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#1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2013
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 68
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I have about a dozen pepper seedlings all about 4-6 six weeks old and about 4-5 inches tall. I grew them in DE and only used weak inorganic fert after the second set of true leaves. They are all in 4" pots now with peat moss based soilless medium with organic fert. Lately, during noon (around 85 degrees and sunny pretty much everyday) some of them are not staying up straight. They perk up and stay upright if I move them a shadier spot. I staked some of them and noticed that right at soil level the stem is thinner that the upper parts. That is where stem seems to be weakest. I don't think they had damp off but not sure, they look quite healthy.
My question is this, can I plant them deeper like tomatoes so that they can have roots above that thinner stem section. I really don't want to lose the Urfa peppers in particular since I had very poor germination (about 20%). Cheers |
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#2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Ontario
Posts: 3,893
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That sounds like damping off. You could try putting some peroxide on them. Maybe someone here would know what strength to use?
Good luck! Linda |
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#3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2007
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 610
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Yes, I always plant peppers deeper like tomatoes. Some will grow new roots along the stem, some will not, depends on the variety. If nothing else you will provide some support for the stem, just don't over water.
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#4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Sterling Heights, MI Zone 6a/5b
Posts: 1,302
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Even though tropical plants they tend not to take the super hot sun. That is probably part of the problem too. They cannot get enough water up to the leaves. Some of mine only get half a day of sun and are doing well, and I'm in Michigan! Give them morning and evening sun, but not mid-day. The other suggestions are good too.
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#5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2013
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 68
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Thanks for the recommendations. I planted them deep and moved them to a slightly shadier place. So far so good, they almost doubled in size.
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#6 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
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I just eyeball it. Sounds like a mild case of damping off to me too. Worth |
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#7 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Sterling Heights, MI Zone 6a/5b
Posts: 1,302
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Tomatoes are tough, when small you worry about over watering, then when they are larger you're a little gun shy and they dry out. Only my tropical hibiscus sucks more water than my tomatoes. It rained lightly here the other day and I thought they would be good, no they were dry, unreal! Keep in mind i say this when compared to other plants. My raspberries, blueberries etc are not water hogs. My tomaoes now are fairly large and the cherry tomatoes have been producing for a couple weeks. A couple early larger tomatoes were ripe too. Earliest I remember tomatoes being ripe. I had ripe tomatoes in June. For Michigan, that's pretty good. I used a cold frame, and that made a huge difference.
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#8 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
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Drew it never ceases to amaze me that the big box stores say they have selected plants for our area.
I love hibiscus but there is no way they would live here without tons of water. Even the label says,"keep soil moist". We dont get tons of water. ![]() Worth |
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#9 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Near Reno, NV
Posts: 1,621
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I figured out a few years ago that peppers just don't like to bake all day in the sun (at least not here in the high desert...) They are happiest in my yard in a place that gets sun until about 2:30 and then just dappled sunlight the rest of the afternoon. I could never figure out why I never got any peppers on my plants! Now, I get a lot!
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#10 | ||
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Sterling Heights, MI Zone 6a/5b
Posts: 1,302
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![]() Quote:
Quote:
Average yearly rainfall Michigan 32.8 inches Texas 28.9 |
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