Low yields on my pepper plants

[clkingtx]

I never had much luck with peppers, they always did poorly for me here, even when we had drip lines in the garden, and soaker tubing along each row of plants. In a good year, I might get a pepper or two from half a dozen plants. This year, I decided when temps got high(near or over 100 each day), I would make sure and water deeply each night. I have 150 feet of soaker hose snaking through the garden(about 16ft x 21 feet) so there are pretty big gaps that aren't directly watered. Now none of my plants had been wilting with watering every 2-3 days, and the ground didn't get too dry in between waterings. But something made me think that maybe with the extreme heat, they might need a little more, they just weren't growing. So I deeply water each night. My peppers are growing very full, and full of flowers and setting fruit. I guess they just need a lot of extra water to be able to take the heat, and to put on fruit too. It could be also, that the moisture evaporating from the moist soil helps them stay cool. I don't know, but I am just glad they are doing so well.
Carrie

[linzelu100]

Originally Posted by clkingtx

I never had much luck with peppers, they always did poorly for me here, even when we had drip lines in the garden, and soaker tubing along each row of plants. In a good year, I might get a pepper or two from half a dozen plants. This year, I decided when temps got high(near or over 100 each day), I would make sure and water deeply each night. I have 150 feet of soaker hose snaking through the garden(about 16ft x 21 feet) so there are pretty big gaps that aren't directly watered. Now none of my plants had been wilting with watering every 2-3 days, and the ground didn't get too dry in between waterings. But something made me think that maybe with the extreme heat, they might need a little more, they just weren't growing. So I deeply water each night. My peppers are growing very full, and full of flowers and setting fruit. I guess they just need a lot of extra water to be able to take the heat, and to put on fruit too. It could be also, that the moisture evaporating from the moist soil helps them stay cool. I don't know, but I am just glad they are doing so well.
Carrie

That is very interesting thatnks for sharing. I don't water them extra much. I noticed I could never grow herbs well, then I started watering them extra and they all are doing very fine. I'm going to try with the peppers now.

As for my pepper update...they are about the same. I followed the above advice. They are just putting out flowers now (seemed late to me from last year) but there are a good amount of flowers on MOST of the plants but not ALL. Some are just dying for some unknown reason. I have a hunch my dog is running in the pepper bed breaking stems. I have caught him a few times!

I also am experiencing some mysterious pinholes in baby peppers. AHHHHH Virginia bugs will you leave me be this year!? I don't know what's making the pin holes in the peppers.

Lindsey

[roper2008]

Try an good granular fertilizer like happy frog. I also use Neptune's fish and seaweed
to give them a boost. Going to buy another bottle tomorrow. How about trying one
of the jalapeno's in a pot (5 gal) with some potting mix, and some happy frog or
equivalent.


Travelor Jalapeño, it will have more than 8 peppers



Not sure what this pepper is.

[linzelu100]

Beautiful peppers!

[linzelu100]

I thought I would follow up and let everyone know that the peppers are appearing on my plants and I am very happy to say, I have lots growing! Even in poor weather/conditions. So thanks everyone!

I contribute the change to pulling off the blossoms before planting. I didn't want too...the greed in me to eat and all, but it really has made a big difference. I have also only used 1 application of neptunes harvest as opposed to three by now. And I haven't been pampering them with water (although it has been a very wet season). I let the rain water them and only water if they look a bit wilty. Thanks again!

[b54red]

Thanks Durgan for the vinegar suggestion. I tried it first with a low dose of only about an ounce to the gallon and a week later the plants looked much better so I upped it to a couple of ounces to the gallon and the plants resumed blooming and started setting a good amount of fruit. I know my soil is high in phosphorus but it also has a high ph so I guess the plants weren't able to take up enough even though they were getting some in the liquid fertilizer. I did this with some of my tomatoes that were showing signs of iron deficiency and it helped them almost immediately. Good cheap solution, the kind I like.

Bill

[Keger]

Originally Posted by b54red

Thanks Durgan for the vinegar suggestion. I tried it first with a low dose of only about an ounce to the gallon and a week later the plants looked much better so I upped it to a couple of ounces to the gallon and the plants resumed blooming and started setting a good amount of fruit. I know my soil is high in phosphorus but it also has a high ph so I guess the plants weren't able to take up enough even though they were getting some in the liquid fertilizer. I did this with some of my tomatoes that were showing signs of iron deficiency and it helped them almost immediately. Good cheap solution, the kind I like.

Bill

Miraclegro myfriend, miraclegro.....

I am run over with peppers every year, lots of them, and that is all I use, about once a month. And a lot of water.

[nolabelle]

I use Miracle Grow for tomatoes & vegetables simply because I'm still learning and don't want to mess up with an ill balanced homemade mix of things I barely understand.

I've had beginners luck with pepper plants; last year there was an abundance of bells, cayennes and banana peppers. The cayennes wintered over and produced a huge yield earlier this year and are ready to be harvested again.

But, yeah, Miracle Grow is my friend for now.

[Keger]

Originally Posted by nolabelle

I use Miracle Grow for tomatoes & vegetables simply because I'm still learning and don't want to mess up with an ill balanced homemade mix of things I barely understand.

I've had beginners luck with pepper plants; last year there was an abundance of bells, cayennes and banana peppers. The cayennes wintered over and produced a huge yield earlier this year and are ready to be harvested again.

But, yeah, Miracle Grow is my friend for now.

I am near Houston so our conditions are very similar....

It aint luck, it works. It's simple, very cost efficient. Good stuff, and keeps it simple.

[b54red]

Originally Posted by Keger

Miraclegro myfriend, miraclegro.....

I am run over with peppers every year, lots of them, and that is all I use, about once a month. And a lot of water.

Usually by this time of the year I am giving away most of my peppers because I have so many but this year has been very unusual. I agree that MG is great for bell peppers and have used it and Urban Farms on mine and neither has been nearly as effective this year. My problem is the soil where I planted most of my peppers this year is too alkaline and the fact that we have been averaging about 5 or 6 inches of rain a week for months now. Every time I fertilize the rain follows up and leaches most of it out. It has been difficult getting enough fertilizer to all of my plants in this rain. My plants need fertilizer again right now but it has rained over an inch a day for the past four days and has already rained twice today. I followed up my last two doses of fertilizer with the vinegar solution and the results were eye opening. I was beginning to think only my Jalapenos and Pappadews were going to make many peppers this year until I used the vinegar and it increased the blossoming and fruit set on all the peppers despite the continuing rainfall.

Bill

[Crandrew]

what miracle grow are you specifically using for the peppers?

[nolabelle]

Originally Posted by Crandrew

what miracle grow are you specifically using for the peppers?

If your question is directed at me, see below:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Miracle-G...3#.Ue_0I1PhVaY
This one is 9-4-9. Currently trying to use this first.

http://www.scotts.com/smg/goprod/mir...ood/prod70358/
This one is 18-18-21. I haven't opened this box yet. I also didn't notice the difference in NPK. Any thoughts on this? Neither one is organic.

[swamper]

MG or Mg is an abbreviation for magnesium. It's not wise to abbreviate the blue stuff with those two letters.

I wonder about sunlight, soil temperature, and moisture as controls on blossom production and fruitset.

[b54red]

Originally Posted by swamper

MG or Mg is an abbreviation for magnesium. It's not wise to abbreviate the blue stuff with those two letters.

I wonder about sunlight, soil temperature, and moisture as controls on blossom production and fruitset.

Keeping soil temperatures lower in the heat of summer helps bell peppers. I use a very heavy mulch under all bell peppers because of the intense heat we usually have during the summer and early fall. It also helps maintain a more even moisture level though this year I would have probably been better off without mulching since we have been deluged with rain for nearly two months. Since this is the first year in 40 years of gardening where rainfall was excessive for an extended period I can say it has been a detriment to blossoming and fruit setting. We had another 2 inches since yesterday morning. In the past I have found it helpful to give bell peppers a bit of shade during the hottest hours of the day; but this is not a normal year for me so I haven't put up any shade yet.

Bill

[Keger]

Originally Posted by Crandrew

what miracle grow are you specifically using for the peppers?

I use the standard liquid stuff you hook on your hose. I did use the granular but the liquid is easy and I think it works better.

4 bottles for under 10 bucks at Walmart.