides SF gate, you could use a 5-10-10 NPK fertilizer with your bell pepper plant, after they have bloomed flowers and produce fruits.
Jalapeno
We don’t have many things to compare when we consider Bell pepper vs Jalapeno fertilizing.
In the same way, you fertilize Bell peppers, Jalapeno plants also need to be fertilized from a high Nitrogen fertilizer at the beginning.
But don’t over do it.
When the plant start producing flowers, you need to fertilize Jalapenos with a low Nitrogen fertilizer.
Also you can use compost, manure, fish emulsion and coffee grounds as low Nitrogen organic fertilizers to your Jalapeno plants.
Temperature & Sun
Temperature is a main required factor when you are growing any kind of plant. As well as temperature, sunlight also a partner in many of the interactions of a growing plant.
Therefore we need to make sure that our Bell pepper and Jalapeno plants are having them as much as they need.
Let’s jump in to see how the temperature and sunlight affect Bell peppers vs Jalapenos.
Bell pepper
In the day, Bell pepper plants like to have 70F – 90F while the nighttime temperature requirement is between 55F – 60F.
As Bell peppers are a bit more temperamental, they are falling their flowers whenever they feel too hot than the required temperature.
So sometimes this process caused not to produce any fruit from the Bell pepper plant.
Therefore, you have to care about the seasonality and the weather of your area before starting growing Bell pepper.
When we consider the sunlight requirement of the Bell pepper plant, they need full sun throughout their life.
Sunlight helping them to grow better and even ripen their fruits properly. Therefore don’t hesitate to choose an open, sunny location where your Bell pepper plant getting enough direct sunlight.
But this isn’t what I recommend you to do if you are living in a hardy and extremely heated location.
If you are living in an extremely heated area, plant your Bell pepper plant in partial shade or grow them using a shade cloth for reducing direct sunlight.
However, try to give sunlight for 6-8 hours a day, wherever you plant your Bell pepper plant.
Always care about the heat of the sunlight and make sure it not damaging the plant. As I have seen many of the growers losing their crops because of the unexpected heat of the sun.
Jalapeno
As there is not too much of a difference in temperature requirements between Bell pepper vs Jalapenos, Jalapenos likely to grow at temperatures such as 65F – 80F.
In the germination period, Jalapeno plants require a warm surrounding to make the process happens quickly.
But Jalapeno peppers won’t survive in such heat conditions which are getting over 90 F.
And also Jalapenos isn’t a frost-resistant plant. Jalapeno plants getting damaged from the freeze whenever the temperature drops below 40 F.
When considering the requirement of sunlight on Jalapeno plants, I could found that Jalapeno loves to have direct, full sunlight throughout the day or an average of 8 hours a day.
Surprisingly they also could survive in partial shade conditions too.
But you have to avoid direct sunlight for Jalapenos if your location is getting too much heat waves from the sun.
That may excess the maximum temperature requirement, and also it could burn the plant and interrupt for growing, instead of encourage to grow up.
Therefore I recommend you to use shade cloths or use nearby plants to filter the sunlight.
Here are some tips to protect any kind of plants from hot sun.
Companion plants: Bell pepper vs Jalapeno
Companion planting is an important event in vegetable gardening, which can bring us various benefits.
Here are some benefits that you’ll have from companion planting for Bell peppers and Jalapenos.
- Attract more pollinators and increase the yield.
- Companion plants help with diseases on Jalapenos and Bell pepper.
- Reducing pest issues on peppers.
- Keeping weeds out.
- Retaining the moisture in the soil.
- Works as a trellis
So let’s jump in to see difference of companion planting for Bell peppers vs Jalapenos.
Bell pepper companion plants
Here are some best-matching companion vegetable plants for Bell peppers.
- Tomato
- Carrots
- Cucumbers
- Eggplant
- Onions
- Squash
As same as growing vegetables as companion plants, you can also grow herbs next to Bell peppers.
Basil is a companion herbal plant that you can plant next to Bell peppers. It repels mosquitos, thrips, flies while it’s a good source of Vitamin on other hand.
Parsley is an herb that is possible to grow next to the Bell pepper plant that can attract bees. Therefore you could increase the yield of Bell peppers by planting some Parsley next to them.
Also, Marjoram, Rosemary, and Oregano are good companion herb plants for Bell peppers.
Avoid companion plants for Bell peppers
There are some plants and some plant families that you shouldn’t plant next to Bell peppers.
If you plant them next to your Bell pepper plant, the plant will have to face unexpected diseases and side effects. So let’s see what plants to avoid with next to Bell peppers.
Avoid companion Brassica family plants with Bell peppers. Such as,
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Brussels
- Mustard
Unless Brassica family plants there are some more plants and trees that you’ve to avoid growing next to Bell peppers.
Don’t grow any kind of beans next to Bell peppers as companions. Such as Soybeans, lima beans, kidney beans, etc.
Also don’t plant Bell peppers near or next to Apricot trees.
If you grow Bell peppers next to these plants and trees, it’s going to affect badly for your crop. It may be a simple disease or sometimes it can kill your Bell pepper plant.
So the best thing is keeping Bell peppers away from those plants.
Jalapeno companion plants
Jalapenos also love to grow together with a companion plants likely most of the other crops.
Apart from the ones that I mentioned earlier, the best benefit that Jalapenos having from companion planting is, they helping peppers to improve the flavor and make them more delicious.
Making sure there aren’t too many differences of companion planting with Bell peppers and Jalapenos, both vegetables and herbs can be planted next to Jalapenos.
Here ae some vegetables for companion planting with Jalapenos.
- Carrots
- Cucumbers
- Eggplant
- Asparagus
Here are some companion herbs to plant with Jalapenos.
- Basil
- Chamomile
- Marigolds
- Marjoram
- Chives
- Parsley
- Oregano
- Dill
Basil is one of the best companion herbal plants with Jalapenos, which helps to improve the flavor of the pepper.
Chamomile and Marigolds are some herbs that keep the Jalapeno plant healthy and repel pests when they are planted next to.
Avoid companion plants for Jalapenos
There are some of the plants and crops you have to avoid planting next to Jalapenos.
Compare whether if they are the same ones on the Bell peppers 🙂
- Beans
- Peas
- Brassica family plants
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Kale
- Broccoli
As you can see companion planting for Bell peppers vs Jalapenos is having almost no difference.