VegetablePepper
Tender Bell Pepper
Tender Bell Pepper is an extra-early Japanese hybrid that delivers sweet, glossy peppers in just 40-49 days from transplant. These compact plants, reaching 24-36 inches tall, produce small fruits measuring 3-4 inches with thin walls and a delicate texture that justifies their name. With zero heat and pure sweetness (0 Scoville Heat Units), they thrive in full sun across hardiness zones 4-13, making them accessible to gardeners in nearly every climate. This non-GMO F1 hybrid is a high-yielding performer whether you're growing in garden beds, raised containers, or greenhouse structures.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
4-13
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam With Organic Matter
Growth Stats
36 in
Height
TypeUpright
Spacing
12
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
4-13
Size
36in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
Moderate
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
The speed of this variety is genuinely remarkable. From the moment you transplant seedlings, you're looking at fresh peppers in little over six weeks, which is exceptionally early for bell peppers. The thin-walled fruits are noticeably tender with a glossy finish and small, manageable size that makes them perfect for home gardeners who want production without waiting months. That early maturity means you can squeeze multiple harvests into a single season, even in cooler climates.
Common Uses
These small sweet peppers are primarily used fresh, sliced into salads, stir-fries, or simply eaten raw as a snack straight from the garden. Their thin walls and tender flesh make them especially suited to quick cooking methods where they soften and brighten slightly in heat. The small size and sweet flavor also make them appealing for cutting into rings for garnishes or adding whole to pickling projects.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your last spring frost date. Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep in seed-starting mix and maintain soil temperature around 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit for consistent germination. Keep soil moist but not waterlogged, and provide bright light once seedlings emerge. Seedlings should be ready to transplant outdoors once they've developed their first true leaves and the danger of frost has completely passed.
Transplant Outdoors
Harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7-10 days before transplanting. Move them into the garden only after nighttime temperatures consistently stay above 50-55 degrees Fahrenheit and soil has warmed sufficiently. Space transplants 12 inches apart in rows 36 inches apart, planting at the same depth they were growing in containers.
Harvesting
Begin harvesting when peppers reach their full 3-4 inch length and develop a glossy, deep green color. They will be tender and flexible when fully mature. You can harvest peppers at any stage of color development by cutting them cleanly from the plant with pruners or a sharp knife, leaving the stem intact. Continue harvesting regularly to encourage the plant to produce additional fruits throughout the season.
Pruning
Given the upright growth habit and relatively compact mature size of 24-36 inches, minimal pruning is required. You may remove lower leaves as the plant develops to improve air circulation and reduce disease pressure, but avoid aggressive pruning that would remove developing flower buds and reduce your yield.
Growing Calendar
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.
Companion Planting
Pests & Diseases
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Capsicum annuum
Family
Solanaceae
Genus
Capsicum
Growth Habit
Upright
Native Status
L48 (NI)HI (I)PR (I)VI (I)
History & Origin
“Tender Bell Pepper arrives to us as a Japanese-origin hybrid, engineered specifically for rapid maturation and early yields. The F1 hybrid status tells us that breeders crossed two distinct parent lines to create a plant with hybrid vigor and this remarkably compressed timeline from transplant to harvest. This is not an heirloom preserved through generations, but rather a modern breeding achievement designed to solve a real problem for gardeners: getting edible peppers before frost arrives in short-season regions.”