Do peppers need to be potted up?

PMMov is a disease that affects bell peppers. The new leaves are distorted and wrinkled. The few fruit that form are mis-shapen and small. It doesn't affect hot peppers, and doesn't affect non-bell sweet peppers very much (the plants still get infectect, but don't show symptoms)

Here's some information and pictures. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/cv275

David

Sorry about the late arrival but thought I would add two cents worth. The only way I can grow hot peppers is to pot them up. I start with 3.5 inch peat pots and around ten seeds per pot. When it's time I pot up the strongest plants to their own peat pots when these individual plants become root bound I go to a permanent 2.5 gallon plastic pot. The plants spend half their lives in either a heated hoop house or in a sunken raised bed which can also be covered as necessary. The only problem I have had with insect pests is aphids if and when these plants are moved into the house. As for the seed starting aspect I used domes over the seed trays when starting the seed, and even taller domes once the individual seedlings are potted up. Two things I do to avoid mold or dampening off is to 1) use a small fan periodically on the flats, and 2) sprits the surface of the potted seedlings with hydrogen peroxide added to the spray water. One cup of hydrogen peroxide per gallon of water is what I use for the spray as well as bottom watering of the peat pots with new seeds as well as initial watering for the potted up seedlings.

Got my Peters seeded, now I'm praying. This year I'm starting my garden in the front (SW exposure) so I'm praying I'll get a decent crop. I have to hide them in a lot of flowers because of the HOA, but I plan on having mostly veggies there.

When I grow in pots I use Fox Farm Organics potting soil (it will grow rocks believe me) and add lots and lots of perlite (I used to get these huge bags from Worms Way). Everything just grew and grew and grew like Topsie. I also sprayed with kelp everyweek.

I thought I'd share a photo of my peppers, all the same variety, planted on the same day, and transplanted on the same day 3 weeks ago.

You can see the results. The big pots were too big. The small pot was too small. The middle-sized pot is just right.

End of my Goldilocks tale, lol.

Anyway, thought it was interesting.

LiseP - two years ago, I tried growing some peppers in the same type of self-watering pot I see in your photo. They did so poorly, I moved them into the garden. Have you had success growing them to maturity in these pots?

To be honest, HoneybeeNC, I can't quite remember! I really need to keep better notes. Frankly, none of my peppers was much to write home about. Very lackluster, all of them. So I know I sure don't have things figured out, and even this year, what I have started are pretty puny -- although I haven't found ANY sweet/bell pepper plants in the big-box stores, just hot peppers, so I guess I'll soldier on and hope mine get bigger.

As for last year, I do seem to recall that the smallest of the pots I used did the best for me, but it was also a different variety of pepper. The ones in the raised bed (I had 2, I think) seemed to grow and grow but not produce much fruit, and I broke branches transplanting them into the raised beds
And one I had in a large pot also didn't produce much.

Sorry, that wasn't too helpful! But I'm glad to know your experience in the self-watering pot. I plant on moving that plant to a smaller pot anyway, but I'll keep that in mind for when it's finally ready (if ever!) for a larger pot.

LiseP,
Don't forget that temps make a HUGE difference in bell pepper growth, too. I found out the hard way (by mistake).

My first year planting sweet bells was last January 1st. I thought starting them with the tomato seedlings were ok, cause they both like the warmth. I didn't know the bells wouldn't be able to go out as soon as the maters cause they would NOT tolerate the too-cool temps. So, I had to keep them under the fluorescents for 3 months!

I started them in Jiffy pellets, and, after the true leaves, potted them up to 16 oz. Red solo cups. I conducted a successful experiment (after researching), and planted the bells up to their cotlyedons, just like tomatoes. Discussion ensued over whether they would form roots along the stems like the maters or whether they would rot. Well, I forgot to check the root system, but they certainly didn't rot!

I went from the Solo cups directly to the garden.

This season, I started my seeds in 4" nursery pots, 2 seeds per, on January 8th (intentionally, this time). I kept them under the fluorescents, and potted them directly out into the garden on March 21st. Lookie...I'll not pot up anymore...don't have to.

P.S. They had buds on them when they went out into the yard...

Linda

This message was edited Mar 30, 2011 12:37 PM

Well, I guess I'm a month behind you. I didn't start my seeds until 2/8 -- so maybe there is hope yet! I'm thinking I got a little too eager to get them out into the garden (whether pots of raised bed). I didn't take a photo of the one in the raised bed, but it's not doing great either.

The only one that seems to be taking off is that one in the 4" pot. I think I'll wait a bit until it looks really leafy before potting out.

As for the other puny ones -- does it make sense to repot back into smaller pots? Do you think they'll take off if I regroup and baby them a bit more before putting them out in the big bad world again? Or have I missed a window and they'll always be runts?

Rats, I need to leave for work. Will check back in later. Thanks for your input, Linda.

I had great success starting my peppers on a heating mat.
Both Peppers and Eggplants love to be around 70+ degrees. They grew really good.
I started my seedling on a 4" pot.
My peppers and eggplants are both outside already. They are about 12" tall, growing very nice but slow.
The will take off as soon as the temperature at night will be nicer.
Right now they are working undergrown to estabilish the roots.

LiseP,
I'd say go for the repot, and baby them with some warmth. They'll continue to grow once they're ok with the temps they like inside, and they'll take off when it's the right temp outside.

Here is a picture of my Peppers outside.
You can see how full of leaves they are. So far so good.
Some of them have flowers already.

PS. The PVC pipes are still in place until this Sunday ... I kept them just in case I will need to cover the plants for bad weather.
I hope now we will be ok and the heat will start.

Thanks for answering, LiseP

I have a few peppers that have sprouted in the house, but not as many as I would like. The weather has been so changeable hot/cold hot/cold. We didn't turn on our central heat this winter, so seeds have had a hard time keeping warm in the garden room.

It's supposed to warm up again next week, so I'm going to sow more pepper seeds. If it stays warm from now on, I think I'll be able to raise more peppers. I'm growing California Wonder and they always produce well.

Wish me luck!

Here a close-up of one the pepper ...

drthor - they look like they are off to a great start!

drthor that looks like a nice garden. Do you have the cages over onion plants?

Yes, drthor, those peppers look wonderful. Linda, I'm taking your advice -- already potted up the puny one. Also discovered the drainage hole was pretty blocked, so that may have factored in, too.

Organic_Joe .. you are funny !
Those are my Tomatoes cages in the background.
Yes, I already have lots of green tomatoes .. I hope harvest will be soon ...

That is a GREAT looking pepper plant drthor. Mine looks scrawny in comparison. This is a Biker Billy jalepeno. Grew these a two years ago and they did great.

oh oh ... I am sure your pepper will be good as soon as the temperature gets warmer.
This year I finally was able to grow great seedlings and I owe all to the ROOTS ORGANIC soil mix I am starting my seeds.
I read in other forums about all the problem growing seeds, from damping off, extra fertilizing ... with this soil I don't do nothing .... I just watch the plants grow.
Anyway ... good luck !!

drthor - is this the place?

http://www.hydrofarm.com/pb_detail.php?itemid=8111

Their formulae sounds amazing, I can see why you have such good luck with it.

I actually found a place located about seven miles from my home that says it sells Roots Organic.

I have a place really close to my house that sell ROOTS ORGANICS.
Here is the product description:
http://www.texashydroponics.com/shop/product.php?productid=2930&cat=102&page=1

This year I grew ALL my vegetable by myself !!!

Let me know if you'll like it at your convenience.

I'm going to look for some of this mix around here.

drthor, we hit 100° today - already! Those peppers ought to start taking off now!