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  • From: "Martha Snyder" <msnyder AT usit.net>
  • To: <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [Market-farming] Peppers
  • Date: Fri, 10 Sep 2010 11:03:46 -0400

I am in New Market, TN (mid, east TN). For the past 10 yrs, my peppers have been huge and plentiful. I grow a variety of sweet bells (New Ace, Cal Wonder, Big Bertha,  Carolina Wonder, Kelvin's Early Orange, Keystone, World Beater, Orange Bell, etc), frying pepper Gypsy, and a few hots (jalapeno, anaheim, serano, poblano). I soak seeds in salt peter before planting because I read that pepper seeds germinate better if they go thru the gut of a bird and salt peter simulates that experience. I can definitely say that soaking combined with 85 degree temperatures does make most of the seed germinate in 5 days. I first plant in large (4" pots) and transplant into 48's after first true leaves appear. From then on, it's water and maybe a little fish emulsion until hardening off and planting. When planting in the garden, I use fish emulsion water on tomatoes but not on peppers. They receive nothing extra. I am Certified Naturally Grown and use manure and cover crops to replenish the soil. When the pepper plants are a foot or so high, I mulch with 2 sheets of newspaper with hay on top. I've started staking plants mainly to keep the peppers from rotting when they touch the mulch.
 
I didn't do anything different this year from years past. In fact, the transplants were healthier and bigger this year than I can ever remember. I thought I had this growing peppers down pat. Well, not so and I'm not sure why. The plants were vigorous with lots of foliage. New Ace and Gypsy performed as expected with early peppers and plentiful. I had tried a new heirloom Doe Hill and it surprised me with lots of naturally small peppers and very sweet. The jalapenos and seranos have been unusually small but the anaheim and poblano's are normal. The rest just sat there. Some didn't even set blooms. They are finally producing a few peppers but they are smaller than I've ever grown. Also, I'm getting colored peppers earlier than I have ever gotten them. Now that may be due to the heat and humidity we have experienced. The first colored peppers are usually faulty but I had some perfect ones much earlier than expected. I have 1 100 ft row of gypsies and Doe Hill, 4 100' rows of sweet bells, and 1 100' row of hots. Cal Wonder is expecially disappointing. I don't particularly like that variety but planted more this year based on experience last year.
 
We had 2 wks of hot, dry weather at the end of May, first of June as I recall, then normal temps and some rain until the heat and humidity spell set began in July. Then it was six weeks of misery for people and animals. It's interesting to note that my eggplants are booming this year but last year did nothing in wet and cool conditions. Peppers typically like it hot as well and dry doesn't bother me because I lay drip tape fully expecting to irrigate.
 
I've read that too much nitrogen can make peppers have foliage but no fruit. I might suspect that was my problem except that some varieties performed normally. I was suspicious of the seed. I used mainly  Southern Exposure Seed Exchange and Johnny's this year. Gypsy seed was from Tomato Growers. In years past I primarily got seed from Pepper Gal and Tomato Growers. I'm looking forward to seeing what next year brings. >From the previous post, I'll check the soil temp next year.
 
 



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