We're on the tail end of spring and the weather is warming up (well it should be), which means now's the time to get busy planting capsicums.

Jalapeno, bell peppers (otherwise known as capsicum in New Zealand), and chilli are all part of the capsicum genus and can be planted now.

The great thing about capsicum plants is they don't need a lot of love and attention. They grow well in confined spaces and thrive with little watering.

Just look for a well-drained, sheltered and sunny spot in your garden - the same type of place you'd grow tomatoes. That's a reminder for those who haven't got their toms in the ground yet. Other plants you could grow your capsicums with are basil and parsley - the three are good companions because they like the same conditions.

If you don't have acres of space try growing these colourful fruit in pots. Awapuni has a great mixed colour capsicum bundle, which includes red, green, yellow and purple seedlings.

Speaking of colours, if you've never grown capsicum before, you may not be aware that green, yellow and red capsicum are usually the same fruit left to ripen. Some seedlings and varieties will grow to be specific coloured capsicum, but most red and yellow ones will start off green and ripen into yellow and then into red.

The taste of the fruit will also change as it ripens. Typically a red pepper will have a slightly sweeter taste than green and a green chilli will have a hotter taste than red. There are loads of different varieties within the capsicum genus so don't take my word for it, plant your own and experiment with the taste and colour.

If your kids are fond of picking out the capsicum from salads and even pizzas, get some friendly competition going and see who can withstand eating the hottest chilli in the garden. That will get them looking at bit of bell pepper in their meals in a more innocuous light.

Encourage smaller children to check the plants daily to watch the fruit transform from green, through yellow and into red.

Grab your Awapuni Nurseries capsicum, chilli or jalapeno seedlings from our online shop or from your local supermarket, Bunnings or The Warehouse.

Then increase the quality of your soil by mixing in some compost and a good general fertiliser such as nitrophoska blue. If you're growing your fruit in pots, simply use a good potting mix.

Capsicums take around 12 weeks to cultivate - they're a bit like tomatoes and will spend most of that time growing the plant before you see any fruit appear.

Lastly, watch out for slugs who are quite partial to capsicum. Apply some slug bait, or try our 'beer bait' for a natural alternative.