Pepper 'Mandarin' 4 Inch

It's always a bit eyebrow-raising when one sees the price for organically grown sweet bell peppers. To avoid sticker shock, consider growing 'Mandarin' bell pepper, a lovely orange-red when fully mature. True, you'll need patience and a lot of sun to bring these sweet peppers to a fully ripe state, but they will be worth it. Bell pepper aficionados often recommend heating up the soil prior to planting by placing black plastic over the garden plot about a week before putting the pepper plants in. Another option is to plant them where they'll get reflected heat off a wall or fence. Mandarin peppers may be picked while green, but for sweeter flavor and more vitamin C, be patient and let them stay on the bush until fully orange.