Do you guys stake peppers?

[Kazedwards]

Last year I used staked all of my peppers. A few seemed to benefit for it but most it seemed to not matter. I have also heard of people using cages. What do you guys do?


-Zach

[clkeiper]

I use cages.

[jmsieglaff]

I use a stake, 2 or 3' green one with metal interior. I tie the plant to them with twine. I only do it as insurance from thunderstorm winds. I've had pepper plants toppled over by storms. I put the stake on the east side of the stem since the vast majority of thunderstorm winds here will have a westerly component.

[dmforcier]

Partly depends on the pepper. Padron and Manzano seem to generally need it due to less-robust stems, while tall spindly ones like Starfish are just sails. Others may need staking "on a tactical level" as fruit loads can break branches. But generally, I don't stake.

There are two factors that strongly affect this question. 1) Is the plant acclimatized to the wind when you set it out? Raised in wind the plant will develop a thick strong stem. Raise it indoors in calm, then set it out in wind and you might get a nice flat plant.

2) What is the planting density? Peppers ultimately want a wide spacing for maximum production in later life. 24" is considered the minimum. But plants that are in contact do support each other quite effectively. Consider giving up some individual production for increased stability. (Open question: Is overall production affected since you can fit more plants in the same area?)

OTOH, it certainly doesn't hurt a plant to stake or cage it. I'd play it by ear.

[Zeedman]

Originally Posted by dmforcier

Partly depends on the pepper. Padron and Manzano seem to generally need it due to less-robust stems, while tall spindly ones like Starfish are just sails. Others may need staking "on a tactical level" as fruit loads can break branches. But generally, I don't stake.

...

2) What is the planting density? Peppers ultimately want a wide spacing for maximum production in later life. 24" is considered the minimum. But plants that are in contact do support each other quite effectively. Consider giving up some individual production for increased stability. (Open question: Is overall production affected since you can fit more plants in the same area?)

I use cages for peppers which tend to lodge or break branches as the peppers grow in weight - such as the taller hot peppers. The cheap hooped tomato cages are good for this purpose.

For the most part, though, I use close spacing in large blocks. The plants (mostly) support each other, although some of the heavier peppers may lodge anyway. Annuum peppers seem to prosper with close spacing, which helps to preserve soil moisture & keep weeds manageable. I get some really good yields per plant at about 15" spacing each way.

[ScottinAtlanta]

Stakes. My 2 and 3 year peppers get 4 feet high and 4 feet wide. Those heavy peppers will break plants for the Golden Marconis.

[oakley]

If i add a stake will it encourage growth?
Can't grow peppers but still try. They hate me and my chilly mornings. Even if the early morn sweater comes off and 80 by 8am...I get dwarf plants with just a few peppers.

I would stake them while young in a warmer climate. Just a single stake for insurance.

[jmsieglaff]

Originally Posted by oakley

Can't grow peppers but still try. They hate me and my chilly mornings. Even if the early morn sweater comes off and 80 by 8am...I get dwarf plants with just a few peppers
.

Try putting two pepper plants of the same variety you are growing in the ground in a 5 gallon bucket with two 0.5" diameter holes 1.5" up from the bottom of the bucket, fill the bucket with quality growing mix, feed every 2 weeks with a balanced fertilizer, organic or not, your choice. See if the bucket peppers do a lot better than your in ground peppers. If they do then I'm guessing there is a nutrient or soil problem (disease, drainage or temperature) with where you are growing them. If they still do poorly, perhaps the area doesn't get enough sun or you live in a very cool location? But I can't think anywhere in the lower 48 where that would be an issue aside from high elevations or maybe in a region of persistent cool coastal fog.

The comment about putting them out too early is a good suggestion too--when do your lows routinely stay above 45-50F?

[drew51]

Originally Posted by oakley

If i add a stake will it encourage growth?
Can't grow peppers but still try. They hate me and my chilly mornings. Even if the early morn sweater comes off and 80 by 8am...I get dwarf plants with just a few peppers.

I would stake them while young in a warmer climate. Just a single stake for insurance.

The stake will not help. What you need is varieties that grow better in your area. If you have no objections to hybrids, try Carmen.
If you want hot peppers try the ones from Peru, Like Aji Lemon Drop. They grow in the mountains and are more cold hardy, an OP type too. I have not grown them all, but many from Peru will probably do great where you are.

And yes some will only produce a few peppers, I try and grow more of those types. Like I like The hatch type green chili peppers, so have about 10 plants. I have to grow those even though they perform poorly here. I just love using them in Southwest cooking. I found one that does well, it is not that good as far as flavor. It works for me to add them to the others like in a stew. The plant produces about 15 peppers, best I could do with the New Mexico chili's.

[Yak54]

Originally Posted by oakley

If i add a stake will it encourage growth?
Can't grow peppers but still try. They hate me and my chilly mornings. Even if the early morn sweater comes off and 80 by 8am...I get dwarf plants with just a few peppers.

I would stake them while young in a warmer climate. Just a single stake for insurance.

I plant my peppers 24" apart, and after they have been in the ground for about 3 wks. or so I put stakes in and tie the main stem to the stake. My pepper plants grow to 2-1/2 ft. or more. Sometimes almost 3 ft. tall.

In regard to your comment about getting dwarf plants with just a few peppers. Several people have posted in reply that perhaps you plant them too early. This is a common problem. Back in the day when I used to get 9 or 10 seed catalogs every spring, I learned about peppers from the Stokes catalog. In their section on peppers they had some good info about the culture of growing peppers, and one thing that got my attention was them saying that you should NOT set out pepper plants in the garden untill the night time temps. have reached the point of 55 deg. for the low. Since Stokes has a location in N.Y., you may want to take their advice. They even mentioned NOT planting peppers till June 10th, which they felt was a safe date when the low temps will have reached above 55 deg. in their geographical location. For what it's worth, their advice has worked well for me for more than 30 yrs.. I typically get a dozen or more peppers from ea. plant. 2016 I put my peppers in the garden June 10th when the low temps had reached 55 deg. or more. All the neighbors around me plant their tomatoes and peppers at the same time, usually around the last week of May, and they all sing the same song about not getting many peppers. I'm not certain if Stokes still mentions this information in their seed catalog these days, as it has been almost 15 years since they removed me from their mailing list.

Dan

[dmforcier]

That's a good point. The big super-hots (all C.chinense) seem to want to spread their wings and suck down as much sunlight as they can get for production. Other varieties not so much.


oakley, no. A stake does not promote growth. If I were to guess without more info, I'd say that you set your peppers out too soon. Cold temps, even though it isn't cold enough to kill the plant, will cause stunting.

[AlittleSalt]

I used 3/8 rebar for some that are growing more like a corn plant grows.

[guruofgardens]

I stake and use the cheap tomato cages with all peppers.

[Worth1]

No need to with this thing around.
Worth
IMG_20160601_24552.jpg

[AlittleSalt]

You need a stake shooting gun