how are your bells this year?

username5 · August 6, 2006

This is the first in about 5 years that I have gotten good sized bell peppers in my garden.

How about you?

In the past I recall seeing many folks post at various places about bell peppers not getting 'grocery store' big. The search for a consistently large bell ensues.

Well, I have been trying various varieties from named ones to variety packets of various color mixes and whatnot and pretty consistently I end up with small bells.

This year I am getting plants so dense with large bells that in some cases I am breaking limbs off the plants to harvest bells in the interior that are pressed against other bells. I mean they are jamming themselves together.

I have done nothing differently this year than I have done in the past. In fact I have done less this year.

I haven't staked and most plants have blown over in the wind. I water, but not often. I weed, but last night when I weeded I was literally uncovering pepper plants that were covered over with weeds (took a week vacation and came home to a week long heat wave that kept me out of the garden).

All I can say is I can't explain the great bell results this year by anything I have done.

And it isn't just some of the varieties doing well, all the bells are producing larger fruit than I am used to seeing.

Perhaps it is just the weather this year?

How have your bells done and if you are in the midwest US I am particularly interested in how yours have done since the weather is fairly comparable.

August 6, 2006	#1
username5 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Zone 5 Wisconsin Posts: 117	how are your bells this year? This is the first in about 5 years that I have gotten good sized bell peppers in my garden. How about you? In the past I recall seeing many folks post at various places about bell peppers not getting 'grocery store' big. The search for a consistently large bell ensues. Well, I have been trying various varieties from named ones to variety packets of various color mixes and whatnot and pretty consistently I end up with small bells. This year I am getting plants so dense with large bells that in some cases I am breaking limbs off the plants to harvest bells in the interior that are pressed against other bells. I mean they are jamming themselves together. I have done nothing differently this year than I have done in the past. In fact I have done less this year. I haven't staked and most plants have blown over in the wind. I water, but not often. I weed, but last night when I weeded I was literally uncovering pepper plants that were covered over with weeds (took a week vacation and came home to a week long heat wave that kept me out of the garden). All I can say is I can't explain the great bell results this year by anything I have done. And it isn't just some of the varieties doing well, all the bells are producing larger fruit than I am used to seeing. Perhaps it is just the weather this year? How have your bells done and if you are in the midwest US I am particularly interested in how yours have done since the weather is fairly comparable.