Got my peppers started..

Wulfe · March 11, 2011

It's about that time up here in zone 3. Despite the obvious challenges of growing peppers this far north, I started 14 different varieties hoping to find a handful that thrive in the climate...

Varieties:
Early California Wonder
Chervena Chushka
Shepherd's Ramshorn
Pustagold
Quadrato d'Astirosso
Liebesapfel
Sweet Chocolate
Purple Beauty
Marconi
Jupiter
Doe Hill
Gourmet
Sweet Cherry
Friarello
Emerald Giant

Anyone grow any of these up north? I've got tomatoes pretty well figured out up here (with a few exceptions) but peppers seem extra challenging.

Some photos of my seedling setup here.

Full Moon · March 12, 2011

You have a nice set up there Wulfe.

This is my first gardening season in Canada (from Australia). I can only tell you about what I read on different gardeners blogs and websites.

Everything I read from people growing peppers here in Quebec is that you have to start them early if you want them to ripen before the first frost. Some start them as early as december. Allot of people also grow them in pots the soil gets warmer faster. That's what I plan to do for most of them.

I've started my first batch January 18th they were doing nicely in the laundry room of the basement. Then all of a sudden .... nothing ..... they stopped growing and the leaves started to turn purple. I couldn't understand what was going on. Couple of days went by until I realized "who" the problem was.

My husband was setting up his brewery room adjacent to the laundry. These two rooms are kidda together. To make sure he wouldn't get any dust/floating particules or anything else contaminating his brew he blocked out the two heating ducks in the rooms!!!!

(without telling me).

Needless to say I was not impressed. I managed to get them going again but it took allot of "care" and it has set me back big time.

I planted all my varieties again last week just in case. I have a feeling the new ones might catch up although they were planted 6-7 weeks later. We'll see.

I'm growing a few on your list. I didn't count them but I probably have about 30 different ones (hot & sweet) 75-80 plants (not counting the new ones). I'll need to cut this number down to about 60 ..... maybe

I hope we both get a good harvest. Keep us posted.

wmontanez · March 12, 2011

Hello,

I do live a bit south than Canada in New England (Massachusetts Zone 6) and last year I started some sweet peppers in January 1st, some in February 1st, 15th and some March 1st. The only plants that gave me ripe fruit was the January planting, the February gave me plenty green fruits and March only was starting to produce when my fall weather hit. None of the hot peppers ripen and only gave me few fruits that ripen indoors. This year some folks advised me to start in December. I started Christmas Day and every weekend in January to try to get more fruit ripen in the plants and hopefully get the hot peppers to ripen also.

Also to have the soil warm earlier I used palruf clear PVC sheets as "tunels" to get a head start on some tomatoes and peppers plus clotches using a 2L soda pop bottle to protect my watermelons. By the time I planted in mid May the soil was warmer. It did work very well for the watermelon plants. Good luck!

b54red · March 12, 2011

I live in zone 8b and usually have all my peppers started by mid January with some of the slower ones planted in December. Some varieties especially hot peppers can be really slow to develop so they need a real head start. Keep up with which ones mature this year and adjust your planting dates for the seed next season.

March 11, 2011	#1
Wulfe Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Edmonton Posts: 17	Got my peppers started.. It's about that time up here in zone 3. Despite the obvious challenges of growing peppers this far north, I started 14 different varieties hoping to find a handful that thrive in the climate... Varieties: Early California Wonder Chervena Chushka Shepherd's Ramshorn Pustagold Quadrato d'Astirosso Liebesapfel Sweet Chocolate Purple Beauty Marconi Jupiter Doe Hill Gourmet Sweet Cherry Friarello Emerald Giant Anyone grow any of these up north? I've got tomatoes pretty well figured out up here (with a few exceptions) but peppers seem extra challenging. Some photos of my seedling setup here.

March 12, 2011	#3
wmontanez Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: MA Posts: 776	Hello, I do live a bit south than Canada in New England (Massachusetts Zone 6) and last year I started some sweet peppers in January 1st, some in February 1st, 15th and some March 1st. The only plants that gave me ripe fruit was the January planting, the February gave me plenty green fruits and March only was starting to produce when my fall weather hit. None of the hot peppers ripen and only gave me few fruits that ripen indoors. This year some folks advised me to start in December. I started Christmas Day and every weekend in January to try to get more fruit ripen in the plants and hopefully get the hot peppers to ripen also. Also to have the soil warm earlier I used palruf clear PVC sheets as "tunels" to get a head start on some tomatoes and peppers plus clotches using a 2L soda pop bottle to protect my watermelons. By the time I planted in mid May the soil was warmer. It did work very well for the watermelon plants. Good luck! __________________ Wendy

March 12, 2011	#2
Full Moon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Montréal, Canada Posts: 347	You have a nice set up there Wulfe. This is my first gardening season in Canada (from Australia). I can only tell you about what I read on different gardeners blogs and websites. Everything I read from people growing peppers here in Quebec is that you have to start them early if you want them to ripen before the first frost. Some start them as early as december. Allot of people also grow them in pots the soil gets warmer faster. That's what I plan to do for most of them. I've started my first batch January 18th they were doing nicely in the laundry room of the basement. Then all of a sudden .... nothing ..... they stopped growing and the leaves started to turn purple. I couldn't understand what was going on. Couple of days went by until I realized "who" the problem was. My husband was setting up his brewery room adjacent to the laundry. These two rooms are kidda together. To make sure he wouldn't get any dust/floating particules or anything else contaminating his brew he blocked out the two heating ducks in the rooms!!!! (without telling me). Needless to say I was not impressed. I managed to get them going again but it took allot of "care" and it has set me back big time. I planted all my varieties again last week just in case. I have a feeling the new ones might catch up although they were planted 6-7 weeks later. We'll see. I'm growing a few on your list. I didn't count them but I probably have about 30 different ones (hot & sweet) 75-80 plants (not counting the new ones). I'll need to cut this number down to about 60 ..... maybe I hope we both get a good harvest. Keep us posted.

March 12, 2011	#4
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	I live in zone 8b and usually have all my peppers started by mid January with some of the slower ones planted in December. Some varieties especially hot peppers can be really slow to develop so they need a real head start. Keep up with which ones mature this year and adjust your planting dates for the seed next season.