Giant Aconcagua Sweet Pepper Seeds – Long Frying Pepper

Grow generously sized, sweet peppers for the kitchen with Giant Aconcagua (Capsicum annuum). Its long, tapered fruits can reach approximately 12 inches long and 3 inches wide under favorable conditions. Pick them green or let them ripen through orange to red for their sweetest flavor. Slice a freshly picked pepper into a salad, roast it until tender, or fill the long fruits with your favorite stuffing.

Variety highlights

• Variety: Giant Aconcagua sweet pepper.
• Species: Capsicum annuum.
• Origin: Argentina; named for Mount Aconcagua in the Andes.
• Fruit: Long and tapered, up to approximately 12 inches long and 3 inches wide.
• Ripening colors: Green, then orange, then red.
• Flavor: Sweet with no heat; sweetest when fully red.
• Plant height: Approximately 22–30 inches.
• Harvest timing: Approximately 50 days for green fruit or 68–78 days for red fruit after transplanting, depending on conditions.
• Kitchen uses: Fresh eating, salads, roasting, stuffing, and frying.

Choose your seed pack

Available options are 10 seeds, 30 seeds, 100 seeds, or 1,000 seeds. This listing is for planting seeds, not live plants or harvested peppers.

Starting seeds indoors

• Timing: Start approximately 8–10 weeks before your last expected frost.
• Depth: Sow approximately 1/4 inch deep in clean, well-draining seed-starting mix.
• Warmth: Aim for a soil temperature of 75–85°F. A seedling heat mat can help maintain warmth.
• Moisture: Keep the mix evenly moist without saturating it.
• Germination: Often 6–15 days under suitable conditions, though timing can vary.
• Seedling care: Provide bright light after emergence and pot on as needed before roots become crowded.

Transplanting and garden care

Gradually harden off seedlings over 7–14 days. Transplant after frost danger has passed, when the soil is consistently warm and nights are reliably mild. Protect young plants from cold nights.

Choose full sun and well-drained soil enriched with organic matter, with a suggested pH of 6.0–6.8. Allow enough space for mature plants and good airflow. Water deeply as needed, keeping moisture consistent while avoiding waterlogged roots. Apply approximately 1–2 inches of mulch around plants, keeping it away from the stems. Support branches as needed when large fruits develop.

Growing in containers

• Container size: Use a pot of at least approximately 5 gallons for one plant, with drainage holes and room for root growth.
• Potting mix: Fill with a well-draining vegetable-container mix rather than heavy garden soil.
• Placement: Position in full sun in a warm location.
• Watering: Check moisture frequently during hot or windy weather. Water thoroughly when the upper mix begins to dry and let excess water drain freely.
• Feeding: Follow the directions on a fertilizer labeled for container-grown vegetables, accounting for nutrients already present in the mix.
• Support: Add a stake or small cage to help support fruit-laden stems.
• Seasonal care: Protect from frost. A container alone does not make year-round outdoor growing possible in cold climates.

Harvest and enjoy

Harvest firm green peppers for an earlier crop, or allow fruit to turn fully red for a sweeter flavor. Days to harvest are estimates from transplanting, not from sowing. Cut fruits from the plant with clean scissors or pruners rather than pulling, which can damage the stems.

Use the long fruits for frying, roasting, stuffing, or slicing into salads. Flavor, fruit size, and harvest timing vary with weather and growing conditions.