Do you guys stake peppers?

[ScottinAtlanta]

I don't know how ya'll use cages for peppers. My peppers are wider and fatter than they are tall. The Thai Prik, the Bombay Morich, the Yellow Fatali - all have wide branches that need to breathe over 3 feet or more.

[Ozark]

Originally Posted by ScottinAtlanta

I don't know how ya'll use cages for peppers. My peppers are wider and fatter than they are tall.

So are some of mine, especially some of the C. baccatum varieties. The plants don't need to stay within the confines of the cages, though. In my experience, the wire cages keep the plants upright and support the branches that grow out through them, and that keeps branches and main stems from breaking because of wind and/or crop weight.

[AlittleSalt]

Scott, I've ran into the same problem. Some pepper varieties can get really large.

Cages can be very useful and a pain at the same time. Stakes work but not for all pepper varieties. Some pepper varieties need no help/support at all. This year I'm trying a simple horizontal line support - so far it's working well out in the main garden.

[fonseca]

Some varieties I grow don't bush out at all and have a more upright habit. They benefit from being planted closely together. Put multiple plants in one container and they lend each other support and shade the shallow roots in summer heat. I have a bunch of 10 gallon growbags with two plants per bag this year.

If you search for "pepper plant clumping" there some discussions online. It's basically an intensive gardening method.

[pmcgrady]

Cheap tomato cages and 1 gallon cans...
When I plant them, I put a 1 gallon can, with both lids cut off, over them...then a cheap 3 foot tomato cage over that.
I'm running out of cages and cans, need to figure something else out on peppers.

[Father'sDaughter]

Originally Posted by jmsieglaff

I use a stake, 2 or 3' green one with metal interior. I tie the plant to them with twine. I only do it as insurance from thunderstorm winds. I've had pepper plants toppled over by storms. I put the stake on the east side of the stem since the vast majority of thunderstorm winds here will have a westerly component.

Pretty much do the same.

[taboule]

One or a few stakes as others suggested, mostly to support heavy fruits (such as big bells). Bamboo sticks, ripped 1x pine lumber scraps, smaller cages, whatever happens to be on hand.

[BigVanVader]

I don't stake any, just to much trouble and even fallen over plants do well for me and I get plenty of peppers.

[PaulF]

At the local farm store they sell "tomato cages." I bought 20 and the guy asked if that's how many tomatoes I had. I told him those are actually pepper cages and that my tomato cages are 6 feet tall and 2 feet across. He just shook his head like he didn't believe me.

pepper cages

[wildcat62]

I get the same reaction from people.

[Ozark]

That sounds about right. Last year I planted a row of big indeterminate tomatoes 3' apart along a 6' tall wire fence, then kept them staked and tied up against the fence. Taking out the tangled vines at the end of the season I measured the longest one I could find - and from ground level to growing tip it was 10 1/2 feet!

The common wire tomato cages sold in stores are only good for "pepper cages" for sure, unless you're growing real compact determinate tomato varieties.

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by PaulF

At the local farm store they sell "tomato cages." I bought 20 and the guy asked if that's how many tomatoes I had. I told him those are actually pepper cages and that my tomato cages are 6 feet tall and 2 feet across. He just shook his head like he didn't believe me.

pepper cages

Excellent idea Paul! Thanks! I have a bunch of small tomato cages that I've found to be useless supporting tomato plants. Using them on pepper plant is a great idea. In the past I have either staked my pepper plants or grown three of a kind close enough together to tie them to each other for support.
Dutch

[rockyonekc]

I also use "pepper cages". The plants outgrow them but it still provides good breakage protection against wind and heavy fruit productuon

[drew51]

Originally Posted by ScottinAtlanta

I don't know how ya'll use cages for peppers. My peppers are wider and fatter than they are tall. The Thai Prik, the Bombay Morich, the Yellow Fatali - all have wide branches that need to breathe over 3 feet or more.

I use cages but for those I would not. The bush forms mostly hot peppers don't really need it.

[drew51]

Originally Posted by oakley

If i add a stake will it encourage growth?
Can't grow peppers but still try. They hate me and my chilly mornings. Even if the early morn sweater comes off and 80 by 8am...I get dwarf plants with just a few peppers.

I would stake them while young in a warmer climate. Just a single stake for insurance.

The stake will not help. What you need is varieties that grow better in your area. If you have no objections to hybrids, try Carmen.
If you want hot peppers try the ones from Peru, Like Aji Lemon Drop. They grow in the mountains and are more cold hardy, an OP type too. I have not grown them all, but many from Peru will probably do great where you are.

And yes some will only produce a few peppers, I try and grow more of those types. Like I like The hatch type green chili peppers, so have about 10 plants. I have to grow those even though they perform poorly here. I just love using them in Southwest cooking. I found one that does well, it is not that good as far as flavor. It works for me to add them to the others like in a stew. The plant produces about 15 peppers, best I could do with the New Mexico chili's.