Pepper newbie wants to know - where's the productivity?

cleo88 · August 11, 2010

Hi,
I know a fair amount about growing tomatoes from seed, but I am evidently no whiz at peppers.... help....

I grew four pepper plants from seed this spring: Corno Di Torro Yellow, Marconi Red and two Quadrati d'Asti Rosso. They are about 2 1/2 feet tall now, a little bug-eaten in the leaf department but otherwise looking fine.

But they just are really not productive. The Marconi has one big pepper on it and that's it, and the one of the Quadratis finally (in mid August) have a couple of marble-sized peppers. That just seems so chintzy - I have tomatoes coming out of my ears. They've had a bunch of white flowers that have not pollinated. What am I doing wrong?

Thoughts:

Not watering enough thus stressing them out? - I water sparingly because my tomatoes like it that way

They need more sunlight - somehow the tomatoes do fine with their five hours that ends mid afternoon, but peppers want more? Or the tomatoes are blocking some of the sunlight since they are taller?

It needs to be really hot for pollination to happen, hotter than tomatoes like it? Hence some are pollinating now but only one happened before August.

Different soil requirements than tomatoes? Or the tomatoes are stealing all the soil nutrients?

Please advise!

dustdevil · August 12, 2010

"They've had a bunch of white flowers that have not pollinated."

Flower drop probable causes:

1. Day temp too high >95F
2. Night temp too low <65F
3. Too much nitrogen fertilizer
4. Too much water
5. Low light levels (reduces fertility)
6. Very low humidity (reduces fertility)
7. Poor air circulation (air circulation contributes to pollination)
8. Lack of pollinating insects.

cleo88 · August 13, 2010

I thought peppers, like tomatoes, were self pollinating?

dustdevil · August 13, 2010

Peppers are self pollinating...that doesn't mean they can't be pollinated in other ways. Bees will pollinate them if a more desirable pollen is not available in the area. I don't see many honey bees here, but the pollen laden bumblebees do visit my peppers.

BTW: Next time plant your peppers where they're not shaded by the tomatoes.

b54red · August 14, 2010

Peppers really need more than 5 hours of sunlight to do well. They also can use more water especially before they are ripening. I always have poor fruit set when bell peppers don't get enough water. They also seem to need more fertilizing than tomatoes. I give mine a dose of Miracle Grow a couple of times during the season, both as a foliar spray and soil drench.

RayR · August 16, 2010

I've had the same problem this year with peppers planted in the ground. I have 2 Marconi's in the ground that has only produced 1 pepper so far, but I have 1 Marconi in a container that has 6 peppers on it. A few weeks ago I gave them a shot of organic fertilizer and some added bone meal. Now the plants are getting bigger and I'm seeing some signs of new flowers forming.
Pretty much the same issue with other peppers and eggplant.
Next year all the peppers and eggplant are going in containers, where they seem to flourish better. Tomatoes are the opposite, they way better in the ground for me.

franzb69 · August 17, 2010

I like to pollinate them myself.

If you don't want crosses you'll need a brush or cue tip for each variety and just wiggle it around there inside the flower. flower to flower just wiggle them in there and you'll get pollination.

But then the combination of hot weather and sudden rains seem to keep my from getting pods. The rainy season in my country just sucks. It gets too hot when it doesn't rain. Then when it does rain, it just kills the flowers.

So far from this method I've got one tomato. LOL. But then again I still have small plants. So I still have a long way to go.

I do this on all my tomatoes and peppers. Seems to make pods and tomatoes. The peppers are just a bit more finicky when it comes to setting fruit and keeping it on there for me.

RinTinTin · August 30, 2010

My experiences with peppers shows that they need a lot more sun and heat than tomatoes do. If they cannot get 80-85 degree days from transplanting until harvest, don't expect much out of them. Cold nights also hurt: they go dormant, and will not snap out of it until they are back up into the 80's. In containers, I will paint one side flat black. When they need all of the heat they can get, I face that side towards the sun. Otherwise, the unpainted side is sunward.

Water is another issue. Water deep enough to reach the bottom roots. Let them dry out before watering again. If the leaves have not yet begun to curl, they don't need more water. My peppers have always done best when stressed. Put a good layer of mulch on them, and they will only need 1 watering per week, as long as it gets down to the deeper roots.

Farmette · August 31, 2010

My peppers grown in pots or raised beds have always done much better than those in ground. They seem to like warm soil. Those in pots get watered more frequently, at least every other day and I fertilize every few weeks.

Katmary · September 12, 2010

I have the same experience with others, my peppers have done better in pots. I had some tomato problems last year when I used Raybo's Earth Tainers (not the container's fault, bought some duds), but my peppers were awesome!

austinnhanasmom · September 24, 2010

My 2010 deductions could be messed up because my peppers "survived" a horrible hail storm in May. Every other neighbor is getting a new roof...

I thought peppers loved heat, at least the ones I am growing, and planted them in afternoon sun - noon to dusk - full on with westerly winds. They grew ok but lacked successful pollination.

Now that is has cooled off at night, the peppers seem to be taking off. Odd right?

My planting space seems to be less then ideal for peppers, but unless I give up tomato space, the peppers must adapt!!

August 11, 2010	#1
cleo88 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Sharon, MA Zone 6 Posts: 225	Pepper newbie wants to know - where's the productivity? Hi, I know a fair amount about growing tomatoes from seed, but I am evidently no whiz at peppers.... help.... I grew four pepper plants from seed this spring: Corno Di Torro Yellow, Marconi Red and two Quadrati d'Asti Rosso. They are about 2 1/2 feet tall now, a little bug-eaten in the leaf department but otherwise looking fine. But they just are really not productive. The Marconi has one big pepper on it and that's it, and the one of the Quadratis finally (in mid August) have a couple of marble-sized peppers. That just seems so chintzy - I have tomatoes coming out of my ears. They've had a bunch of white flowers that have not pollinated. What am I doing wrong? Thoughts: Not watering enough thus stressing them out? - I water sparingly because my tomatoes like it that way They need more sunlight - somehow the tomatoes do fine with their five hours that ends mid afternoon, but peppers want more? Or the tomatoes are blocking some of the sunlight since they are taller? It needs to be really hot for pollination to happen, hotter than tomatoes like it? Hence some are pollinating now but only one happened before August. Different soil requirements than tomatoes? Or the tomatoes are stealing all the soil nutrients? Please advise!

August 12, 2010	#2
dustdevil Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: WI, USA Zone4 Posts: 1,887	"They've had a bunch of white flowers that have not pollinated." Flower drop probable causes: 1. Day temp too high >95F 2. Night temp too low <65F 3. Too much nitrogen fertilizer 4. Too much water 5. Low light levels (reduces fertility) 6. Very low humidity (reduces fertility) 7. Poor air circulation (air circulation contributes to pollination) 8. Lack of pollinating insects.

August 13, 2010	#3
cleo88 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Sharon, MA Zone 6 Posts: 225	I thought peppers, like tomatoes, were self pollinating?

August 14, 2010	#5
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	Peppers really need more than 5 hours of sunlight to do well. They also can use more water especially before they are ripening. I always have poor fruit set when bell peppers don't get enough water. They also seem to need more fertilizing than tomatoes. I give mine a dose of Miracle Grow a couple of times during the season, both as a foliar spray and soil drench.

August 16, 2010	#6
RayR Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Cheektowaga, NY Posts: 2,466	I've had the same problem this year with peppers planted in the ground. I have 2 Marconi's in the ground that has only produced 1 pepper so far, but I have 1 Marconi in a container that has 6 peppers on it. A few weeks ago I gave them a shot of organic fertilizer and some added bone meal. Now the plants are getting bigger and I'm seeing some signs of new flowers forming. Pretty much the same issue with other peppers and eggplant. Next year all the peppers and eggplant are going in containers, where they seem to flourish better. Tomatoes are the opposite, they way better in the ground for me.

August 17, 2010	#7
franzb69 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Philippines Posts: 210	I like to pollinate them myself. If you don't want crosses you'll need a brush or cue tip for each variety and just wiggle it around there inside the flower. flower to flower just wiggle them in there and you'll get pollination. But then the combination of hot weather and sudden rains seem to keep my from getting pods. The rainy season in my country just sucks. It gets too hot when it doesn't rain. Then when it does rain, it just kills the flowers. So far from this method I've got one tomato. LOL. But then again I still have small plants. So I still have a long way to go. I do this on all my tomatoes and peppers. Seems to make pods and tomatoes. The peppers are just a bit more finicky when it comes to setting fruit and keeping it on there for me.

August 30, 2010	#8
RinTinTin Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Seattle Posts: 581	My experiences with peppers shows that they need a lot more sun and heat than tomatoes do. If they cannot get 80-85 degree days from transplanting until harvest, don't expect much out of them. Cold nights also hurt: they go dormant, and will not snap out of it until they are back up into the 80's. In containers, I will paint one side flat black. When they need all of the heat they can get, I face that side towards the sun. Otherwise, the unpainted side is sunward. Water is another issue. Water deep enough to reach the bottom roots. Let them dry out before watering again. If the leaves have not yet begun to curl, they don't need more water. My peppers have always done best when stressed. Put a good layer of mulch on them, and they will only need 1 watering per week, as long as it gets down to the deeper roots.

August 31, 2010	#9
Farmette Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2009 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 985	My peppers grown in pots or raised beds have always done much better than those in ground. They seem to like warm soil. Those in pots get watered more frequently, at least every other day and I fertilize every few weeks.

September 12, 2010	#10
Katmary Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Orangevale/CA Posts: 31	I have the same experience with others, my peppers have done better in pots. I had some tomato problems last year when I used Raybo's Earth Tainers (not the container's fault, bought some duds), but my peppers were awesome!

September 24, 2010	#11
austinnhanasmom Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Z5, CO near Denver Posts: 225	My 2010 deductions could be messed up because my peppers "survived" a horrible hail storm in May. Every other neighbor is getting a new roof... I thought peppers loved heat, at least the ones I am growing, and planted them in afternoon sun - noon to dusk - full on with westerly winds. They grew ok but lacked successful pollination. Now that is has cooled off at night, the peppers seem to be taking off. Odd right? My planting space seems to be less then ideal for peppers, but unless I give up tomato space, the peppers must adapt!!