Any Sweet Pepper growing tips?

[Gardenboy]

Hello

Most years I like to try growing something new to me and, having got a trial packet, I'm trying Sweet Peppers.

I started a bit late, I think, but I am in North Yorkshire so that might be for the best.

I now have three plants about 4-5 inches high growing in 3 inch pots in my greenhouse. They are looking rather happier than they have been now the wheather has finally started to warm up so I am wandering what to do with them next.

I am thinking of potting them on into 4-5 inch pots in the next day or so then into large pots on the staging when they fill these.

What sort of size final pots should I use? I was thinking of perhaps 5 litre but I have some larger and smaller I could use.

Do they need "stopping" or training in any way? The plants a finally starting to get taller but don't seem to be branching out at all yet.

Any advice would be very welcome as I've never grown peppers before although I usually get a good crop of tomatos.

Thanks again
Will

[Nature's Babe]

My advice would be add some water gel to the bottom two thirds of compost when you plant in pots to help even out watering, they need enough water but don't overwater. Greenhouse suits because they like it warm, feed weekly when you feed your tomatoes. Mine are three to a long trough or singly into tom plant size pot. Place where they won't be overshadowed by plants that grow taller. Good luck. Oh yes and cut peppers off with a knife, twisting can damage the plant.If a lot of fruit set and you want good size peppers, thin to about eight per plant. Chilli peppers are perennial and if you have space to keep indoors will survive overwinter for an early start next year, not sure if sweet peppers are too ??

[ken]

I broadly agree with Nature's Babe (as ever!), certainly that peppers don't like to be over-watered. However, while I suppose it depends what size pots you use for tomatoes (I used to use 10 inch pots), I don't think peppers require such big pots. I think 7 inch is probably sufficient.

[Primrose]

I start my peppers off in 3 inch pots. I only have a mini plastic greenhouse so try to keep them in smallish pots until it's warm enough to put them outside on a sunny patio. but make a point of misting them if it gets too hot in there. When they're about 8 inches tall I transfer t them in 8" or 10" pots. I find that the Italian pointed peppers can grow quite tall, ( taller than some of the bell varieties) so prefer 10" pots for them.
Like NB, I mix some water retention crystals into the compost when they're in their final pots.

I don't pinch them out at all, but on occasions I've accidentally snapped off the top of a main stem. When this has happened I've kept the plant and sideshoots have developed. These will bear flowers but will produce a later crop.

[Gardenboy]

Thank you all!!

It looks as though I'm on the right track. I potted on the plants today into 5 inch pot to keep them growing steadyly. They have rooted well and are looking sturdyer for a few warmer days and nights.

One think I just thought of. How well does the seed store? I have enough for next year left in the packet if it is likely to grow

Thanks again
Will

[Primrose]

I find the seed stores fairly well. This year I sowed packeted seed which was three years old and most of the seeds germinated. Interestingly, I'd also got a shop bought yellow pepper in the fridge and thought I would grow a couple, so I dried the seed out for two or three days on some tissue on a sunny window sill, and every single one I sowed germinated.

I think if you have older seeds, it's a good idea to give them the best start possible and try to germinate them giving them as much heat as possible as I find peppers take quite a long time to germinate (much longer than tomatoes) and the older they are, they more stubborn they might be.

[Nature's Babe]

Also when you are eating the peppers if they are not F1 they will come true from seed that's saved and dried, save from the best plants / fruits.

[Gardenboy]

Thanks Primrose.

I'll hang onto what's left in the packet. I found them slow too, I was just starting to think nothing was going to happen when they showed some signs of life but the delay was probably as well considering the mixed spring we have had here.

[NB] I'll check on the variety, I can't remember if they are an F1 or not as they were a freebe and I didn't actually choose the type. Good idea to try saving some seed if they're not.

Will

[ken]

Too true about comparatively slow germination. I sowed our regular favourite, Gypsy, in early March. Gave up when there appeared to be no signs of seedlings, and bought some plugs of Bell Boy. Then, of course, the Gypsy seedlings came through...Isn't it always the way?

[Primrose]

Too true about comparatively slow germination. I sowed our regular favourite, Gypsy, in early March. Gave up when there appeared to be no signs of seedlings, and bought some plugs of Bell Boy. Then, of course, the Gypsy seedlings came through...Isn't it always the way?

I've been caught like this too with peppers and chillies. I now sow in mid January and as I don't have a heated propagator, I keep the pot or small tray in which the seeds are sown on a regularly heated hot water bottle on a window ledge. A bit unconventional but it seems to work. Next year I'm going to moisten the seeds up first by putting them on a sheet of moist kitchen paper for a couple of days to hopefully speed up the process, as the seeds are very hard .

[Nature's Babe]

I had some self seeded cape gooseberries growing in the homemade compost I used for my peppers I just transferred some very healthy cape gooseberry seedlings to the garden. The peppers are forming well, about one third full size. I have some orange, some red and some yellow banana.
I save my seeds on kitchen paper too, write label on sheet, dry them, then plant the whole sheet

[Tony Hague]

Capsicums in general benefit from an early start; even if they would have time to ripen fruit from a later planting, I like to have peppers in summer, not wait till the autumn !

So, sowing questionable seed is a risk - because of the slow germination*, by the time you give up on them and re-plant, you're already behind. I only sow seed I'm not confident of** as well as good seed, not instead of, so that I'm not left without anything !

* 10-14 days is typical, but they benefit from a lot of warmth, even more so than tomatoes - 21 degrees is good.

** self-saved seed very often gives me the best results, not sure why.

PS: I like the seed drying technique, NB. DS once had a paper making kit that suggested you could press seeds into the surface of the paper when you made it for decorative effect, which gave me an idea - what a great way to make homemade greetings cards for gardeners - so that you can just plant the card when you're done with it !

[Tigger]

You can use paper towels to save pepper, chilli and tomato seeds in this way, as they are all in the same family.

We can support some of them from the autumn into winter, the rest depends on early spring survival into the summer.

They all need the opportunity to germinate and grow, but not race ahead of sunlight and food!

[Nature's Babe]

Yes I save tomato seeds, tomatilllo, and cape gooseberry seeds successfully that way too, can't be bothered fermenting them...just space seeds over a paper towel and dry gently, they all come up fine when I plant the whole sheet.

[Gardenboy]

Hello

A general thanks -- the plants are coming on nicely for some warm wheather so I'll try to remember to revive this thread later in the year and report any success or otherwise.

Will