MsFord209
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Location: Central illinois

Growing jalapeños

Morning all. I was wondering if jalapeños require 16 hours of light like bell peppers or....?

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rainbowgardener
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Are you talking about seedlings, indoors under lights? If so, yes, I have all my seedlings with the lights on them 16 hrs a day, even the ones that don't like full sun once outdoors. That's because the artificial light is so much less intense than sunshine.

If you mean sunshine outdoors, then 16 hrs a day of sunshine doesn't exist until you get pretty far north towards the land of midnight sun.

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hendi_alex
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Our jalapenos do great in a morning sun location (about 5-6 hours direct sunlight), under the canopy of a large oak tree. They produce jalapenos from early in the season until frost usually in mid to late November, when the day length is just over 10 hours. Usually some of the plants are then moved to the greenhouse or the sun room, where they continue to produce for at least another month or two.

MsFord209
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Location: Central illinois

Hi rainbow. I just picked up a small plant at Home Depot. About 8 nice size strong looking leaves one jalapeño plant. One still kinda small but very leafy Roma tomato. They're in the house. I have a small plant light. Hi Alex. It's getting nice now. 78• today but 30s-mid40s & raining tomorrow till Mother's Day. Then partly sunny high 56. That's normal here. Is it better to give the seedlings sunlight once its warm for good? Or start them in the house always?

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rainbowgardener
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Is it better to give the seedlings sunlight once its warm for good? Or start them in the house always?

Not sure I understand this distinction. Even if you started them in the house, they will definitely do better coming out in the sunshine once it is warm. If they have been indoors, they will be tender and not used to full sun, so they need to be hardened off gradually to get used to it.

MsFord209
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Location: Central illinois

I believe you already gave an answer to the question I was trying to ask, rainbow. Doing too many things at once! I've started nothing indoors. I understand now that the point of starting plants indoors is to extend the season & have plants ready to go in the ground & thrive as soon as the soil temp is right. This year everything is either going directly in ground from seed or being purchased as a baby.



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