I've had good luck with GYPSY bell peppers. Grew them both in Seattle and in Portland.

Pimento, paprika, or "cheese" type peppers have been easier for us to get red, thick-walled results in Portland.

This year "Pretivit" from Nichol's has done very well.

As for hot peppers, about October 1, if weather hasn't done in the peppers before then, pull up the whole plant and hang upside-down in the garage.

Yes, no water needed after 1 Sept.

Hungarian Yellow Wax is one of the most 'cool hardy' types to be tried locally. Not as hot as Jalapeno, but definitely a hot pepper. I have had really good luck with them here in my garden.

Greek and Italian Pepperoncini both turn early for me. This year North Star Be;ll has also turned fairly early. jwww

Hello All:

I have read that Sweet Red Cherry is the earliest sweet pepper to mature and turn red. Has anyone found this to be true?

Flavor is also important. Gypsy did turn red eventually but the flavor is bland compared to Sweet Italian.

This is the first year I've had great success with peppers and it was in a greenhouse. I'd tried growing them outside for several years and it never worked--they just didn't ripen, regardless of the type I tried. Mexican peppers always did fine outside (Jalapenos, Anaheims, Poblanos), but not any kind of sweet bell pepper.

So, I suggest if you really want peppers you make at least some frames to grow them in. I got more in the greenhouse than could be eaten (both red and yellow) and canned a bunch. I'd also strongly suggest raised beds. I created beds tall enough that I didn't have to stoop to harvest (about 3ft tall). It was extra effort to make and fill them, but boy was it worth it when harvesting and spraying (watch out for aphids!)

I've speeded up ripening of my Gypsey bell peppers by keeping leaves to a minimum and cutting back sharply on water once the green peppers have reached full size.

Rain2Fall