Sweet Pepper 'Carmen'
Sweet Pepper 'Carmen' is a hybrid pepper variety (Capsicum annuum 'Carmen'). Harvest begins around day 75-80; seed germinates in 7-14 days. Set plants 18-24 inches apart. Grow in soil pH 6.0-7.0, zones 4-11, full sun (6+ hours). Plants reach 1-3 feet. It will crop in a container. Hybrid seed does not come true, so it has to be bought fresh each season rather than saved.

Sowing
Start seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before last frost. Transplant outdoors 2-3 weeks after last frost when soil is 60°F+.
Cultivation
- Sun
- Full sun (6+ hours)
- Water
- 1 inch per week, consistent moisture
- Soil
- Well-drained, fertile soil with organic matter
- Soil pH
- 6.0-7.0
- Spacing
- 18-24 inches
- Height
- 1-3 feet
- Season
- Warm season
Appearance & flavour
- Colour
- Green ripening to bright red
- Size
- 4-6 inches long, 2-3 inches wide
- Shape
- Tapered bull's horn shape
- Flavour
- Sweet, crisp, and juicy with no heat
In the kitchen
Fresh eating, roasting, grilling, stuffing, salads, and stir-fries
Pests, disease & resistance
- Pests
- Aphids, spider mites, pepper weevil, cutworms
- Diseases
- Bacterial spot, anthracnose, blossom end rot
- Resistance
- Good resistance to tobacco mosaic virus
Planting calendar by USDA zone
| Zone | Start indoors | Transplant | Direct sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | April – May | June – July | — | September |
| 3 | April | June – July | — | September – October |
| 4 | March – April | June | — | August – October |
| 5 | March | May – June | — | August – October |
| 6 | March | May – June | — | August – October |
| 7 | February – March | April – May | — | July – September |
| 8 | February | April – May | — | July – September |
| 9 | January | March – April | — | June – August |
| 10 | January | February – March | — | May – July |
| 11 | January | January – February | — | April – June |
| 12 | January | January – February | — | April – June |
| 13 | January | January – February | — | April – June |
Companion planting
8 beneficial pairings indexed for this variety, 3 to avoid.
Avoid
Nutrition (per 100 g)
- Calories (per 100 g)
- 27
- Protein (g)
- 1.66
- Fat (g)
- 0.45
- Carbohydrate (g)
- 5.35
- Fibre (g)
- 3.4
- Sugars (g)
- 1.95
- Vitamin A (µg)
- 17
- Vitamin C (mg)
- 82.7
- Vitamin E (mg)
- 0.69
- Vitamin K (µg)
- 9.5
- Vitamin B6 (mg)
- 0.357
- Folate (µg)
- 29
- Calcium (mg)
- 14
- Iron (mg)
- 0.46
- Magnesium (mg)
- 17
- Phosphorus (mg)
- 32
- Potassium (mg)
- 256
- Zinc (mg)
- 0.25
- Selenium (µg)
- 0.3
Where to buy seed and equipment
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Cultivar facts compiled from public horticultural references including USDA GRIN and NC State Extension. Descriptions are original to this catalogue.
Grown Sweet Pepper 'Carmen'?
Post a crop report — day counts, reservoir readings, what worked. Variety-specific logs are the most useful thing on the forum.
Similar varieties
Other peppers with a comparable time to harvest, so a season that suits Sweet Pepper 'Carmen' suits these too.
- Cayenne 'Long Red Cayenne' 75 days
- Bell Pepper 'California Wonder' 75 days
- Jalapeño 'Craig's Grande' 75 days
- Poblano 'Tiburon' 75 days
- Bell Pepper 'Red Beauty' 75 days
- Chipotle 'Morita' 75 days