Keystone Resistant Giant

Family: Solanaceae Sweet Pepper

Sink your senses into the glossy, thick-walled bell peppers of ‘Keystone Resistant Giant,’ where a crisp, juicy snap meets a sweet, garden-fresh flavor.

At maturity, fruits mature to a rich, deep green that can turn to a warm red, with a broad-shouldered shape and a satisfying, meaty texture that holds its form beautifully. Grow this vigorous, disease-resistant standout for standout market-style peppers—ideal for fresh use, roasting, and vibrant sauces or pickling.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 75 DaysHabit: Bush

Botanical illustration of Keystone Resistant Giant

Planting schedules and alerts are optimized for Columbus (Zone 6b).

Crop Dates

Milestone	Date
Start Indoors	Mar 7th
Last Frost	Apr 25th
Transplant / Sow Outdoors	Jun 20th
Harvest Begins	Sep 3rd
Harvest Ends	Oct 16th

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	75
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Bush
Support Needed	Stake
Planting Depth	Normal
Germination Temp (°F)	80
Min Soil Temp (°F)	60
Min Night Temp (°F)	50
Harden Off (days)	10

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Keystone Resistant Giant’s thick, meaty walls give you a real bite—less collapse, more structure—so it stays satisfying in hot pans and on a cutting board. Slice it for raw crunch, then roast until blistered; the sweetness pops and the flesh turns silky without getting watery.

Best Uses

thick-slice raw into salads or crunchy crudités where the walls keep their bite
high-heat roasting for charred edges and tender, spoonable flesh
quick sauté/steaming for fajitas and stir-fries—holds shape without turning watery
pickling for snappy, briny pepper strips

Flavor Profile

crisp juicy snap sweet, green-bell pepper flavor thick meaty walls that stay firm mild vegetal sweetness with a clean finish

Kitchen Pairings

garlic black pepper lime juice olive oil goat cheese chicken

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the most common problem with Capsicum annuum (bell pepper type) and how do I treat it?

A frequent issue is blossom-end rot, caused by irregular watering that leads to calcium uptake failure in developing fruit. Cut down watering swings and keep soil evenly moist (not soggy), then apply a calcium source as directed on a garden product label if you see early symptoms (black, sunken patches at the blossom end). If plants are stressed from heat, use consistent moisture mulching and avoid letting the soil dry out between waterings.

How often should I water Capsicum annuum during the main growing phase?

During flowering and fruit set (roughly mid-season onward), water deeply about 1–2 times per week, adjusting so the top 1 inch of soil stays slightly moist. In hot weather, this can mean more frequent watering—check moisture daily; if the soil dries fast, increase to smaller, more regular soakings rather than long dry gaps. Avoid standing water around roots, which can reduce oxygen and worsen disease.

How can I tell when Capsicum annuum is ready to harvest?

Harvest when fruits reach full size and switch color from green to the mature color expected for your pepper (typically red for many bell types) and feel firm but not hard. For best eating quality, pick at the first color change and expect about 75 days to maturity from transplanting/planting, depending on your start date and temperatures. If you leave fully mature fruit on the plant too long, it can slow new fruit development—pluck ripe peppers regularly.