Pots?

PaulF · April 29, 2006

Since I only like sweet peppers, the six sweet varieties have spots in the garden. This year there are seven medium hot to hot to hottest peppers that need a home.

My son and his wife are hot, hot, hot food lovers and the hot ones are being grown for them. So far they have killed every plant we have ever given them. Young professionals tend to be too busy to take care of potted peppers, so the retired old grandpa will grow them and harvest the firey fruit, freeze it and send it home with them. They do have time to cook.

After all that baloney, since there isn't room in the main garden, I thought I could grow them in pots. What size pot can I use and how many plants in each pot? The varieties are Thai Flaming Dragon, Fatalii, Fish, Habenero, Punjab Lol, Orange Habenero and Hot Red(a chile style).

Thanks
Paul

joesgarden · May 4, 2006

Paul,

Those hot varieties should be just fine planted singly in two gallon pots. I have actually grown beautiful plants in one gallon pots but they were top heavy and kept falling over in the slightest breeze.

This year I am growing three plants together in four gallon pots. This may be a little bit crowded but I fully expect to harvest plenty of hot peppers.

Joe

PaulF · May 8, 2006

Thanks, I think I will plant three plants in five gal pots for that massive looks.

honu · May 10, 2006

Paul, I had much better results with one pepper plant per 5 - 7 gal pots than in smaller pots. Also, in my climate, I had a problem with plants drying out and wilting too quickly in the small pots. They can really suck up lot of water once they get big and start producing. The difference was great enough for me to take the trouble to transplant a large fruiting hot pepper plant, and after it settled into the new 7 gal pot, it grew much larger, looked healthier, and loaded up w/ many more peppers.

Suze · May 10, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by honu

Paul, I had much better results with one pepper plant per 5 - 7 gal pots than in smaller pots. Also, in my climate, I had a problem with plants drying out and wilting too quickly in the small pots. They can really suck up lot of water once they get big and start producing.

That is my experience as well.

JohnF · May 11, 2006

I grow all of mine in pots and agree about the drying out problem with small pots. You can end up spending a lot of time watering. Don't know the gallons but I grow most of mine in 12" pots , with some of the smaller in 10" pots - all one plant per pot.

Organic_Nut · May 13, 2006

I would not consider less than 5 gallon pots.

however, my opinion is that it can help to grow them so that they are repotted a couple of times.

for example if you put a seed into the 5 gallon pot the roots will run to the side walls and the center of the pot will not have roots.

better to grow in tiny starter. let it hit the wall then a slightly larger pot and let it fill the space and again and again. this way the final 5 gallon pot will be filled with roots.

April 29, 2006	#1
PaulF Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brownville, Ne Posts: 3,295	Pots? Since I only like sweet peppers, the six sweet varieties have spots in the garden. This year there are seven medium hot to hot to hottest peppers that need a home. My son and his wife are hot, hot, hot food lovers and the hot ones are being grown for them. So far they have killed every plant we have ever given them. Young professionals tend to be too busy to take care of potted peppers, so the retired old grandpa will grow them and harvest the firey fruit, freeze it and send it home with them. They do have time to cook. After all that baloney, since there isn't room in the main garden, I thought I could grow them in pots. What size pot can I use and how many plants in each pot? The varieties are Thai Flaming Dragon, Fatalii, Fish, Habenero, Punjab Lol, Orange Habenero and Hot Red(a chile style). Thanks Paul

May 4, 2006	#2
joesgarden Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: zone 8 NC Posts: 4	Paul, Those hot varieties should be just fine planted singly in two gallon pots. I have actually grown beautiful plants in one gallon pots but they were top heavy and kept falling over in the slightest breeze. This year I am growing three plants together in four gallon pots. This may be a little bit crowded but I fully expect to harvest plenty of hot peppers. Joe

May 8, 2006	#3
PaulF Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brownville, Ne Posts: 3,295	Thanks, I think I will plant three plants in five gal pots for that massive looks.

May 10, 2006	#4
honu Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Hawaii Posts: 270	Paul, I had much better results with one pepper plant per 5 - 7 gal pots than in smaller pots. Also, in my climate, I had a problem with plants drying out and wilting too quickly in the small pots. They can really suck up lot of water once they get big and start producing. The difference was great enough for me to take the trouble to transplant a large fruiting hot pepper plant, and after it settled into the new 7 gal pot, it grew much larger, looked healthier, and loaded up w/ many more peppers.

May 11, 2006	#6
JohnF Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Bangor, Maine Posts: 66	I grow all of mine in pots and agree about the drying out problem with small pots. You can end up spending a lot of time watering. Don't know the gallons but I grow most of mine in 12" pots , with some of the smaller in 10" pots - all one plant per pot.

May 13, 2006	#7
Organic_Nut Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Mass Zone 5 495 @ Rt 2 Posts: 60	I would not consider less than 5 gallon pots. however, my opinion is that it can help to grow them so that they are repotted a couple of times. for example if you put a seed into the 5 gallon pot the roots will run to the side walls and the center of the pot will not have roots. better to grow in tiny starter. let it hit the wall then a slightly larger pot and let it fill the space and again and again. this way the final 5 gallon pot will be filled with roots.