Serrano Pepper

[mhazien716]

Hello!

I am completely new to plants and gardening. I am having trouble finding information online since there are so many different types of plants. I purchased a Serrano pepper plant from Home Depot that is already planted and has some green leafs (that's a good sign). Other than watering the plant, I am lost on what else I should be doing.

Do I have to re-pot the plant?
Do I have to buy fertilizer or anything else for the plant?

I would love some advice. Also maybe some advice on the best place to learn about planting/gardening as I would love to learn more about growing my own fruit and vegetables but am clueless on the topic

 

[Chuck]

Hello!

I am completely new to plants and gardening. I am having trouble finding information online since there are so many different types of plants. I purchased a Serrano pepper plant from Home Depot that is already planted and has some green leafs (that's a good sign). Other than watering the plant, I am lost on what else I should be doing.

Do I have to re-pot the plant?
Do I have to buy fertilizer or anything else for the plant?

I would love some advice. Also maybe some advice on the best place to learn about planting/gardening as I would love to learn more about growing my own fruit and vegetables but am clueless on the topic

Most single plants sold at stores are in 3 or 4 inch pots and sometimes in 1/2 gallon pots. It must be re-potted in the near future. A serrano plant will end up being between 2 and 3 feet tall and fairly bushy so it should end up being in at least a 4 gallon container to ensure proper root growth and to not get blown over in a wind. Unless you live someplace that will not freeze it should be kept indoors if outside temperatures are below 45F. It requires a lot of sunlight. All vegetable plants must be fed. Most folks use a liquid fertilizer such as HastaGrow when container gardening. I use both liquid and granular forms of fertilizers when growing in containers. I also use only organic fertilizers. When you repot use a top quality garden soil and/or potting mix. Do not over water, just keep the soil barely damp.

You can learn a lot about gardening on this forum and it will be advantageous for you to update your profile letting all of us know where you are located and your hardiness zone because what grows well in Maine probably doesn't in South Texas. There are a lot of good gardeners on this forum from all over the place that can answer just about any question and give great advice.

 

[mhazien716]

Most single plants sold at stores are in 3 or 4 inch pots and sometimes in 1/2 gallon pots. It must be re-potted in the near future. A serrano plant will end up being between 2 and 3 feet tall and fairly bushy so it should end up being in at least a 4 gallon container to ensure proper root growth and to not get blown over in a wind. Unless you live someplace that will not freeze it should be kept indoors if outside temperatures are below 45F. It requires a lot of sunlight. All vegetable plants must be fed. Most folks use a liquid fertilizer such as HastaGrow when container gardening. I use both liquid and granular forms of fertilizers when growing in containers. I also use only organic fertilizers. When you repot use a top quality garden soil and/or potting mix. Do not over water, just keep the soil barely damp.

You can learn a lot about gardening on this forum and it will be advantageous for you to update your profile letting all of us know where you are located and your hardiness zone because what grows well in Maine probably doesn't in South Texas. There are a lot of good gardeners on this forum from all over the place that can answer just about any question and give great advice.

Awesome! Thank you for your reply. I updated some information. I live in Florida and my hardiness zone is 10b. I don't have to worry about temperatures less than 45 degrees.
So basically I need to get at least a 4 gallon container, re-pot the plant, use potting mix/garden soil to repot it in the larger pot, and use a good fertilizer?
How often should I fertilize and how often should I water the plant?

 

[Chuck]

Awesome! Thank you for your reply. I updated some information. I live in Florida and my hardiness zone is 10b. I don't have to worry about temperatures less than 45 degrees.
So basically I need to get at least a 4 gallon container, re-pot the plant, use potting mix/garden soil to repot it in the larger pot, and use a good fertilizer?
How often should I fertilize and how often should I water the plant?

Yes, use a top quality potting mix/garden soil, not some cheap Scotts crap. Use a good organic all purpose granulated/pelletized vegetable fertilizer and mix it into the soil you are transplanting into. Just follow the amounts on the instructions. Don't worry about using too much organic fertilizer. If you like you can also use a good liquid organic fertilizer about every 2 weeks. Just keep a light sprinkling of the dry fertilizer on the soil surface out to the edge of the pot. There is no calendared time to water a plant. It all depends on the temperature and wind as to how often to water. The way I do it is in two different ways. One is to stick my finger into the drainage hole and into the top of the soil about 2 inches deep. If it feels slightly damp it does not need watering. The other way is to look at the plant in the AM hours. If the leaves are a little wilted it can be watered. Wilted leaves in the afternoon are normal so don't get concerned. Peppers do not like wet feet. They would prefer it to be fairly dry than wet. It is best to water from the bottom up but in a large container it is difficult. Do not water in the heat of the day or at dusk. Water in the AM. Try to not get the foliage wet as this encourages fungal problems. Give the plant all of the sunshine you possibly can.