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  • From: <sunnfarm AT netscape.com>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Peppers
  • Date: Fri, 10 Sep 2010 06:35:30 -0700

Calif. wonder is the number one bedding plant pepper because the seed is so cheap but we all gave up on CW as a farm market pepper thirty years ago. CW fruit tend to grade small and have thin walls. If you must grow open pollinated try Jupiter or Emerald giant though they get a bit flattened in hot weather. Any bell hybrid will blow away the OP's. But I found the most reliable hybrid to be an old one from Harris seeds Lady Bell. They were bred to grow in zones 5&6 and always produce a good crop in hot and cold years. Aruba and Key Largo are great hybrid versions of Marconi and set fruit better. I grow on bare soil and despite 5 heat waves and 100 degree temps I had a heavy crop. So called bad pepper years can often be attributed to viruses stunting plants and fruitting. A few aphids or flower thrips is all it take to bring on the viruses... Bob.
Sunny Meadow Farm
Bridgeton, NJ.... Which BTW is the 5th largest pepper growing region in the USA...

--- stonecirclefarm AT tds.net wrote:

From: "stonecirclefarm tds.net" <stonecirclefarm AT tds.net>
To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: [Market-farming] Peppers
Date: Thu, 9 Sep 2010 19:47:12 -0500

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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