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| Hi everyone, I have recently moved from zone 10 to zone 6, so I am still figuring out how gardening works over here in this new climate. I bought transplants at the start of April, including one red bell pepper (paprika). It was about a foot tall then, in a 4 inch pot, and hardened off by the garden center. Transplanted it into a larger pot, with some good soil and compost, and put it in a nice southern exposure. Today, almost two months later, the plant has not grown at all, or gotten any new leaves. It has gotten lots of buds, and started flowering. It looks very healthy, but it is still small. It is staked neatly, and hasn't grown an inch. What is going on here? All the other plants are taking off but this little guy is staying tiny. Is it too cold for him? The temperatures have been pretty wild here, bouts of hard rain and cool nights, to days of intense heat and lots of sun. But the plant is protected, and all of the others are doing well. Will he grow at all? Or will I have a comically large bell pepper on a tiny plant? |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by hidesertCA 8 (My Page) on Thu, May 29, 14 at 17:36
| I've noticed that bell peppers don't do too much until the conditions are right. So, it should take off once it gets consistently warm. |
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- Posted by Slimy_Okra 2b (My Page) on Thu, May 29, 14 at 18:00
| What size is the pot? |
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| Peppers do the whole "foliage, buds, fruit, harvest... more foliage, more buds, harvest" thing. If you want more foliage and growth, nip the buds now. Also, like slimy asked, what size pot? Possibly too small? Also, like hidesert alluded to, peppers like it pretty warm. You should know that coming from zone 10. Not sure what part of the U.S. zone 10 you moved from, but here in SoCal, I don't plant out until Beginning of April -- daytime temps are fine in March, but still a tad too cool for peppers at night. Don't mean to sound obtuse here, but just because the nurseries have them doesn't mean it's time to plant them. The Walmart here had summer veggies in February this year--- PASS! Kevin |
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- Posted by Mrainey1234 none (My Page) on Thu, May 29, 14 at 20:42
| I have a red and yellow pepper. I have a large pot, can I plant both in the same pot.. How often should I fertilizer the plant |
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| "Large" is rather subjective. How large? I like to give at least 7-10 gal of soil per plant. So, one half whiskey barrel -- 2-3 plants max. As far as ferts are concerned, all depends on the "mix" and whether or not you're going organic or not. Anything less than than say 20 gal should probably use synthetic ferts. I'm not saying organic ferts CAN'T work in a container but most are slow release and do better in the 2nd and 3rd years. Does the mix contain any lime? Usually says on the bag. More info please. Kevin |
This post was edited by woohooman on Thu, May 29, 14 at 20:56
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| I am in Dallas, Texas but having the same problem. 1 store bought transplant red pepper planted in ground 6 weeks ago is exactly the same size as the day I bought, the leaves don't look great but it has buds starting. I had a few peppers started from seed and transplanted, they did not grow much until this last week. So, I don't know what is going on. |
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| surely a pepper plant will do fine in 5 gallon, or even 3 gallons with some care. |
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| It is the cool temperatures ,my best guess. Peppers need much warmer temps (say compared to tomatoes) early on to get established. I am in PNW, very much German/English like weather and my peppers are just hanging in there while my tomatoes are fruiting. |
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| Glib: not saying they won't put out harvests in small containers, In fact, chinense varieties do "pretty" good. But, to maximize harvests, and especially with annuums, I prefer 10 or up. I've gotten decent harvests in 5's, but large fruited varieties tend to tucker out after the 1st flush, IME. Kevin |
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| I don't think the pot size or any other variable is relevant here. I think it's the climate. Personally, I don't even try to grow peppers outdoors where I live in the UK. Some people do but the plants are always quite small and the yield low. I keep mine in the green house all summer and I only grow hot peppers because you get a more useful crop from a few plants. Bells are a waste of time imo because you won't get more than a few fruit. Tomatoes can also be iffy in many years. Another one I don't bother to put out at all is Basil. You don't say where you are in Germany. If you are in the East or South you might have better luck than me because the summers are warmer than here. But if you are in the North or West I suspect it's just too cold in late May. On the other hand you will be able to grow greens all through through the summer. I would walk around and have a look at what other people are growing and take your lead from the locals. |
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| Posted by floral_uk 8/9 (My Page) on Fri, May 30, 14 at 4:26 I don't think the pot size or any other variable is relevant here. I think it's the climate. Personally, %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Let us here from Ninkasi about his climate. |
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| Seysonn: flora is in the same situation as you. Both the UK and PNW have high USDA zones because of the bodies of water surrounding you both. Which makes your chances of frost a lot less than Germany, or Georgia(where you also lived in another zone 7. Flora: btw, I agree. Though I've seen people have decent success in smaller pots, sometimes black. In cooler climes, I think in most cases like the OP's, it's a matter of soil temps. Kevin |
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| Seysonn - the 8/9 is rather misleading but it's the best I can do. It relates to not having severe winter lows rather than having hot summer. We have a maritime climate. As woohooman said, being surrounded by water moderates temperatures in both directions. That's why I asked the OP where in Germany they were. The further inland the warmer the summers and the colder the winters. If they are z6 I'm thinking they're well inland. Today Berlin, which is z6, is 66 f. So not really pepper weather. Where I am it's 61 and I'm still sowing favas and peas. Zucchini are planted out but sitting sulking under their plastic bottle cloches. |
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| Thanks everyone for all your help and suggestions! I was in San Diego, now I am in central Germany. Pretty much right in the middle. I moved it from its transplant pot to a 5 liter pot. Then, thinking it might be the pot, recently moved it to a 12 liter pot. We have had no frost since the plants were hardened off. Average high temp this and last month 64F, av low 42F. In between we have had a number of days over 70F. Still too cold? Maybe it needs more time. Should I pinch the blossoms off and wait and see? |
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- Posted by theforgottenone1013 5b/6a MI (My Page) on Fri, May 30, 14 at 11:50
| "Average high temp this and last month 64F, av low 42F. In between we have had a number of days over 70F. Still too cold?" Yep. Peppers love the heat. Cold just makes them sit there and not do anything. When it warms up a little more they should start growing. "Maybe it needs more time. Should I pinch the blossoms off and wait and see?" I would. Rodney |
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- Posted by Slimy_Okra 2b (My Page) on Fri, May 30, 14 at 15:24
| If you don't mind sharing, what city are you located in/near? |
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