My brother John and I grow red and yellow bell peppers on two locations. John is mainly to be found hard at work in Zevenhuizen, where we have eight hectares of greenhouses, and I always work in at our site in Luttelgeest which is home to more than 33 hectares of greenhouses used to grow red and yellow bell peppers. We thoroughly enjoy growing bell peppers, it's a fast, dynamic crop.
Over the years the many investments and skills you acquire make you a true specialist. The demand for bell peppers has really exploded in recent years, as awareness of their nutritional value has increased, and people realise just how versatile they are. Luckily everyone enjoys eating a bell pepper now and then - that's good for us!
We sow in mid-October and plant the seedlings is mid-November. The plants start growing when they have been tied to 5-metre wires. Bell pepper plants can easily grow that high. The first fruits appear in mid-January, and we expect to pick the first peppers in mid-March. Harvesting continues until about 1 November. Then we clear out the greenhouses and clean and prepare everything for the next cycle.
