vizzin72
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Posts: 22
Joined: Tue Mar 07, 2017 10:39 pm

Peppers flowering too early

I have some sweet peppers they are a basket variety. They are only about a month old with three sets of true leaves and they are about 4 inches tall. They are starting to form flowers (none have yet but I can see where the flowers are going to come out) and its a lot on each plant like 5 or 6 locations. I had no idea these were going to flower so early and I don't know what to do. I suppose that it is because I have really good air exchange and temperature in my indoor grow box and I have been leaving my lights on for 24 hours. should I start turning the lights off for 5 hours a day or just start pinching off the flower stems and keep pinching until they are bigger?

thanks

imafan26
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Posts: 13986
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

Put it in a bigger pot. If they are flowering small it is usually because they are in small pots. Once they are in bigger pots they should size up fast. Basket varieties are going to be short and spreading. They don't grow more than a foot tall but will spread out sideways and droop more.

PaulF
Greener Thumb
Posts: 912
Joined: Tue Nov 09, 2010 5:34 pm
Location: Brownville, Ne

You could also pinch off the early blossoms. That would force the roots and leaves to grow which would make for a stronger plant. The plant's focus would be back on growing rather than reproduction.

vizzin72
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Posts: 22
Joined: Tue Mar 07, 2017 10:39 pm

Okay thanks y'all ... yes they are in cups smaller than solo cups and I can see a lot of roots ... I will pot up

vizzin72
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Posts: 22
Joined: Tue Mar 07, 2017 10:39 pm

thanks everyone I potted them up to larger cups and yes the roots where making circles around the bottoms of the existing smaller cups. I do think I was mistaken though while I think it was necessary to pot them up I think what I was seeing that I thought was going to flowers is actually the beginning of side shoots.

imafan26
Mod
Posts: 13986
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

That's ok they needed to be potted up anyway. That's the thing with veggies you have to pot up in time to keep the growth from stunting. Stunting almost always will set the plant back and reduce the ultimate yield. When they do flower, don't forget to side dress.

The early peppers will flower in 50-75 days. I usually get my first fruit ready to pick by the third month.

vizzin72
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Posts: 22
Joined: Tue Mar 07, 2017 10:39 pm

Thank you ! Yes I am trying to keep them doing well right now they look great ... problem is lately where I live around the same time my plants start forming fruits it gets brutally hot for a couple days then moderate then moderate in the morning brutal in the afternoon and cold at night (jersey weather is going whacko)

imafan26
Mod
Posts: 13986
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

Yeah, that is why I grow more hot peppers and corno d'toro, or banana sweet peppers than bell peppers, they are more productive and handle more heat. Bell peppers start to stress in the high 80's and in summer that is every day here. There aren't very many bell peppers that survive long except the Kaala which is a locally bred mini pepper.

vizzin72
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Posts: 22
Joined: Tue Mar 07, 2017 10:39 pm

thanks imafan26 .... yeah I don't know why I didn't think to get some banana seeds. I've been seeing some people talking about micro climates (using shade and stuff) and the first time I heard it I thought it was so stupid but I am starting to think that it is an option. it is actually a few degrees cooler in the shade than out of the shade during the high intensity sunlight hours. in my front garden which is completely north facing and the majority non sun ... I have been able to grow cannas in a small spot that gets sun while 5 feet away I grow mountain laurel so I think it is doable (if I left the mountain laurel in direct sunlight it would die)

Dirt
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Joined: Sun Oct 02, 2016 9:36 am
Location: SE Michigan, 6A

Pinch off the buds. You do not want the plant putting it's energy into fruit right now, you want it to grow leaves. You should also think about pruning the top of the plant.

Look on You Tube for the "Rusted Garden". The guy has about 600 videos up. I found him when I had blossom end rot last year. His emergency treatment saved my plants, and got my attention. He does a good job, unlike most you tube videos where the narrator can't string two thoughts together without stopping.

vizzin72
Full Member
Posts: 22
Joined: Tue Mar 07, 2017 10:39 pm

I'll check it out thanks



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