Bryant.

Pimientos are not one variety; rather, they’re a collection of many red-colored types with similar flavors, shapes, and textures. These peppers resemble red bell peppers but are sweeter and more flavorful. One plant produces six to twelve peppers, meaning you’ll only need a few for a consistent harvest. I like growing this type instead of bell peppers, as they add a savory sweetness to pasta sauces, stuffed pepper recipes, and salads.

Their savory flavor is why they stuff olives and cheese after the pickling process. Find these concoctions in your grocery store, or try growing your pimientos to make them yourself! Pimientos also go by pimentos, so look for either in your search for seeds, plants, or food products.

A fun way to test their flavor is by growing a bell pepper plant alongside a pimiento one. Use types like ‘California Wonder,’ then harvest the ripe red peppers. Test each variety, seeing your favorite for flavor, texture, and juiciness. You might like the bell better, but I guarantee you’ll enjoy the pimiento peppers no matter which you prefer.

Pimientos grow well during hot seasons worldwide. Give them full sun, regular water, and free-draining soil, and they’ll reward you with bushels of chiles.
What Is It?
Pimiento is a perennial variety that forms large, heart-shaped fruits. Their substantial size stands out in vegetable and ornamental gardens; you may use this species for decoration or its edible fruits. It goes by Capsicum anuum botanically, as it’s a close relative of bell peppers, jalapeños, and serranos.

Many types of pimientos exist. ‘Sheepnose Pimento’ forms ruffled red peppers half the size of other kinds. Their succulent flesh has a similar texture to tomatoes. Some ‘Pimiento’ seeds sprout large, squat fruits, while others grow skinny, short, or round. Read the labels closely to determine their characteristics, and select the one you prefer to eat.

Native Area
Most pimientos originate from Europe. They’re descendants of South American chiles that traders brought across the ocean to European countries. Plant breeders received them and mixed varieties to form many peppers with new attributes.

Nowadays, pimientos grow in the Americas, Eurasia, and Australia. As pickled olives with pimientos are immensely popular, there is a worldwide demand for farmers to select this variety. Grow it yourself to taste its fresh chiles—they’re hard to find in the produce section!

Characteristics
Annual plants reach two to three feet tall, although perennial ones reach four feet. They’re stocky plants with thick stems; you’ll easily tell them apart from thin-stem kinds like ‘Santaka’ or ‘Shishito.’ White flowers sprout off the thick stems in summer and grow delicious red pimientos after pollination.

Some retailers confuse cherry peppers with pimientos. Pimientos are rarely spicy unless they ripen dark red on the vine. Mature fruits range between 0-500 Scoville units. Cherry peppers are often spicy, small, and juicy, with a much higher Scoville rating of 2,500-5,000. They taste good too but offer a much spicier flavoring when you use them in recipes.

Planting
Peppers appreciate fertile, free-draining soil. They need consistent moisture during the growing season to stay strong and perky. Although they technically are drought tolerant, infrequent watering reduces crop yields. Plan to grow them in full sun with good airflow.

This type’s roots grow deeper and wider than most peppers, meaning you’ll want to give new plants an 18-24” distance from others. Give pimientos space, and they’ll fill it with strappy green foliage and bright red chiles. Grow these types from seeds or starts, although they’re difficult to find as potted plants in nurseries. Seeds are readily available online and at local retailers.
How to Grow
Pimientos love summers, as they bask under direct sunlight to thrive under the sun’s intense heat. They’re taller than most other varieties, so they appreciate some caging or staking for support. Give peppers proper nutrition, good soil, and ample water—they’ll produce fist-sized fruits all summer.


Maintenance
A little care goes a long way when growing pimientos. They like leaning on a stake or tomato cage because it supports the stems when they sprout large chiles. The fruits may weigh down your plant and break its tender, green stems. A simple bamboo stake does the trick—stick it in the ground and lean your peppers against it. Some garden twine will keep the plant upright.

Frost and winter snow threaten ripening peppers. You may harvest them green or red and store them inside. Two other options exist to extend your season: hard pruning and using a row cover.

Row covers are like mini-greenhouses; they provide warmth and shelter from extreme elements. Use metal U posts and UV-resistant greenhouse plastic to drape the posts. Situate the cover over your beds, and open the flaps during the daytime to let air pass through.

Hard prune peppers at summer’s end, before fall frosts threaten to turn them mushy. Select branches without ripening peppers and prune them off. Remove any flowers and small fruit that may not have a chance to ripen. Leave green chiles on the stems, and they’ll ripen quickly during the last warm days of summer.