Thinning out these jalapeño and okra plant?

[Jethrobodeen1581]

Okay this is the first time I've tried to grow vegetables since I was a child. I'm growing them in 5 gallon buckets with good potting mix and plenty of organic matter, and after two weeks after planting I noticed something earlier. It seems that my okra and jalapeño peppers have multiple seedlings bunched together. Especially the okra plant that has one large seedling and two separate stalks that barely see the sun because of the big stalk. It came in the single biodegradable bonnie pot. I am just confused as to whether it is normal for the seedlings to be so close, whether they are the same plant, or what? It said to tear the pot off and plant it but something doesn't seem right. Should I cut the other two that seem to be extra???

[Breanna.link]

I would leave the two strongest/sturdiest plants and see which one makes it best then take that one out, did you spray that with a something, I would be more concerned about that white powdery stuff looks like powdery mildew.

[Breanna.link]

I would dilute milk and water and spray the plant(s) once a week just in case.

[erins327]

I agree on the mildew assessment. I see the same thing.

And also, don't pull, as you may disturb the roots on the seedling you want to keep. I would either pinch off the stem or cut it with scissors. Then the rejected seedling will just wither away naturally and not disturb the soil in the pot.

[Jethrobodeen1581]

The powder is diatomaceous earth not mildew. So I have the tree established plants all bunched together, so I should choose the tallest one to keep going and cut the other two at soil level?

[Jethrobodeen1581]

The powder is diatomaceous earth not mildew. So I have the tree established plants all bunched together, so I should choose the tallest one to keep going and cut the other two at soil level?

[Jethrobodeen1581]

One of them is about twice as tall as the other two

[Breanna.link]

Yeah I would just take scissors to the smaller ones and snip.

[Jethrobodeen1581]

What about on the jalapeño? There's only two stalks actually and theyre about the same size

[Breanna.link]

are you sure it is more than one plant with the jalapeno, how deep did you plant it, I replanted mine up 2/3 the way up? Which one looks like it is stockier/livelier? That is the one I would keep.

[Jethrobodeen1581]

It could possible be the same plant because both stalks are thriving. The okra however I really believe it is more than one because of the differences in size between the stalks. I'll post a picture in just a second of the size differences

[applestar]

Did you say where you are located? I think in my garden two jalapenos could live in a 5 gal bucket. Peppers get a lot bigger further south, I think?

[imafan26]

I grow Jalapenos and other pepper seeds in community pots and transplant them out when they have true leaves about 2-3 inches tall. if you remove them small and carefully, you can tease apart the roots and replant them. I would only leave one pepper per pot , but I keep my short lived and young peppers like the jalapeno in one or two gallon pots and the longer lived tabasco in 20 inch pots. While you could probably accommodate two peppers in a pot, the canopies will mash together and won't be able to spread out. I have problems with fungal disease so I need to be able to separate the pots as the plants get bigger so the peppers will have enough air circulation.

[gumbo2176]

I grow okra every spring/summer and have never had 2 stalks come up from 1 seed. If you plan on growing the okra in a 5 gallon pot, that likely won't be big enough. My okra plants routinely get close to 8 ft. tall by summers end and the stalks are almost all 2-3 inches in diameter. When I pull them in September, the root system goes down into the ground at least 18 inches for the main root with tons of side roots growing in all directions.

Jalapenos will do fine in a 5 gallon bucket from my experience and I live in New Orleans. Now, some peppers, like habanero's and Ghost's have huge plants and they would likely be stressed in that size pot. My last habs and ghost pepper plants were at least 4 ft. tall and just as wide. Jalapeno's generally stay a good bit smaller.