Problem with Pepper Plants - Stunted Growth

Ok, I'm really hoping someone has an answer for this. Most, if not all of my pepper plants are growing in a stunted fashion, like you see in the photos. Its like they think they're 3 feet high, and there's a dozen new branches coming in. I've had this happen before, and it usually ends up with the plant being 1 foot high with branches coming out the stem every 16th of an inch.

What causes that? And better yet, how do I fix it now that its a problem?

I've been pruning the extra branches off thus far, which keeps it in a "normal" growing shape. But it doesn't seem to be growing out of the trend. Help!

What are you fertilizing with? Are the wood chips mixed into the soil? If so, N immobilization due to availability of soo much cellulose is surely an issue, and might be the reason whether the chips are a top dressing or incorporated. There are other possibilities, but I'd figure out how to eliminate the potential of the wood chips as causal.

Al

The wood chips are not mixed into the soil. It is just a mulch. I have not fertilized at all, though I do add compost to my soil during the fall, and also use something called biochar around the base of the plants.

The woodchips are the greatest thing thats ever happened to me as far as my garden is concerned. I don't have to irrigate, and weeds are almost extinct. So if possible, I'd like to figure out how to work with the wood chips, rather than eliminate them.

Do you think a nitrogen source like horse manure would help?

This message was edited Jun 11, 2015 9:40 PM

I'm not limited by a particular ideology, and the easiest way to get N to your plants would be by using a high-N slow release fertilizer like you might use on the lawn, like 27-0-3, 33-0-3 - or similar, so that's what I would use. YMMV - you could try frequent low dose applications of FE 5-1-1 on one plant. If it starts pushing, you know it's a N immobilization thing.



Al

The plant in the photo seems to have a good green color, nitrogen wouldn't be my first suspect - so don't overdose, and maybe don't treat all of them so you can compare.
I would suspect a root probem - stunted roots make stunted tops. I assume they were transplants? Had they gotten too big, or at least too big for their pots, before transplanting? Did you have a heat wave right after transplanting?
I have had some problems in the past, not as bad as yours, but there wasn't enough space for full size well shaped peppers. It seems like some varieties are more prone to this. When I am starting my own from seed, I look for varieties that are described as large plants or good leaf cover. If buying transplants, beware of large plants in small pots or small plants that are already blooming.