25 - Peppers
Varieties
- Carolina Reaper
- Fresno -
- Marconi - Red or Yellow
Life cycle
Planting details
WAIT TO PLANT PEPPERS UNTIL CONSISTENTLY ABOVE 50. Perhaps 2 weeks later than tomatoes.
REDDIT: Something that I don’t think gets mentioned enough regarding overnight temperatures is the importance of diurnal temperature. In the eastern half of the US, 45F at night probably means 65F during the day. Compare that to the west coast where 45F at night probably means 75F during the day.
If your daytime highs are warmer, the soil will absorb more heat during the day and won’t cool off as much at night. That means you can generally get away with cooler night temperatures in the western us than you can on the east coast.
NOTE: I’ve found this to be more of a pepper based thing. Last year I hardened off too early for my area with no frost but cold overnight temps. None of the dozen or so varieties of tomatoes seemed to care much about it. The peppers on the other hand were stunted all year as a result. Hot pepper plants are very demanding plants, a lot more sensitive to the elements than most plants. It’s entirely possible to get frost on ground while air temps at head level remain above freezing. Peppers at ground level froze last winter. Those on the 4′ high platform lived.
Florida Weave
Culture and fertilization requirements
Peppers are indeterminate. As such, they will continue to grow vines and leaves and fruit as long as they have the resources they need (temperature, water, nutrients). They are not frost hardy, but I actually dig some of mine up, prune the plant leaves and roots, repot it in greenhouse/potting soil, and overwinter them. They get replanted the next spring. I have one that is going on 5 years!
From Ed Currie. Cal-mag and Fish emulsion for fertilization in liquid feed around soil of plant. Then hand water after a couple of hours to get it into soil. He says don’t bother with all the micro bullshit supplies that are out there.
Ed uses praying mantis and lady bugs as inputs he buys for greenhouse.
Current Seed Start & Transplant Dates
Note: Seed starting and transplant dates do not always correlate one to one with dates shown below. Note correct start and expected transplant dates on the tag of the tray for seed germination. Adjust dates with plant tags on a yearly basis if necessary. 8 ounces of fertilizer is about 1 cup. Consider Sustane various NPK and Alfalfa Meal or Blood Meal for nitrogen.