Re: To Grow or Not to Grow(Peppers), that is the question

audrey.jeanne.roberts 5/5/2014, 3:56 pm

sanderson wrote:Audrey, Do you know the name of the sweet, snacking peppers? How neat!

I don't, but if anyone wants some seed I'll be happy to send some. I have a bunch that I've kept from the purchased Costco peppers and they reproduced very well.

Just send me a stamped, self-addressed envelope (private message me for my address) and I'll be delighted to share what I have.

aj

**sanderson** 5/5/2014, 4:24 pm

Yippie! Will do this evening.

Windmere 5/6/2014, 3:26 pm

I am glad this thread got bumped; the timing was perfect. I have never had any success with peppers (last year was a bust). I'm afraid of a repeat failure this year.

I planted Aneheim Peppers, Sweet Sunset Peppers and eggplant on Feb 21. As of today, they are, at best, 3" high. I planted them directly in store-bought Mel's Mix (from Amazon).

Here's what they look like as of five minutes ago:

To Grow or Not to Grow(Peppers), that is the question - Page 3 00310

To Grow or Not to Grow(Peppers), that is the question - Page 3 00310

Are things normal with these? Should they be bigger? Much thanks all for any comments. Smile

manda99 5/12/2014, 11:41 am

Have you tried 'Ace' bell peppers? I've planted them for the last 3 years and have had so many that I was bringing them in bags to hand out at work! Some of the plants actually had so many peppers on them, that I had to add supports under the branches so they wouldn't flop over from the weight.

GWN 5/12/2014, 11:43 am

Manda.... did you pinch off the tops of the plants...
Windemere.... yours look healthy...

**camprn** 5/12/2014, 12:03 pm

Windmere, my advice is amend your MM in the bed and plant the peppers ASAP. They will probably start putting new growth soon.

grownsunshine 5/12/2014, 12:35 pm

GWN wrote:Manda.... did you pinch off the tops of the plants...
Windemere.... yours look healthy...

Pinching off the tops works? I'll have to do that when I get home tonight. I have a decent size bell pepper plant (2 ft tallish) that's doing fairly well. It has a hand full of flowers. Next time I need to plant it in a spot that has more sun. Anyway I think pinching the top might focus more nutrients to the flowers/peppers, which I hope will get the flowers/peppers to develop a bit quicker. Thanks!

grownsunshine 5/12/2014, 12:41 pm

Windmere - they do look nice, green and healthy, but I'd think they'd be much taller by now.

camprn - what do you mean by amending the MM.? Adding more compost (sorry for the rookie question)?

**camprn** 5/12/2014, 1:46 pm

grownsunshine wrote:Windmere - they do look nice, green and healthy, but I'd think they'd be much taller by now.

camprn - what do you mean by amending the MM.? Adding more compost (sorry for the rookie question)?

Yes precisely, you add compost to the beds before planting.

GWN 5/12/2014, 2:13 pm

I think that the height depends on when you planted the seeds.
Mine are pretty much that same height, and I planted them Mid March, and they seem to be growing nicely.

Windmere 5/12/2014, 2:14 pm

camprn wrote:
grownsunshine wrote:Windmere - they do look nice, green and healthy, but I'd think they'd be much taller by now.

camprn - what do you mean by amending the MM.? Adding more compost (sorry for the rookie question)?

Yes precisely, you add compost to the beds before planting.

Thanks camprn. I just got notice of your advice... I have not put them in my amended beds yet. However, I did give them a boost in their containers by adding some straight compost mix and then topping of with my own home made MM. They immediately improved. I think what I may do with the remaining 7cu ft of store bought MM is mix it with my own MM and perhaps add just a little more 5 combo compost for good measure. Does that sound like a good plan?

**camprn** 5/12/2014, 2:29 pm

Windmere wrote:
camprn wrote:
grownsunshine wrote:Windmere - they do look nice, green and healthy, but I'd think they'd be much taller by now.

camprn - what do you mean by amending the MM.? Adding more compost (sorry for the rookie question)?

Yes precisely, you add compost to the beds before planting.
Thanks camprn. I just got notice of your advice... I have not put them in my amended beds yet. However, I did give them a boost in their containers by adding some straight compost mix and then topping of with my own home made MM. They immediately improved. I think what I may do with the remaining 7cu ft of store bought MM is mix it with my own MM and perhaps add just a little more 5 combo compost for good measure. Does that sound like a good plan?

Just use compost that you add to the bed. I'm a bit surprised you have not put those peppers in the garden. Why are you waiting?

Windmere 5/12/2014, 2:41 pm

Thanks camprn. I've been ill, so getting my beds ready has been a challenge. Hopefully I will be able to get them planted this week. In any case, my shortcut of just adding to the containers some home made stuff I had on hand worked very well.

grownsunshine 5/12/2014, 9:40 pm

Sorry you haven't been feeling well. I hope you are able to get to your garden and that being out there makes you feel even better.

landarch 5/13/2014, 10:10 am

I was about ready to give up planting sweet peppers this year (tired of thin-walled, smallish peppers the last three years)...until I talked to some local farmers market people. They said try growing the right varieties for my area and don't just walk into the local garden center, buy some bedding plants, and expect to get good peppers.

So, this year I started my own pepper plants from seed; Giant Marconi (thick-walled, red, long, grilling pepper), Fat N' Sassy (thick walled sweet pepper). I'm growing about a dozen each. I also started Poblano and Caribbean Red Habanero.

I've never had problems growing hot peppers (habanero, jalapeno, cayenne).

In addition, this morning I "topped" several of my sweet pepper plants...see pic below. From youtube videos, it's supposed to encourage a stronger plant and root system, "bushier" structure, and higher yields...time will tell if it makes a difference.

To Grow or Not to Grow(Peppers), that is the question - Page 3 May_pe10

To Grow or Not to Grow(Peppers), that is the question - Page 3 May_pe10

quiltbea 5/13/2014, 11:26 am

windmere.....sorry you haven't been feeling well lately. I know the feeling. I have to pace myself and sometimes a great day for gardening arrives but I'm not so great so can't do a thing. Hope you are better soon. Good luck.

landarch.....I'm going to try that cutting back of the peppers this year, too. I hope to get a larger plant and bigger harvest. Here in my Maine garden things like peppers and eggplant don't do very well so this year I'm skipping eggplant altogether.

Marc Iverson 5/13/2014, 2:13 pm

Hope you feel better soon, Windmere. I prescribe gardening!

Windmere 5/13/2014, 9:29 pm

I just wanted to say "thanks guys" for all the kind words and good wishes. Marc, gardening is just what the doctor ordered. I stepped outside a moment ago and the entire area around our house smells of sweet peas. Ah, the sweet smell of gardening!!

Dunkinjean 5/16/2014, 10:47 pm

I never knew that you should pinch/prune off the top of pepper plants! The YouTube video is great!
I never had any luck with growing bell peppers in the past.
I planted 1 pepper plant in the garden.
This weekend I will top off the pepper plant after the rains.
Thank you everyone! Very Happy

GWN 6/11/2014, 4:51 pm

OK so I topped many of my plants when this was posted and now my plants are VERY VERY bushy, and I am a bit confused now.
Wondering if I should be picking off all of those suckers or not
I get the feeling that I CAUSED all those sucker by pinching off the tops. thinking

GWN 6/11/2014, 7:13 pm

Well to answer my own question, ..... I found a very good video, in fact I have spent the afternoon watching them and this one, I FIND, is the best, because it goes on in time to see the results of what you are doing

VIDEO ON PEPPER PRUNING

**Turan** 6/12/2014, 12:06 am

He started those in September for the following season!!! Whew.

GWN 6/12/2014, 12:43 am

I believe he lives in zone 3.
There also seems to be a growing movement of growing them over the winter.

**sanderson** 6/12/2014, 4:53 am

I have a question. How many years can a potted pepper keep producing? I was able to over-winter several in the green house but the lost all their leaves. Then around Feb-March, little green shouts started! Very Happy

I pruned the tops and they took off and are producing this summer. Can I over-winter again, and for how many years?

Thank you

**camprn** 6/12/2014, 6:41 am

GWN wrote:Well to answer my own question, ..... I found a very good video, in fact I have spent the afternoon watching them and this one, I FIND, is the best, because it goes on in time to see the results of what you are doing

VIDEO ON PEPPER PRUNING

good find!

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