Pepper, Cubanelle Sweet
Sweet Cubanelle
Pepper
The Cubanelle, also known as "Cuban pepper", is a variety of sweet pepper of the species Capsicum annuum. This yellow-green to red tapered fruit is prized for a sweet, mild flesh that is growing in popularity because of its rich flavor and pretty colors for frying and cooking. The thin-walled pepper is especially suited for quick cooking. Popular in dishes of Spanish, Italian, and Slavic descent, many cooks prefer it to bell types. In the garden, Cubanelle peppers are unique, often growing in imperfect shapes and changing color from green/yellow to shades of orange to red.
Allow your cubanelle pepper plants plenty of room to grow. If you are planting in a raised bed, set each plant about 18 inches away from the others. Plant the peppers 24 inches apart if you grow in rows. For those with a small yard or a balcony garden, cubanelle peppers do fine in a 5-gallon container. Place one pepper plant per container so they are not crowded.Choose a spot in your garden that receives plenty of sun. Cubanelle peppers require full sunlight of at least six hours each day to thrive and produce a lot of fruit. Try to plant in an area that offers protection from rough winds. A strong wind can uproot the plant or break its stems. Walls and trees can serve as windbreaks. To prevent rot and diseases related to too much humidity, plant the peppers in an area with plenty of drainage and good air circulation. For example, do not plant next to a creek or pond. Cubanelle peppers are not very fussy. You can add a bit of fertilizer or compost after the first flowers appear, and then not worry about the plant for the rest of the season. It does need regular water.