Giant Aconcagua Sweet Pepper Seeds – Up to 12″ Long Frying Pepper | 68–78 Days (Capsicum annuum)

Giant Aconcagua is one of the largest sweet peppers in the world — a Capsicum annuum named after the legendary Mt. Aconcagua in the Andes. Long, tapered fruits reach up to 3 inches wide and 12 inches long, ripening through green → orange → red with exceptional flavor at every stage. Highly productive plants deliver green fruits from 50 days and fully red, sweetest fruits by 70 days from transplant. Rich in vitamins C and A, outstanding for fresh eating, roasting, and stuffing.

Variety Details

• Species: Capsicum annuum
• Origin: Argentina (Andes)
• Pod Size: Up to 3″ wide × 12″ long; long tapered shape
• Pod Color: Green → Orange → Red at full maturity
• Flavor: Sweet, rich — no heat; sweetest when fully red
• Heat Level: None — sweet pepper
• Plant Height: 22–30 inches
• Days to Maturity: 50 days (green) / 68–78 days (red)
• Best Use: Fresh eating, roasting, stuffing, frying, salads

Nutritional Highlight

Red Aconcagua pods contain twice the vitamin C and eleven times the beta carotene of green peppers — one of the most nutrient-dense sweet peppers available.

Starting Seeds

• Start indoors 8–10 weeks before last frost
• Sow ¼ inch deep in organic seed-starting mix
• Soil temperature: 75–85°F — heat mat recommended
• Germination time: 6–15 days
• Soak seeds in room-temperature water for up to 24 hours before sowing
• Avoid jiffy peat pots or standard potting soil
• Transplant outdoors when soil is consistently warm; space 12 inches apart

Growing Tips

• Full sun; deeply worked, well-drained soil with added organic matter (pH 6.0–6.8)
• Water deeply but avoid overwatering
• Mulch 1–2 inches around the base to retain moisture
• Feed with compost tea every 2–3 weeks during early growth
• Grows well in 5-gallon containers year-round
• Harden off over 7–14 days; bring indoors if nights drop below 55°F

Harvest

Harvest green from 50 days for continuous production, or allow to ripen fully red by 68–78 days for maximum sweetness. Always cut with scissors — never pull — to protect fragile stems.