No luck with bell peppers...

[SydneyGee]

Hello all! Back from a short, but strange winter. Temps are consistent now with lows 70's days and high 40's nights. We planted a few seeds in late February, but right after the week of 80 degree days, we were hit with frosty nights and high winds....awesome.

We started some more seeds a couple weeks ago, and most have sprouted and are doing nicely.

There is one plant that we have had consistent problems with... bell peppers! We have tried different locations, different species, and different soils all with no luck. Last year I sprouted 20 seeds of three varieties and 1.... ONE plant survived, and survived at that. Never was happy. No luck with store bought plants either, all end up spindly and low/small fruit yield.

A couple weeks ago we introduced a store bought yellow pepper plant, and the next day over half the leaves were eaten off! We have put out beer dishes for potential slugs/snails/caterpillars but have caught no one. It is nothing but a twig now, slowly trying to bud some leaves back.

Are there any pest hardy varieties? Any tips on keeping bugs off? Only other plants that have attracted pests are the broccoli. The squashes, beans, carrots, lettuce and corn are all fine so far.

 

[Chuck]

Soil temperatures are very important for peppers. Should be at least 75F-85F before transplanting

 

[Durgan]

Years ago upon visiting an old grower I found him watering his peppers with vinegar. Upon questioning him he told me it increased production. I never forgot and now do the same with great success. As an experiment try the method with about half the growth. Peppers also produce late in the season when the ground cools down a bit. I also mulch heavily with wood chips and insure they get adequate water..

Peppers
Posted on September 23, 2012 by Durgan
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?EVAHQ 23 September 2012 Peppers
Frost is imminent so the last of the peppers were picked about 20 pounds.Over the season about 40 to 60 pounds of fruit was produced by these nine plants.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?LSQWP 2 June 2012 Peppers lowering the pH.
It rained heavily yesterday, so it was decided to acidify (lower the pH) the area around the pepper plants. Two cups of white vinegar was mixed with 20 litres of rainwater.This is a subjective decision, but experience indicates that it is beneficial in my garden.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?OTQIE 15 May 2012 Peppers
Nine pepper plants were placed in the outdoor garden. Four California Wonder and five Pimento, both sweet types were available. The plants were purchased in flats and placed in individual containers to establish strong root structures for about ten days in the greenhouse. Peppers need an acidic soil or production is low or nil. I water periodically with vinegar during the season. A cup of vinegar in 20 litres of water was used for planting time watering. Some support was provided utilizing curved metal stakes from the dollar store, which I painted with Tremclad.

 

[Prophet]

Hello all! Back from a short, but strange winter. Temps are consistent now with lows 70's days and high 40's nights. We planted a few seeds in late February, but right after the week of 80 degree days, we were hit with frosty nights and high winds....awesome.

We started some more seeds a couple weeks ago, and most have sprouted and are doing nicely.

There is one plant that we have had consistent problems with... bell peppers! We have tried different locations, different species, and different soils all with no luck. Last year I sprouted 20 seeds of three varieties and 1.... ONE plant survived, and survived at that. Never was happy. No luck with store bought plants either, all end up spindly and low/small fruit yield.

A couple weeks ago we introduced a store bought yellow pepper plant, and the next day over half the leaves were eaten off! We have put out beer dishes for potential slugs/snails/caterpillars but have caught no one. It is nothing but a twig now, slowly trying to bud some leaves back.

Are there any pest hardy varieties? Any tips on keeping bugs off? Only other plants that have attracted pests are the broccoli. The squashes, beans, carrots, lettuce and corn are all fine so far.

I'm going to say that this is interesting to hear. I've been growing peppers for years and experienced several issues, all of the ones you currently have then some--BUT, for the most part its unusual b/c peppers are a very hardy plant. Most of the time when I have issues other than bugs its b/c of a poor plant in general. I've noticed the quality drop with the vegetable plants your big box stores carry like WM, lowes, Home Depot etc. It never fails any that I purchase from any of these do terribly. They are usually already have diseases before you bring them home. Start from seed if you can. If your only choice are these locations (unfortunately my only choice besides seeds), purchased some Copper Fungicide (can be found at any big box store), and spray the plants before planting. Put some dried crushed up eggshells in the holes you dig for the plants and some kind of bone meal if you have it. The eggshells slowly release Calcium preventing a lot of fruit setting problems such as blossom end rot--this will prevent that.

 

[SydneyGee]

Thank you everyone for your reply. I agree it is still a bit chilly for peppers right now and a few of the other typical summer veggies, but we are hoping to try three crops this year as an experiment.

Luckily, since my post nothing else has become infested/eaten/dropping leaves. Everything is healthy and growing (slowly). I assume the cool weather has the most to do with it, temps are getting barely above 75 most days and high 50's at night.

It's tough where we live, as come May-November we are often hit with 100f degree days and high winds that kill most of our crop.

Prophet, no doubt you are on to something. However, when we purchase started plants from Home Depot they very rarely die off or get diseased, but they do get nibbled on. We planted several varieties of peppers last year, some from seed (from Home Depot) and some from plants from home depot. It was mixed success, all 20 seedlings died save for one and the started plants were stunted and poor producers.

I am making home brew seaweed fertilizer and hopefully that will really take the in-laws off their dependence on MiracleGrow.

 

[Prophet]

Thank you everyone for your reply. I agree it is still a bit chilly for peppers right now and a few of the other typical summer veggies, but we are hoping to try three crops this year as an experiment.

Luckily, since my post nothing else has become infested/eaten/dropping leaves. Everything is healthy and growing (slowly). I assume the cool weather has the most to do with it, temps are getting barely above 75 most days and high 50's at night.

It's tough where we live, as come May-November we are often hit with 100f degree days and high winds that kill most of our crop.

Prophet, no doubt you are on to something. However, when we purchase started plants from Home Depot they very rarely die off or get diseased, but they do get nibbled on. We planted several varieties of peppers last year, some from seed (from Home Depot) and some from plants from home depot. It was mixed success, all 20 seedlings died save for one and the started plants were stunted and poor producers.

I am making home brew seaweed fertilizer and hopefully that will really take the in-laws off their dependence on MiracleGrow.

Glad to hear things are back on track. Plant problems most of the time are just trial and error trying to determine what the probs are. The area that I live in doesn't really have a good supply of anything plant/vegetable related so I'm sure its just the stores from my area being terrible....seeds never let me down and there are so many more varieties when growing from seed anyways

 

[sryder20]

Years ago upon visiting an old grower I found him watering his peppers with vinegar. Upon questioning him he told me it increased production. I never forgot and now do the same with great success. As an experiment try the method with about half the growth. Peppers also produce late in the season when the ground cools down a bit. I also mulch heavily with wood chips and insure they get adequate water..

Peppers
Posted on September 23, 2012 by Durgan
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?EVAHQ 23 September 2012 Peppers
Frost is imminent so the last of the peppers were picked about 20 pounds.Over the season about 40 to 60 pounds of fruit was produced by these nine plants.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?LSQWP 2 June 2012 Peppers lowering the pH.
It rained heavily yesterday, so it was decided to acidify (lower the pH) the area around the pepper plants. Two cups of white vinegar was mixed with 20 litres of rainwater.This is a subjective decision, but experience indicates that it is beneficial in my garden.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?OTQIE 15 May 2012 Peppers
Nine pepper plants were placed in the outdoor garden. Four California Wonder and five Pimento, both sweet types were available. The plants were purchased in flats and placed in individual containers to establish strong root structures for about ten days in the greenhouse. Peppers need an acidic soil or production is low or nil. I water periodically with vinegar during the season. A cup of vinegar in 20 litres of water was used for planting time watering. Some support was provided utilizing curved metal stakes from the dollar store, which I painted with Tremclad.

good to know about the soild pH. Can I do this just to the peppers if there are carrots nearby?

 

[DirtMechanic]

So your latitude is 47.6 degrees north, even if you are in a zone 8 grow zone. That has to impact solar intensity which they need. We are 33 degrees zone 8 and can grow them in the soil.

 

[Chuck]

In my highly alkaline soil I find that if I add about 1/2 cup at watering it really helps MOST, not all of my plants. I suppose it lowers the Ph enough for a short time to give them a boost.

 

[Meadowlark]

My peppers in my acidic soil really appreciate some sprinkled Epsom salts around the plant during growing season.