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  • From: Mike Rock <mikerock AT mhtc.net>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Peppers
  • Date: Thu, 09 Sep 2010 20:31:02 -0500

John,
Where are you? We are just west of Monroe, north of Argyle.
This year two hundred fifty feet of row got us four bell peppers and two whole plants worth of Hungarian wax. Lots of foliage, not fertilized, very few blossoms to even pollinate. I follow Dick Raymond (Joy of Gardening) and spray with Epsom salts to help fruit set. I have been here nineteen years and this is my first crop failure. Normally I have pepper crops that are enormous. I rotate areas of the 1 acre garden every year.

Mike Rock
Southern Wisconsin

stonecirclefarm tds.net wrote:
Prior to this year, I have always enjoyed growing peppers, especially sweet
peppers. I am familiar with 'good' and 'bad' pepper years as they seem to
be so finicky about environmental conditions at flowering/fruit set. This
year was ridiculous, however. I have 1000 bed feet of big, bushy
nice-looking plants but have harvested very, VERY little fruit. Does anyone
have recommendations for me in terms of more dependable varieties,
planting/transplant timing, or perhaps experience with growing them in a low
or high tunnel?

At the moment I am feeling that unless I can get better and more consistent
results, I may throw in the towel on peppers. But perhaps I should just
hold onto my memories of last year...when I had a bumper crop...and try
again next year. I should note that several other growers in my area have
reported similar very poor yields this year...so it is clearly not just me
and my growing methods. I am just hoping that someone out there might have
some good recommendations that I might try next year to improve my chances.

I am certified organic, grow on bare soil (no plastic mulch) in southcentral
Wisconsin (near the border of zone 4 and 5) and grew the following varieties
this year: Red and Golden Marconi, Gourmet, California Wonder, Golden CA
Wonder, and Lipstick plus smaller quantities of a few heirlooms and hot
peppers. As always, the hots produced fine. The only sweet peppers that
set decent amounts of fruit were Lipstick (but fruit quality has been poor)
and an heirloom: Feher Ozon. Like last year (when I had the bumper crop), I
gave each plant a small dose of bone meal when transplanting.

Thanks. -John



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