Pepper Plants on a Production Pause....

[BabyGartner]

I have 2 pepper plants each in a 1 gallon pot. I've researched container sizes and it looks like my beans and peppers can remain in their 1 gallon pots, while I had to change to much much larger ones for my tomatoes and zucchini.

My peppers are watered constantly, I spray an insect repellant on them about once a week, they are given water soluable plant food 1-2 times a week, and they get plenty of sunlight and heat. Tulsa is HOT and humid right now.

Question is.... why haven't I seen any pepper blooms? I assume I should see some flowering at this point. I have green beans already and my zucchini are FINALLY and SURPRISINGLY coming about-- 1st fruit this weekend!-- but my peppers seem stagnant. I read the other day in Tulsa People magazine that peppers are a cinch to grow in my climate, yet I haven't seen success. They keep growing taller and stronger and leafier, but no buds- no peppers- no success. Any suggestions? Is it normal to have to wait and wait? I didn't think the zucchini would come about then I turned around and I have fruit, same with the green beans, so maybe the same will happen with the peppers. I guess I'll just wait and keep doing what I'm doing.... they look healthy, but just a bunch of green leaves!

[Haesuse]

what kind of peppers are they? how much sun do they get? got pictures? how big are they? etc

[splat42069]

Do you fertilize them? If not give a shot of a blooming fert and see what happens. Anothing thing could be if you are fert. them check the ratio. You want a higher P,K for blooming/flowering and a higher N. for growing.

[TZ -OH6]

Do not fertilize so much! Once or twice a month if the plants are growing strongly is enough. If the plants are not growing well and you have recently fertilized, then adding more can only harm them. Over fertilization is also a reason why tomatoes and peppers do not flower or set fruit. Peppers are especially sensitive to high levels of fertilizer.

[petalfuzz]

I saw a major blossom reduction last year when it got so hot! Kind of the plant equivalent of my cats just throwing themselves on the floor cause it is too hot to do anything else!

[Haesuse]

I saw a major blossom reduction last year when it got so hot! Kind of the plant equivalent of my cats just throwing themselves on the floor cause it is too hot to do anything else!

I'm getting that right now...

[Drumopelli]

As someone else asked: What type of peppers?

Beyond that, I would say that you are over fertilizing (almost severely). Once or twice a month only (or perhaps if they are yellowing). Nitrogen helps with plant growth, and if the plant is spending all its resources growing, it's not going to produce fruit. Once you see flower buds, quit fertilizing. Water soluble plant foods (like Miracle Grow) have a very high nitrogen content. It's great to get the plant healthy and established, but then stop. If you are going to fertilize, try using fish emulsion. It has only 1% nitrogen. Potash and Potassium should get the plants producing fruit (but not when plant food is mostly nitrogen).

I don't know what "watered constantly" means, but be careful not to over water. My pepper plants (depending on species) get watered once a day or once every other day or more and I live in AZ with 110 degree full sun (currently) and they are in pots also. Peppers like jalapenos, habaneros, etc. like the weather hot and the soil a little on the dry side (even sandy). Other types of more tropical peppers like it a little more moist Too much watering can cause the fruit to rot on the stem.

Unless you have some sort of insect infestation, I would suggest not using pesticides on your plants at all. I can't see pesticides helping a plant grow or produce fruit. Don't use them unless you have to.

Sun is great for peppers (6-8 hours per day). But if it gets too hot, shade in the hottest part of the day can go a long way.

Overall, it seems like you are paying too much attention to the plants. Water them every couple days, quit fertilizing them, and quit spraying "insect repellant" on them. Let them be and let Nature take Her course.

My 4 and a half cents

[mhinkle]

Hi, I know this is quite late, but I hope you realized that most peppers take 90--130 days to produce fruit...

[tn_veggie_gardner]

This is actually kind of normal for peppers. They somehow know when Summer is & when grown outdoors, will not tend to start to produce any fruit until May/June. Patience & you will see some fruit production, I'm sure. =)

[garden5]

I'd say that, for future reference, you should try just letting the peppers be as far as fertilizer is concerned and just add a good amount to compost. That will result in more balanced fertilizer. Also, you may have been doing too much watering, it's hard to say since I don't know your climate.

Better luck this year.