Small Bell Peppers (Phoenix, Arizona)
I have several bell pepper plants in my garden and all of them are producing very small bell peppers is there any reason why they don't get any bigger than roma tomato size?
Any chance that they are a variety of mini bells, Todd?
I have grown Jingle Bells before and, if I remember right, they about the size you mention. These are a variety called "Yummy" and only a few of them have 4 lobes (bells):
[img]https://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h22/Digit_007/Mobile%20Uploads/downsize-4.jpg[/img]
The "car" is only a little over 2" long. Two & 3 lobe Yummies are actually a little longer than this bell.
Other than that, I can only think that they may have had insufficient water during early-stage fruit formation.
Steve
I have grown Jingle Bells before and, if I remember right, they about the size you mention. These are a variety called "Yummy" and only a few of them have 4 lobes (bells):
[img]https://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h22/Digit_007/Mobile%20Uploads/downsize-4.jpg[/img]
The "car" is only a little over 2" long. Two & 3 lobe Yummies are actually a little longer than this bell.
Other than that, I can only think that they may have had insufficient water during early-stage fruit formation.
Steve
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rainbowgardener
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Yeah, it looks like it is already HOT and sunny in Phoenix (103 by Monday, sheesh!). In those conditions your bell peppers will need a LOT of water.
Also it looks like your night time temperatures are correspondingly high. By the time you hit that 103 degree day, the night time temp will be 77. Peppers like warm days and cool nights.
"Peppers are frost-intolerant warm-weather annuals that grow best at 70 to 80 degrees F temperatures. Peppers have less cold tolerance than tomatoes, although more than eggplants. Temperatures below 59 degrees F during ripening reduce capsaicin content and fruit will not set at night temperatures below 60 degrees F. Peppers have more drought tolerance in terms of plant survival than either tomatoes or eggplants, but will abort young fruit at high temperatures (> 80 degrees F day or 70 degrees F night) and low humidities even if adequate soil moisture is present.
Flowers must be pollinated within 24 to 30 hours of opening, so 1 to 2 days of hot, dry conditions can result in lower fruit set, especially on bell types. Flowers can also be lost at high temperatures."
https://140.254.84.215/cached.jsp?idx=0&id=151852
I have certainly had pepper set and do okay at temps above 80 day and 70 night, but you have to recognize that your climate and current conditions are EXTREMELY stressful for tomatoes, peppers and many other plants. Give them plenty of water and some afternoon shade and hopefully they will make it through. But if you are going to have months and months of this, you might need to switch to more hot weather crops. Zucchini, melons, beans, okra would be good.
Also it looks like your night time temperatures are correspondingly high. By the time you hit that 103 degree day, the night time temp will be 77. Peppers like warm days and cool nights.
"Peppers are frost-intolerant warm-weather annuals that grow best at 70 to 80 degrees F temperatures. Peppers have less cold tolerance than tomatoes, although more than eggplants. Temperatures below 59 degrees F during ripening reduce capsaicin content and fruit will not set at night temperatures below 60 degrees F. Peppers have more drought tolerance in terms of plant survival than either tomatoes or eggplants, but will abort young fruit at high temperatures (> 80 degrees F day or 70 degrees F night) and low humidities even if adequate soil moisture is present.
Flowers must be pollinated within 24 to 30 hours of opening, so 1 to 2 days of hot, dry conditions can result in lower fruit set, especially on bell types. Flowers can also be lost at high temperatures."
https://140.254.84.215/cached.jsp?idx=0&id=151852
I have certainly had pepper set and do okay at temps above 80 day and 70 night, but you have to recognize that your climate and current conditions are EXTREMELY stressful for tomatoes, peppers and many other plants. Give them plenty of water and some afternoon shade and hopefully they will make it through. But if you are going to have months and months of this, you might need to switch to more hot weather crops. Zucchini, melons, beans, okra would be good.