Peppers & eggplants: How hot is too hot?

DoubleJ · April 20, 2009

I just planted all of my bell peppers and eggplants into their final home in 33gl Rubermaid totes. I then tented each with large, 6mil plastic bags to form a small greenhouse around each tote. The last 2 days it's gotten to 80-85 degrees here. That's about our average summertime high. Inside the tented totes, the temp maxed out at 110degrees. Is this too hot for good pepper/eggplant development?

montanamato · April 20, 2009

How do they look? Usually they get droopy if over heated...I think peppers and eggplants do great in the high 80's and low 90's...It is the night time temperatures that seem to affect them...If you can keep the lows in the 60's they really grow well...Most of the summer my lows are in the 40's and 50's which peppers do ok with but the eggplants really like warmer nights...

Jeanne

You might wrap the bottom of the containers to warm the soil and let the plants get used to the actual air temp...Or place the containers on a black surface if possible...I think they would have a tough time at 110...

Blueaussi · April 20, 2009

The peppers will be better off at the 80 to 85F ambient temperatures. 110F is pretty hot. You certainly won't get fruit set at those temperatures. What is the temperature getting down to at night?

DoubleJ · April 20, 2009

Down to 40-50 degrees

robin303 · April 21, 2009

Heat is a catalyst to peppers but I do concur with Blue and agree with the mid 80 deg range.

Blueaussi · April 21, 2009

Well, you want to keep them about 50F at night, but the 80 to 85F is fine during the day.

April 20, 2009	#1
DoubleJ Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Shelton, WA Posts: 127	Peppers & eggplants: How hot is too hot? I just planted all of my bell peppers and eggplants into their final home in 33gl Rubermaid totes. I then tented each with large, 6mil plastic bags to form a small greenhouse around each tote. The last 2 days it's gotten to 80-85 degrees here. That's about our average summertime high. Inside the tented totes, the temp maxed out at 110degrees. Is this too hot for good pepper/eggplant development?

April 20, 2009	#2
montanamato Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Montana Posts: 1,038	How do they look? Usually they get droopy if over heated...I think peppers and eggplants do great in the high 80's and low 90's...It is the night time temperatures that seem to affect them...If you can keep the lows in the 60's they really grow well...Most of the summer my lows are in the 40's and 50's which peppers do ok with but the eggplants really like warmer nights... Jeanne You might wrap the bottom of the containers to warm the soil and let the plants get used to the actual air temp...Or place the containers on a black surface if possible...I think they would have a tough time at 110...

April 20, 2009	#3
Blueaussi Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: South Carolina Zone 8a Posts: 1,205	The peppers will be better off at the 80 to 85F ambient temperatures. 110F is pretty hot. You certainly won't get fruit set at those temperatures. What is the temperature getting down to at night?

April 21, 2009	#5
robin303 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Austin, TX Zone 8b Posts: 531	Heat is a catalyst to peppers but I do concur with Blue and agree with the mid 80 deg range.