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Comparing Black Bean vs. Bell Pepper vs. Armenian Cucumber

The comparison

Black Bean vs. Bell Pepper vs. Armenian Cucumber

Units
Growing facts for Black Bean, Bell Pepper and Armenian Cucumber, side by side
Fact
Black BeanPhaseolus vulgaris
Bell PepperCapsicum annuum
Armenian CucumberCucumis melo var. flexuosus
DifficultyEasyModerateModerate
Life cycleAnnualNot yet verifiedAnnual
Germination time7–10 daysNot yet verifiedNot yet verified
Germination temperature18–29 °C64–84 °FNot yet verifiedNot yet verified
Sowing depthNot yet verified6 mm¼ inNot yet verified
Days to maturityNot yet verified70–85 days from transplantingNot yet verified
SunFull sunFull sunFull sun
WaterModerateNot yet verifiedModerate
ContainersNot yet verifiedYesNot yet verified
Frost toleranceTender (no frost)Tender (no frost)Tender (no frost)
Links

Up close

Meet the seeds

What each one is, in a few lines, with the full growing guide one click away.

  • Young green bean seedlings with heart-shaped leaves growing in mulched garden soilVegetables

    Black Bean

    Phaseolus vulgaris

    Difficulty: Easy

    Black beans are a dry-seed type of the common bean. Sow them in full sun after frost, and harvest once the pods have dried on the plant.

    How to grow black bean
  • Green bell pepper fruit growing on a pepper plant among broad green leavesVegetables

    Bell Pepper

    Capsicum annuum

    Difficulty: ModerateGrows in pots

    A sweet, mild pepper that needs a long, warm season. Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost, then grow it in full sun, in the ground or in a large pot.

    How to grow bell pepper
  • Armenian cucumber fruit, long and curved, growing on the vine with leaves behindVegetables

    Armenian Cucumber

    Cucumis melo var. flexuosus

    Difficulty: Moderate

    Armenian cucumber is a warm-season vine in the melon species, grown from seed for its edible fruit, which is eaten fresh or in salads.

    How to grow armenian cucumber

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The table, row by row

How to read a comparison

Every row is a fact from each seed's own profile, lined up so the differences stand out.

  1. Sprouting

    Germination time and temperature

    How many days the seeds take to sprout, and the temperature range they sprout in.

  2. Sowing

    Sowing depth and spacing

    How deep to sow each seed and how far apart the plants should grow. “On the surface” means the seed isn't covered.

  3. Timing

    Days to maturity and life cycle

    How long until the plant is ready, counted from sowing or from transplanting (each value says which). Annuals live one year, biennials two, perennials longer.

  4. Light and water

    Sun and water

    Full sun means 6 or more hours of direct sun a day, partial shade a few hours. Water needs are rated low, moderate or high.

  5. Space and weather

    Containers, frost tolerance and soil pH

    Whether it grows in a pot, with the smallest pot when it's known. Frost tolerance runs from tender (no frost) to hardy. Soil pH 7 is neutral.

  6. Pets

    Toxicity to cats and dogs

    Whether the plant is toxic to cats and dogs.

Quick wins

Fastest to sprout

Days from sowing until the first shoots appear, in good conditions.

Pet friendly

Safe around cats and dogs

Listed as non-toxic to both cats and dogs. Each seed's page has the details.

Not safe for pets: borage, buckwheat, caraway, carnation and 14 more.

Comparing

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Each seed's page explains how to grow it from seed, with facts researched and reviewed by our editors.