X3R Red Knight Bell Pepper is an F1 hybrid that delivers ripe red peppers in just 57 days from transplants, making it one of the fastest routes to a colorful harvest. This compact plant grows efficiently in garden beds and containers, producing the kind of vigorous, early-season performance that seed breeders specifically engineered into this improved King Arthur type. Its resistance to Bacterial Leaf Spot and Potato Virus Y means fewer disease headaches, while the half-hardy nature of the plant demands warmth but rewards attentive growers with reliable yields.
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Speed is the headline here: 57 days from transplants to harvestable red peppers is genuinely fast for a bell pepper. The compact growth habit lets you fit more plants into tight spaces without sacrificing productivity, while resistance to two serious pepper diseases removes two major obstacles from the growing season. This hybrid was specifically developed to improve on the King Arthur type, bringing earliness and reliability to gardeners who want results without the fussy heirloom temperament.
As an edible bell pepper, X3R Red Knight works anywhere red peppers appear in the kitchen. Raw in salads where the crisp texture shines, roasted until the skin chars and sweetens, or stuffed and baked for a hearty main course. The compact plant size makes it especially useful for container gardening on patios and balconies, extending pepper growing to gardeners without sprawling beds.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Sow seeds in late March or approximately 8 weeks before your transplant date. Use shallow flats or 20-row trays, sowing 4 seeds per inch at a depth of 1/4 inch. Maintain soil temperatures at 80-90°F for reliable germination, as pepper seeds germinate very slowly in cool soil. When first true leaves appear, transplant seedlings into 2-inch cell containers or 4-inch pots. Grow plants at approximately 70°F during the day and 60°F at night.
Transplant out after the last frost when soil is warm and weather has settled. Ideal transplants will already have buds visible on them. Space plants 12 inches apart. Cold weather can be buffered with black plastic mulch and lightweight fabric row covers supported by wire hoops; remove covers in sunny weather when temperatures exceed 85°F.
Peppers reach harvestable maturity in 57 days from transplants. Harvest when fully red for maximum sweetness and developed flavor, though green peppers can be picked earlier if desired. Cut peppers from the plant rather than pulling to avoid damage to the branches.
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“X3R Red Knight is an improved King Arthur type, refined through hybrid breeding to enhance earliness and vigor. Rather than an heirloom with centuries of history, this is a modern creation born from crossing parent plants selected for specific traits: quick maturity, compact stature, and disease resistance. The development reflects what commercial and home growers need: peppers that produce fast enough to beat the end of the season.”