Pepper Problems

robin303 · April 30, 2008

I started my tomatoes and green peppers at the same time from seed. My tomato plants are about 2’ tall and most are bearing fruit. My peppers on the other hand just seemed to stop growing at 8”. I did pull some carrots yesterday and I did noticed that the soil was still a little chilly about 10” down even though I have outside temps 80+. So am I impatient and need to wait for it to really heat up. They are all in my raised beds with everything else, or do you think I should pull them up and start over. One already has 3 flowers and it is only 8” high. They just seem really stunted for some reason.
Thanks

Worth1 · April 30, 2008

I would think these cool nights we are having are the culprit.

If you want you can pinch off the flowers so the plant will put out more energy to the over all plant growth.

In my experience you should start peppers a month ahead of tomato seeds as they are slow to get started.

I in no way would pull and start over, you would be just that much more behind.

What kind of peppers are they?

Worth

**Dukerdawg** · April 30, 2008

Worth is correct. As usual. Peppers like 'hot hot hot' in my opinion. I grow them in a greenhouse ..in the summer...120 degrees and they love it. When the weather warms up they will start to take off. Right now they are just in hibernation mode.

They...and you...will be fine!

Duane

robin303 · April 30, 2008

Regular Bells. California Wonder and a few Jalapenos.

feldon30 · April 30, 2008

I haven't had the greatest of luck with bell peppers in S.E. Texas, but I've only tried them once, and there might be some technique I have not discovered. I grow Italian frying types which have the same taste, texture, and slightly smaller size as bells, and are very productive.

Carmen, Golden Marconi, Marconi, Jimmy Nardello, Red Ruffled Pimiento, etc. Carmen is a hybrid. I've got seeds of Jimmy Nardello if you need.

robin303 · April 30, 2008

Wow Feldon thanks. I try a couple of them bad boys.

Worth1 · April 30, 2008

I just about give up on bell peppers they never get big for me and I like the ones that and or like Morgan are growing better anyway.8)

tuk50 · April 30, 2008

I thought it was just me! I have never got a bell pepper bigger than a tennis ball, and had gone to the european types as well here in Southern Arizona, they do very good and are productive. I planted one bell this year just to play with and planted it in a turned in compost bed and have been using fish emulsion once a week and it is just now about a foot tall and has a couple of blooms while the maters are over 2ft tall and already have golf ball size green ones on them in less fertile soil. The bells have always been productive, but no size... I also used about a teaspoon of sulfur in the hole as suggested on the web and been spraying it with epsom salt solution every couple of weeks. It looks dark green and healthy, but previous years were similar. Its been a curiosity the last few years as to why I can't get ones the size of gro store ones. Surely they don't pick blooms and only leave a few on each plant, do they?8)

valencia860 · May 2, 2008

use epson salts circle six inches from plant

feldon30 · April 30, 2008

They are grown hydroponically in greenhouses. They are temperature controlled for months.

Worth1 · April 30, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by feldon30

They are grown hydroponically in greenhouses. They are temperature controlled for months.

Well don't that beat all.

Worth

feldon30 · April 30, 2008

Might've been wrong about the temperature control. But found this article:
http://www.evd.nl/zoeken/showbouwste...8237&location=

Growing in Coir and fertigating is pretty close to hydroponic, no?

robin303 · April 30, 2008

Sounds like a buisness venture to me.

Suze · May 1, 2008

I also seem to have a lot more success with the pointy/elongated and/or italian frying types. I'm not saying bells are impossible here, they just seem more fiddly.

Most of my peppers are loading up (despite the coldish nights we are still sometimes getting in the greater Austin/Bastrop area). And agreed with others that it does help to start them a little earlier than tomatoes, if you can. I also tend to plant them out a week or two later than the tomatoes, potting up if necessary so I can hold them until I feel the nights (and soil) are a little warmer.

I usually procrastinate because of the holidays and don't manage to get my peppers started in late Dec as I should. To make up for it somewhat, I start them on a heat mat, and also keep them on it for a few days after they germ to help them get going as they really like more heat than tomato seedlings.

One new-to-me sweet that seems to be doing particularly well so far is Neopolitan. Plant is just loaded. I thought I would give it a try because Victory Seeds has it listed as being on the early side.

**Dukerdawg** · May 1, 2008

I've given up on bells too. Might get 2-3 on a plant, sometimes full size and sometimes not. The italian frying peppers like Jimmy Nardello and Golden Wonder load up and I get tons of those. I like Suze's phrase: fiddly.

Perfect!

Duane

April 30, 2008	#1
robin303 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Austin, TX Zone 8b Posts: 531	Pepper Problems I started my tomatoes and green peppers at the same time from seed. My tomato plants are about 2’ tall and most are bearing fruit. My peppers on the other hand just seemed to stop growing at 8”. I did pull some carrots yesterday and I did noticed that the soil was still a little chilly about 10” down even though I have outside temps 80+. So am I impatient and need to wait for it to really heat up. They are all in my raised beds with everything else, or do you think I should pull them up and start over. One already has 3 flowers and it is only 8” high. They just seem really stunted for some reason. Thanks

April 30, 2008	#3
Dukerdawg Growing for Market Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westland, Michigan Posts: 861	Worth is correct. As usual. Peppers like 'hot hot hot' in my opinion. I grow them in a greenhouse ..in the summer...120 degrees and they love it. When the weather warms up they will start to take off. Right now they are just in hibernation mode. They...and you...will be fine! Duane __________________ May I aspire to live my life so that I may be the man my dog thinks I am.

April 30, 2008	#5
feldon30 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 5,346	I haven't had the greatest of luck with bell peppers in S.E. Texas, but I've only tried them once, and there might be some technique I have not discovered. I grow Italian frying types which have the same taste, texture, and slightly smaller size as bells, and are very productive. Carmen, Golden Marconi, Marconi, Jimmy Nardello, Red Ruffled Pimiento, etc. Carmen is a hybrid. I've got seeds of Jimmy Nardello if you need. __________________ [SIZE="3"]I've relaunched my gardening website -- [B]TheUnconventionalTomato.com[/B][/SIZE] * [I][SIZE="1"]*I'm not allowed to post weblinks so you'll have to copy-paste it manually.[/SIZE][/I]

April 30, 2008	#10
feldon30 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 5,346	They are grown hydroponically in greenhouses. They are temperature controlled for months. __________________ [SIZE="3"]I've relaunched my gardening website -- [B]TheUnconventionalTomato.com[/B][/SIZE] * [I][SIZE="1"]*I'm not allowed to post weblinks so you'll have to copy-paste it manually.[/SIZE][/I]

April 30, 2008	#12
feldon30 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 5,346	Might've been wrong about the temperature control. But found this article: http://www.evd.nl/zoeken/showbouwste...8237&location= Growing in Coir and fertigating is pretty close to hydroponic, no? __________________ [SIZE="3"]I've relaunched my gardening website -- [B]TheUnconventionalTomato.com[/B][/SIZE] * [I][SIZE="1"]*I'm not allowed to post weblinks so you'll have to copy-paste it manually.[/SIZE][/I]

April 30, 2008	#2
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	I would think these cool nights we are having are the culprit. If you want you can pinch off the flowers so the plant will put out more energy to the over all plant growth. In my experience you should start peppers a month ahead of tomato seeds as they are slow to get started. I in no way would pull and start over, you would be just that much more behind. What kind of peppers are they? Worth

April 30, 2008	#8
tuk50 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Tucson, Arizona (catalina) Posts: 413	I thought it was just me! I have never got a bell pepper bigger than a tennis ball, and had gone to the european types as well here in Southern Arizona, they do very good and are productive. I planted one bell this year just to play with and planted it in a turned in compost bed and have been using fish emulsion once a week and it is just now about a foot tall and has a couple of blooms while the maters are over 2ft tall and already have golf ball size green ones on them in less fertile soil. The bells have always been productive, but no size... I also used about a teaspoon of sulfur in the hole as suggested on the web and been spraying it with epsom salt solution every couple of weeks. It looks dark green and healthy, but previous years were similar. Its been a curiosity the last few years as to why I can't get ones the size of gro store ones. Surely they don't pick blooms and only leave a few on each plant, do they?8)

May 2, 2008	#9
valencia860 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: san bernardino, Ca Posts: 2	use epson salts circle six inches from plant

May 1, 2008	#14
Suze Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 3,027	I also seem to have a lot more success with the pointy/elongated and/or italian frying types. I'm not saying bells are impossible here, they just seem more fiddly. Most of my peppers are loading up (despite the coldish nights we are still sometimes getting in the greater Austin/Bastrop area). And agreed with others that it does help to start them a little earlier than tomatoes, if you can. I also tend to plant them out a week or two later than the tomatoes, potting up if necessary so I can hold them until I feel the nights (and soil) are a little warmer. I usually procrastinate because of the holidays and don't manage to get my peppers started in late Dec as I should. To make up for it somewhat, I start them on a heat mat, and also keep them on it for a few days after they germ to help them get going as they really like more heat than tomato seedlings. One new-to-me sweet that seems to be doing particularly well so far is Neopolitan. Plant is just loaded. I thought I would give it a try because Victory Seeds has it listed as being on the early side.