when to start sweet peppers? - Page 2

Randall · February 17, 2012

I'm gonna give that a shot, Lurley! I never seem to get very many sweet peppers here.

RebelRidin · February 17, 2012

I start my peppers a couple weeks ahead of my tomatoes and I set peppers out about a week or two later than tomatoes. I think the peppers would be fine going out with tomatoes. I mainly do this because because I need that time to get the beds ready.

When I lay out my beds I try to get the tomatoes/melons/cukes/squash/pole beans as much early day sun as I can and give the hotter afternoon sun over to the peppers, and to bush beans. (My light is problematic in that about half my plot doesn't see sun until mid morning.)

For me it seems to help the vines through the mid-season heat, the early bush beans are done by the time the real hot days arrive, and the peppers seem to come in sooner with stronger plants.

vegegardner · March 3, 2012

I always started my peppers and eggplants at least 3 or 4 weeks ahead of tomatoes. Everything being the same indoors , I find that the tomatoes grow faster than peppers.

bower · March 3, 2012

Last week I tried a tip I read on the internet, and immersed my pepper seed completely in water overnight before planting - wow, it really worked. My seeds were sprouting up in 5 days - excellent germination rate as well. Using a heat mat, of course.

Now if I could figure out how to speed up their growth, I'd be really happy. Seems it takes two weeks here, just to put on that first true leaf.

Tracydr · March 4, 2012

I've not had problems with sweet peppers but habaneros, boy are they hard to start. And slow! Any suggestions? I just started a bunch of sweet habanero varieties, very excited about them. Not worried about getting fruit this summer, I know they won't even begin to set fruit until fall around here. Our pepper season is late, unless I have well established or evn overwintered habanero plants, due to the severe summer heat.

roper2008 · March 4, 2012

I start my chinense peppers (habanero's, scorpions, etc) much earlier than
my tomatoes. I have a long growing season, but if I lived in a cold zone like
4 or 5, I would start my chinense early February. My annuum's I start about
2 weeks earlier than my tomatoes. Except this year, I was too excited and
started my tomatoes before my annuum's. I'm going to start all my sweet
peppers today and tomorrow, which is fine for my zone.

February 17, 2012	#17
RebelRidin Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Maryland's Eastern Shore Posts: 993	I start my peppers a couple weeks ahead of my tomatoes and I set peppers out about a week or two later than tomatoes. I think the peppers would be fine going out with tomatoes. I mainly do this because because I need that time to get the beds ready. When I lay out my beds I try to get the tomatoes/melons/cukes/squash/pole beans as much early day sun as I can and give the hotter afternoon sun over to the peppers, and to bush beans. (My light is problematic in that about half my plot doesn't see sun until mid morning.) For me it seems to help the vines through the mid-season heat, the early bush beans are done by the time the real hot days arrive, and the peppers seem to come in sooner with stronger plants. __________________ George _____________________________ "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is it’s natural manure." Thomas Jefferson, 1787

February 17, 2012	#16
Randall Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: 6a Posts: 396	I'm gonna give that a shot, Lurley! I never seem to get very many sweet peppers here.

March 3, 2012	#18
vegegardner Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: TX Posts: 6	I always started my peppers and eggplants at least 3 or 4 weeks ahead of tomatoes. Everything being the same indoors , I find that the tomatoes grow faster than peppers.

March 3, 2012	#19
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,794	Last week I tried a tip I read on the internet, and immersed my pepper seed completely in water overnight before planting - wow, it really worked. My seeds were sprouting up in 5 days - excellent germination rate as well. Using a heat mat, of course. Now if I could figure out how to speed up their growth, I'd be really happy. Seems it takes two weeks here, just to put on that first true leaf.

March 4, 2012	#20
Tracydr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7 Posts: 3,207	I've not had problems with sweet peppers but habaneros, boy are they hard to start. And slow! Any suggestions? I just started a bunch of sweet habanero varieties, very excited about them. Not worried about getting fruit this summer, I know they won't even begin to set fruit until fall around here. Our pepper season is late, unless I have well established or evn overwintered habanero plants, due to the severe summer heat.

March 4, 2012	#21
roper2008 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Virginia Bch, VA (7b) Posts: 1,337	I start my chinense peppers (habanero's, scorpions, etc) much earlier than my tomatoes. I have a long growing season, but if I lived in a cold zone like 4 or 5, I would start my chinense early February. My annuum's I start about 2 weeks earlier than my tomatoes. Except this year, I was too excited and started my tomatoes before my annuum's. I'm going to start all my sweet peppers today and tomorrow, which is fine for my zone.