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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: Fri, 10 Sep 2010 00:45:18 -0500

I shall go upstairs and dig out the 'book' and post back tomorrow on Epsom salts.

The comment on soil temps was intriguing. I did have minor flower setting early but the blossoms fell off. Later, zip for blossoms. Maybe mulching would help keep the soil cooler. We had constant rain all summer, every few days another inch or so, but all my crops are on raised beds so drainage was not an issue. Oh...the peppers were on the western most row of 'taller' stuff. Then came carrots/beets. The afternoon sun had a real good shot at them.

Tomatoes, per Rivka's comments, were the same. Very late blossoming, very late ripening. If all the tons of green tomatoes get ripe I will be buried. All heirloom varieties, some unknown, gifts from a friend. One of them that has ripened is absolutely, zip, zero...tasteless. Very pretty red, but tasteless. I had to try another from the same vine just to check. Weird. The large pink Amish tomatoes are awesome for flavor. Everything a tomato was fifty years or more ago, and I remember them well. (My Planet Jr. #4 was new when I was a child)

Most respectfully,
Mike Rock
SW Wisconsin

stonecirclefarm tds.net wrote:
Can you tell me more about the use of Epsom salts to help fruit set? Method
of application, timing, amounts, etc.?

On Thu, Sep 9, 2010 at 8:31 PM, Mike Rock <mikerock AT mhtc.net> wrote:

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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