Peppers...how do thier needs differ from Tomatoes?

[Landisil]

I guess that title says it all. I am currently growing several types of Bell Peppers, some Jalapenos and Sandia Chili Peppers. The insects love the leaves....I have been using NEEM Oil every couple of days....and with the rain in the area...I might as well not spray. Any Ideas?


Thanks

[dmforcier]

How bad is it? Peppers don't much mind chewed leaves. Can post pix?

[Cole_Robbie]

Bells like a lot of water and hate dry spells, if you want your peppers to have thick walls and uniform shape. Hot peppers just get hotter when it is dry.

[Nematode]

pepper likes what tomato likes nutrition wise.
pepper needs to be semi dry on a regular basis, it doesn't like wet feet.
if you are in a container this need can be met with lots of perlite in the mix, or a different water schedule than tomato.

[Nematode]

just saw coles response, my advice doesn't apply to bells!

[AlittleSalt]

One difference is hot peppers don't need as much water as tomato plants and Bells do.

You are using neem oil, so I'm thinking you grow organically. I use GardenTech Worry Free. http://www.worryfreebrand.com/All-Pr...rate/Overview/

[Landisil]

Originally Posted by dmforcier

How bad is it? Peppers don't much mind chewed leaves. Can post pix?

pic attached.

[dmforcier]

Oh yeah. No problem. Something small is munching on the leaves, but the plant don't care.

Now, if one morning you come out and all the leaves are gone, then you have a hornworm. The plant will still do it's thing, but you will feel at lot better roasting the hornworm.



Or watching wasp larvae devour it.

[Worth1]

The worst problem with watering peppers too much is they will up and croak overnight and there isn't a thing you can do about it.
This causes what they call chili wilt.
Worth

[ako1974]

Agreed, they have less water needs and though they do go for the same nutes in general, I give my peppers more fish emulsion (potted and in-ground) on a regular basis after planting for the season and they benefit from it nicely. As for the leaf munching, agreed again. Mine have shown some marginal chomping right now, but nothing major. I just worry with all the wet we're having that slugs will come out in full force. Luckily I have kids who like to destroy pest animals, including slugs.

[ilex]

Peppers need less sun, will be happy at half shade

Tomatoes seem to tolerate more compact soil than peppers. Peppers usually take longer to sprout. Most peppers can grow fine in containers (and seem to do pretty well there compared to compact soil); maybe not bell peppers, though (at least some if them). Pepper plants don't generally get as large as tomato plants. Branches seem more prone to breaking if there are too many big peppers growing in one spot. You can harvest before they're fully ripe. Peppers have excellent hang time after ripening (although slugs may eat even jalapenos after they turn red).

Some peppers do better in shade and crowded conditions than others. Ring of Fire is probably my favorite for those conditions.

I like growing peppers in 10-gallon moving totes (two plants per tote).

Aphids and whiteflies seem to bother peppers more than tomatoes. If I shower the foliage with a shower nozzle every other day, the pests leave them alone.

[Nematode]

Peppers will not tolerate cool weather as well as tomato.
Does best in containers in the north.

[Gardeneer]

Big differences : They don't have diseases like tomatoes. Insects don't like them as much, they need less space , less water, less support ( stakes, cage ). I don't spray them.
In my garden almost everything is affected by pest and disease ( to some extent) but peppers ( about 20 of them of various varieties ) are in perfect shape. Flea beetles love eggplants, beans, hornworms enjoy tomatoes.
I have read that in some location they get aphids.
One more thing : You can pick and consume peppers at any stage.The hot one will have less heat when young and green. But some can be hot at any stage.

[dmforcier]

Hornworms suck down peppers like little green black holes. Yes, peppers do get aphids -- wherever there are aphids. And yes, they do get all (most?) of the diseases that tomatoes do.

There are three major differences that I can think of: 1) the stems of peppers are more woody (lignitic?), 2) the leaves have a smoother, almost waxy surface, especially the upper, and 3) the capsaicin content, if any, protects the pods from the depredations of mammalian varmints. (Birds can't taste capsaicin.)