how to grow big peppers

[brokenbar]

actually made more and larger sweet potatoes in that bed than when it was planted exclusively in sweet potatoes.

Isn't that the way??? I think plants have "a mind of their own" and just like to mess with our minds!

[Heirloom gard]

Would growing them in burlap bags with compost and horse manure work okay? To help harden them off I plan on starting them in an unheated greenhouse in late April/ early may.

[AKmark]

I have no claim to be a great pepper grower, but I was really happy with my results this year. I have a greenhouse, so I put them in hanging baskets in promix, up in the rafters, and use a continuos feed fertilizer. Either one or the other, or both, made a difference, had alot of great tasting peppers, many kinds too. pics won't post, sorry

[albfet]

after transplanting them you let one week without any fertilizer at all! Just water them regularely. After that, they´ll need 2gram of 15-30-15 fertilizer/week/plant for 2 weeks. After for 1 time you need to put calcium nitrate or nitrobor (15-0-0 + 26 Ca + 0.3 B) and the next 4 week you have to use 20-20-20 NPK fertilizer in the same way (2 gram/plant/week) until the first fruits start to came up. Important is that YOU WILL REMOLVE THE FFFIRST FRUIT! I know is hard but it helps the pepper plant very much! After the use of 20-20-20 you will need to use a 18-9-27 NPK fertilizer for the rest of the season until the end, 2 grams/plant/every 4 days! This is just for the fertilizers because peppers require very much experience.
Alban

[Cole_Robbie]

Thanks the specific recommendations. With tomatoes, it is important to not give them too much nitrogen, lest they be all vine and no fruit. Does that not happen with peppers?

[feldon30]

Originally Posted by Itoero

What kind of fertilisation and pruning sshould I do to grow big peppers?
Is there something I can do that really helps?

I grow in containers with a peat-based mix (20-30 litres per plant). Think about the best environment for peppers -- a tropical jungle floor -- that's very loose, acidic soil with lots of organic plant matter.

I also remove the first flower which forms in the first "fork" or crotch of the plant. I find that this first pepper really stunts or slows down the productivity of the plant.

[albfet]

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

Thanks the specific recommendations. With tomatoes, it is important to not give them too much nitrogen, lest they be all vine and no fruit. Does that not happen with peppers?

in the info i gived isn´t gived too much nitrogen, because is balanced with all the other components such phosphor & potash, but the pepper needs much nitrogen than tomato does in general, if you grow big peppers the optimal fruit set is 1 fruit every 2 foliage (you can count them affter fruit formation started) and if u got more fruits than that you´ll need to put nitrogen or put the plant in a shade place. If you have less fruit youll need to add potash fertilizers ect.
Alban

[zipcode]

From my experience, water is very important to a good thick walled pepper and overall production (at least for bell peppers). They seem to suffer from lack of water more than tomatoes.

[greenthumbomaha]

I have a 3cu bag of the dreaded Miracle Grow Moisture Control that I was gifted. Would that work for a container pepper? It was destined for a raised bed with compost added.

- Lisa

Just reread thread and thanks for the tip on planting shallow , Dutch and for the hot pepper link (tho mine are all sweet).