pepper plants have been planted out for almost 2 weeks??
Hello all, My peppers have been planted for 2 weeks this coming Saturday and was wondering if I should do anything to them? They are getting flowers on them and read that I should remove them so all energy goes into foliage growth at this point, is that true? Thanks all for your input.
if the plant isn't ready to support the fruits they will fall off on their own, no need to pull them off. now if the plant is small and you don't want it to try and support fruits yet but it tries anyway sure pick them off. I don't think it will really make much difference either way. all I would do at this point if you haven't already is give them a dose of a balanced fertilizer and mulch around them to retain moister and keep weeds down. its not always necessary but I usually give them a dose of Epsom salt once I see fruit begin to set. about a table spoon or two in 5 gallons of water. I don't really measure. if you see blossome end rot which is pretty rare with peppers in my experience some cal mag will fix em right up. I have that problem with tomatoes and squash more than peppers
The only thing I would add is that if at all possible don't wait until they get that old before you set them out. I keep mine in pots but I up pot to one gallon pots when the seedlings are about 4 weeks old and have a couple of sets of true leaves. Most will start to flower 70-90 days out. After they get their first fruit they go up to the permanent pots. In the ground I would set them out when they are about 4 weeks old. The fruit will be ready to pick when they are about 3 months old. They are moderate feeders so I do give them a starter fertilizer (in pots) and a tablespoon a month of maintenance Vigoro citrus food 6-4-6. Any balanced fertilizer will do. Sometimes The pepper leaves get straggley after the first fruit and I will cut the plant back. It grows back bushier and with more fertilizer, it usually yields much better. I know some people prune peppers when they are young, but I don't think that is necessary until they need it.
it depends on the peppers on how old they are when they go out. some require a lot longer than others. some of my peppers were started indoors 4 months before they got planted in the ground, and I plan on digging them up and bringing them in for the winter. so the next time they go out they will be 16 to 18 months old. I don't bother doing that with anything other than super hots that you cant find in the local nurseries
with a short growing season lie northern MI its really hard to grow such peppers. if I my growing season was any shorter, I would probably grow these exclusively indoors
with a short growing season lie northern MI its really hard to grow such peppers. if I my growing season was any shorter, I would probably grow these exclusively indoors
I have mild winters. I don't have a lot of room in the garden and I try not to keep long term plants in there. I already have a couple that are taking way too much space as it is. Peppers do well in pots for about 4 years. I have some that are 8 years old in pots, 10 years old in the ground. I prefer to grow them in pots because I have a lot of varieties and I need to be able to move the pots as they grow so they will be spaced better. Some peppers do not last the year like bell peppers, but the hot and super hots can last a few years. If the pots are big enough, 4-18 gallons, the peppers can live for years.
Thanks for the replies, When you say balanced fertilizer do you mean the npk numbers are close to each other? Also how often should I fertilize with water soluble fertilizer and how often should I give them epsom salt? When I planted them I put a tablespoon of granular veggie fertilizer in the hole( I believe it was 6-2-3 or close). and a tablespoon of epsom salt. I also threw in some pelletized gypsum. They have been planted out for 2 weeks this Saturday coming up. Thanks.