Growing peppers in containers

[robrpb]

I would like to grow Lipstick peppers in a container. I was wondering if I could use the same mix for tomatoes 3:2:1 that I have been reading about on this forum for tomatoes or is something else recommended.

I plan to use a rectangular container about 24"x15" and 14" deep. Would this work?

Since I live in southeast Florida and it is already warm here can I just plant the seeds in the container or do I need to start them in smaller containers with a starter mix.

Also, I would like to grow shallots in containers, would the answers to the above questions be true for the shallots as well?

Any other suggestions or recommendations are greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Rob

[newatthiskat]

I am going to grow some peppers in contianters this year. I plan on using the 3:2:1 that raybo suggests. Have not grown them in cntainters before but after seeing Ray's pictures I decided I will try it
I am not planting the seeds in the container. I am starting with smallish plants. WIll be putting them in this weekend. Little early but I am impatient!

Kat

[fortyonenorth]

I use the same mix for my tomatoes and peppers and both do equally well. I've read that some use a slightly more porous mix for peppers, but in S. Florida, I don't think I'd recommend that.

With regard to shallots...they should grow well in the same soil mix. However, in the North, they are fall-planted like garlic - so we wouldn't typically grow them in containers. That may not apply to your area.

[ireilly]

Shallots being an Allium, I would think they would not do well in the heat in FL in summertime, so maybe a container is best to put it inside then. I would think maybe a narrow container would work in a window if deep enough to support the small bulbing and root systems in shallots.

But I have not grown shallots before. I do have lots of garlic overwintered going now though and expect them to be keeling over when the real heat arrives here.

[robrpb]

Thanks for your responses.

Ireilly, how deep and narrow of a container do you have for your garlic?

[ireilly]

Sorry, I didn't mean to confuse. I discussed the container for growing shallots over the heat of summer. My garlic is in the ground overwinter. Some say the cold makes the tops go dormant and the bulbs start growing. Others just say that planting them earlier like overwinter gives you more growth time for the bulbs. I never tried them indoors.

Shallots are a bit different in that the tops and bottoms are both usually consumed because it doesn't really have a big bulb like garlic and onion. So you don't need as much root space because the bulbs don't crowd like those do. There's a thread here that discusses whether planting them close together affects bulb size, although it's really related to the growing method in general and other plants, not just onions and garlic.

But I would think that something the width of your window sill or wider if you have room, and I would say deepish. You would probably want something like a shoebox in depth or a little less to give them vertical root-growing space. I just edited this because a site I was reading said to give them 6-8 inches of space. That's closer to garlic spacing, in my mind, but remember I have not grown them. The site said they can be overwintered also.

[duckfan]

My peppers grew like weeds in Raybo's mix. I had six plants in one container and productivity was off the charts. You'll be fine. You'll just have to water the heck out of them.

[robrpb]

Duckfan,

What size container do you use? What kink of fertilizer do you use and how often do you fertilize? Thanks.

[duckfan]

Originally Posted by robrpb

Duckfan,

What size container do you use? What kink of fertilizer do you use and how often do you fertilize? Thanks.

I used a 31 gallon roughneck container for 6 plants. I'm sure an 18 gallon would support 4. It may look crowded but the plants don't seem to care. I used plain old 5-10-5 mixed in the top few inches (1/2 cup) and 2 cups in a strip down the middle. I did not add any additional fertilizer after the initial feeding. The only problem I had was that the plants grew so tall and they were so loaded with fruit I had to support them. The ones I grew in the garden previously never needed that. I grew 6 different types of peppers so I don't think it wasn't the variety that caused them to get so big. I'm convinced it was the method. There is also the fact that we had a very dry, hot summer last year. The plants had unlimited sun and with the Earthtainer system, unlimited water. They must be watered at least once a day. In the South, they might need it twice. My tomato plants last year, using the Earthtainer system, grew to over 9 feet tall. I could almost pick them from my second floor bedroom window.

[robrpb]

Thanks duckfan. I am in the process of gathering material to build 3 earthtainer III's. I am looking forward to seeing the results. This is the first time I am really using containers. I have learned a lot reading many posts on this forum.

On a side note, my mother gave me one tomato plant she bought at Home Depot last September or October and I planted it in just a pot to see how it would work. I used Miracle Grow with moisture control (I didn't know the difference back then) and it has been producing tomatoes for about two weeks now. My problem is that this past week I have lost at least 4 tomatoes to I think birds. I looked at a couple of them this morning and I was going to let them ripen a little more before picking them. Unfortunately, when I went outside a short time ago I lost two more. They are just pecked at. Other than picking them very early, is there anything I can o to stop this?

[duckfan]

Us Yankees don't have much of a problem with birds. By the time our 'maters ripen there's plenty of good stuff around to keep them busy. (Cherries are a whole other story). I imagine you could try some netting, maybe a plastic owl or best of all, a hungry cat. If you just want something quick, tie some brown paper lunch bags on them. Tomatoes don't need sun to ripen. Good Luck.

[robrpb]

Thanks duckfan. I'm looking into a plastic Great Horned Owl that a woman at Johnny's seeds was telling me about. I'll also get some brown paper bags.