Best leaf cover bell peppers?

horticultor · August 4, 2015

I've had very good success with several types of peppers (both sweet and hot) this year. My bells (Red Knight, Early Sunsation and Gourmet) have set and matured amazing numbers of fruit, but sunscald has ruined the vast majority. Can anyone recommend particular varieties of bells that have better leaf cover for Central Texas? Or will it be necessary to grow under shade at any rate?

August 4, 2015

If you like the peppers I would just add temporary pieces of shade cloth to protect individual peppers.

joseph · August 5, 2015

My way of dealing with sun-scald on peppers was to stop growing bell peppers, and to grow things like pimentos, or banana peppers which are not as susceptible.

b54red · August 18, 2015

I wish I had put up a shade cloth this year as sun scald has been particularly bad with the very hot summer we have had this year. I probably won't bother with it next year either. I find it is just easier to set out more plants and throw a lot of peppers away. I have tried numerous varieties and have not found a single bell pepper that provides adequate leaf shade for all the peppers on the plants. My favorite would have to be Socrates because it is so productive and large that even if I lose some to scald I still have plenty and they make all season if kept watered and fertilized.

Bill

clkeiper · August 18, 2015

I grew gourmet this year too, but mine fell sideways because I didn't have enough cages for all of my pepper plants (I put in over 200 plants). Those cheap tomato cages everyone sells are perfect for peppers. They keep them upright and it reduces sunscald. Otherwise put shade cloth over them.
I will say though, that Jupiter is probably one of my favorite peppers for nice leaf cover.

Worth1 · August 18, 2015

My problem this year wasn't scald but too much water but I wanted cucumbers more.
It ended up killing most of the peppers.

Everything is growing in shade and doing fine.

I have yet to have any luck with a bell pepper.

Worth

greenthumbomaha · August 18, 2015

Sun scald was a huge problem for me on tomatoes due to early blight and septoria.

This is my first year having success growing a thick walled bell pepper. The seeds were obtained from a farmers market pepper that was huge and tasty, likely one of the expensive commercial hybrid seeds.

Last year was outstanding for peppers and this year I am lucky to get two per plant and they aren't big and thick. I grew mostly OP'S : marconi , northern bells, and the small yellow salad poppers. I did love the NUMEX peppers I got from a friend here on TMVL. They were totally worth growing, even for two. Salsa from the recipe section was amazing, a first for me.

- Lisa

ilex · August 18, 2015

Grow other thick wall peppers or grow between rows of taller things so they are more protected.

Starlight · August 19, 2015

A bell that did well for me was Pusztagold. Took all the heat and the sun and didn't miss a beat. When my other plants were stalled, it still kept going. Loved the color of the pepper too.

RayR · August 19, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starlight

A bell that did well for me was Pusztagold. Took all the heat and the sun and didn't miss a beat. When my other plants were stalled, it still kept going. Loved the color of the pepper too.

I agree, Pusztagold doesn't seem to bothered by sunscald or BER like the big thick walled bells sometimes are.

b54red · August 20, 2015

I am going to try something that may or may not help with sun scald on bell peppers. When I was having such a terrible time with spider mites most of the leaves on my tomatoes had to be removed leaving tomatoes hanging on bare vines with no shade at all. I thought they would all be destroyed by sun scald especially the really sensitive ones like Red Barn which will scald in a heartbeat. I was spraying my plants with a mix of soapy water with a heavy dose ( 1/2 cup) of food grade diatomaceous earth to a gallon of water on my tomato plants covering the tops and bottoms of the leaves. I decided to go ahead and spray all the fruit also. I was shocked a week later after near 100 degree days with bright sunshine not to have a single tomato with sun scald. It obviously worked on the tomatoes so I thought I would try it on the bells and see if it works even though I know they are much more sensitive to sun scald than most tomatoes. I'll let you know if it works.

Worth I can't believe someone who grows tomatoes so successfully can't find a bell pepper that will do well. Don't you have raised beds? Raised beds make a big difference in the success of bells especially when it is raining too much. They also like a very heavy mulch of cypress mulch which keeps the soil cooler and the moisture level more even. I used to have a lot of problems with peppers not producing much at all from mid June through September until I found the Socrates variety. I try to feed them every week with either TTF or their Vegetable or Citrus formulas and this year my production has been the highest I have ever had. I usually had pretty good luck with the Miracle Grow 18-18-24 formula applied every week in the past. If your soil is too alkaline they will respond to a dose of vinegar water which sometimes needs to be given more than once if it is really alkaline. Most of my plants are now between 4 and 6 feet tall and will in all likelihood reach 8 feet or more by the time the cold gets them. If I can keep them healthy they will be most productive in the fall but the peppers themselves will be smaller than the ones I pick in the spring and very early summer. The one thing that has really bothered my peppers over the past few years is TSWV and once a plant shows signs of TSWV it is useless and must be pulled. That is why I always plant at least 20 plants so by the end of the year I will still have enough healthy plants to enjoy fresh bell peppers up til the first freeze.

Bill

dahoss2002 · August 23, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starlight

A bell that did well for me was Pusztagold. Took all the heat and the sun and didn't miss a beat. When my other plants were stalled, it still kept going. Loved the color of the pepper too.

I would like to try these next spring. Are the seeds available here in the states? I googled Pusztagold Seeds and only found a couple european vendors one on ebay.

Starlight · August 23, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by dahoss2002

I would like to try these next spring. Are the seeds available here in the states? I googled Pusztagold Seeds and only found a couple european vendors one on ebay.

I am so sorry. The reason you couldn't find them for sale and I couldn't either was because I have it spelled wrong. It should be Pustzagold . Got the z in the wrong place.

The Seed Cellar which was selling them is offline right now. I don't know if she will open back up later or not.

AlittleSalt · August 23, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by horticultor

I've had very good success with several types of peppers (both sweet and hot) this year. My bells (Red Knight, Early Sunsation and Gourmet) have set and matured amazing numbers of fruit, but sunscald has ruined the vast majority. Can anyone recommend particular varieties of bells that have better leaf cover for Central Texas? Or will it be necessary to grow under shade at any rate?

I just now found this thread. I live between Waco and Fort Worth. Shade cloth works best for us. It needs to shade them from Noon till 5pm. In late September/early October, when the high temps get in the 80s, there will be very little or no need for the shade cloths anymore.

Worth1 · August 23, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by b54red

Worth I can't believe someone who grows tomatoes so successfully can't find a bell pepper that will do well. Don't you have raised beds? Raised beds make a big difference in the success of bells especially when it is raining too much. They also like a very heavy mulch of cypress mulch which keeps the soil cooler and the moisture level more even. I used to have a lot of problems with peppers not producing much at all from mid June through September until I found the Socrates variety. I try to feed them every week with either TTF or their Vegetable or Citrus formulas and this year my production has been the highest I have ever had. I usually had pretty good luck with the Miracle Grow 18-18-24 formula applied every week in the past. If your soil is too alkaline they will respond to a dose of vinegar water which sometimes needs to be given more than once if it is really alkaline. Most of my plants are now between 4 and 6 feet tall and will in all likelihood reach 8 feet or more by the time the cold gets them. If I can keep them healthy they will be most productive in the fall but the peppers themselves will be smaller than the ones I pick in the spring and very early summer. The one thing that has really bothered my peppers over the past few years is TSWV and once a plant shows signs of TSWV it is useless and must be pulled. That is why I always plant at least 20 plants so by the end of the year I will still have enough healthy plants to enjoy fresh bell peppers up til the first freeze.

Bill

Bill I am sick and tired of stink bug bites on my peppers.
It stunts the peppers and they dont grow right.

Worth

August 4, 2015	#1
horticultor Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Waco, TX Posts: 23	Best leaf cover bell peppers? I've had very good success with several types of peppers (both sweet and hot) this year. My bells (Red Knight, Early Sunsation and Gourmet) have set and matured amazing numbers of fruit, but sunscald has ruined the vast majority. Can anyone recommend particular varieties of bells that have better leaf cover for Central Texas? Or will it be necessary to grow under shade at any rate?

August 18, 2015	#5
clkeiper Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: ohio Posts: 4,350	I grew gourmet this year too, but mine fell sideways because I didn't have enough cages for all of my pepper plants (I put in over 200 plants). Those cheap tomato cages everyone sells are perfect for peppers. They keep them upright and it reduces sunscald. Otherwise put shade cloth over them. I will say though, that Jupiter is probably one of my favorite peppers for nice leaf cover. __________________ carolyn k Last edited by clkeiper; August 18, 2015 at 05:40 PM.

August 4, 2015	#2
JoParrott Guest Posts: n/a	If you like the peppers I would just add temporary pieces of shade cloth to protect individual peppers.

August 5, 2015	#3
joseph Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: Cache Valley, N/E of The Great Salt Lake Posts: 1,244	My way of dealing with sun-scald on peppers was to stop growing bell peppers, and to grow things like pimentos, or banana peppers which are not as susceptible.

August 18, 2015	#4
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	I wish I had put up a shade cloth this year as sun scald has been particularly bad with the very hot summer we have had this year. I probably won't bother with it next year either. I find it is just easier to set out more plants and throw a lot of peppers away. I have tried numerous varieties and have not found a single bell pepper that provides adequate leaf shade for all the peppers on the plants. My favorite would have to be Socrates because it is so productive and large that even if I lose some to scald I still have plenty and they make all season if kept watered and fertilized. Bill

August 18, 2015	#6
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	My problem this year wasn't scald but too much water but I wanted cucumbers more. It ended up killing most of the peppers. Everything is growing in shade and doing fine. I have yet to have any luck with a bell pepper. Worth

August 18, 2015	#7
greenthumbomaha Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Omaha Zone 5 Posts: 2,514	Sun scald was a huge problem for me on tomatoes due to early blight and septoria. This is my first year having success growing a thick walled bell pepper. The seeds were obtained from a farmers market pepper that was huge and tasty, likely one of the expensive commercial hybrid seeds. Last year was outstanding for peppers and this year I am lucky to get two per plant and they aren't big and thick. I grew mostly OP'S : marconi , northern bells, and the small yellow salad poppers. I did love the NUMEX peppers I got from a friend here on TMVL. They were totally worth growing, even for two. Salsa from the recipe section was amazing, a first for me. - Lisa

August 18, 2015	#8
ilex Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Spain Posts: 416	Grow other thick wall peppers or grow between rows of taller things so they are more protected.

August 19, 2015	#9
Starlight Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: AL Posts: 1,993	A bell that did well for me was Pusztagold. Took all the heat and the sun and didn't miss a beat. When my other plants were stalled, it still kept going. Loved the color of the pepper too.

August 20, 2015	#11
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	I am going to try something that may or may not help with sun scald on bell peppers. When I was having such a terrible time with spider mites most of the leaves on my tomatoes had to be removed leaving tomatoes hanging on bare vines with no shade at all. I thought they would all be destroyed by sun scald especially the really sensitive ones like Red Barn which will scald in a heartbeat. I was spraying my plants with a mix of soapy water with a heavy dose ( 1/2 cup) of food grade diatomaceous earth to a gallon of water on my tomato plants covering the tops and bottoms of the leaves. I decided to go ahead and spray all the fruit also. I was shocked a week later after near 100 degree days with bright sunshine not to have a single tomato with sun scald. It obviously worked on the tomatoes so I thought I would try it on the bells and see if it works even though I know they are much more sensitive to sun scald than most tomatoes. I'll let you know if it works. Worth I can't believe someone who grows tomatoes so successfully can't find a bell pepper that will do well. Don't you have raised beds? Raised beds make a big difference in the success of bells especially when it is raining too much. They also like a very heavy mulch of cypress mulch which keeps the soil cooler and the moisture level more even. I used to have a lot of problems with peppers not producing much at all from mid June through September until I found the Socrates variety. I try to feed them every week with either TTF or their Vegetable or Citrus formulas and this year my production has been the highest I have ever had. I usually had pretty good luck with the Miracle Grow 18-18-24 formula applied every week in the past. If your soil is too alkaline they will respond to a dose of vinegar water which sometimes needs to be given more than once if it is really alkaline. Most of my plants are now between 4 and 6 feet tall and will in all likelihood reach 8 feet or more by the time the cold gets them. If I can keep them healthy they will be most productive in the fall but the peppers themselves will be smaller than the ones I pick in the spring and very early summer. The one thing that has really bothered my peppers over the past few years is TSWV and once a plant shows signs of TSWV it is useless and must be pulled. That is why I always plant at least 20 plants so by the end of the year I will still have enough healthy plants to enjoy fresh bell peppers up til the first freeze. Bill