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Vegetable Gardening

sweet pepper and pole bean issues

14 years ago

I purchased several sweet pepper plants - various varieties- shipped from Burpee. I planted in my square foot garden in late May. The plants have never seemed to grow much or flourish despite sufficient watering. Each is now bearing 1-2 peppers but most of the flowers did not produce fruit. We had a relatively cool June, and the heat finally arrived in July, but overall it has not been scorching in Utah terms - usually highs in the low-mid 90s. A few triple digit days. I figure that I must have neglected to fertilize or something early on.

Any tips on growing sweet peppers in this climate, how to fertilize, etc? I think the climate here can be challenging because the spring (cool) to summer (hot) switch seems to occur very fast. But I love sweet peppers and would like to try again next year.

My other issue is pole beans. Kentucky wonder. I planted these and the vines have grown very well. A few weeks ago there were lots of blossoms and I expected these to yield beans. However, I have only gotten three! Did the hotter weather (some 100 degree days) in the last two weeks do them in? The vines are still growing, will they start to produce blossoms again?

Thanks for your help!

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Comments (5)

cyrus_gardner
14 years ago
From what I have heard , sweet(bell) peppers like cool nights, warm days. So if your day highs are in mid 90s then the night lows are probably in low 70s?? Not the kind of weather SP like.

But about fertilizing; If the leaves are nice green, plants are about 2.5 tall then fertilizing is not the problem. Probably they need more water. Water them more often, after dark when ground has cooled off.

About the color of leaves: The color of leaves will resemble the young fruits. For example, banana, cubannel, sweet gipsy .. peppers have very light green color while most chilies have dark green color.
If you have bell peppers, the plants are small, the color of leaves are light green, then you have poor soil, deficient in nutriens and is mostly hard clay.
gardener_sandy
14 years ago
Here is a quote from a publication by NCSU on peppers that I think answers you question regarding fruit set. A link to the entire pub is below.

"Peppers are frost-intolerant warm-weather annuals that grow best at 70 to 80 degrees F temperatures. Peppers have less cold tolerance than tomatoes, although more than eggplants. Temperatures below 59 degrees F during ripening reduce capsaicin content and fruit will not set at night temperatures below 60 degrees F. Peppers have more drought tolerance in terms of plant survival than either tomatoes or eggplants, but will abort young fruit at high temperatures (> 80 degrees F day or 70 degrees F night) and low humidities even if adequate soil moisture is present."

Green beans are also sensitive to excessively hot temperatures and dry conditions and will abort the blooms just as you have seen. I would avoid watering them at night if you are using a sprinkler system. The longer the leaves stay wet, the more opportunity for diseases to get a foothold on them. Early morning sprinkling, or soaker/drip watering anytime, may keep them healthy enough to start producing when your temperatures cool off.

Sandy

Here is a link that might be useful: Peppers
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gmni
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks for the replies. I am using the SFG method, so the soil is a mix of compost, peat moss, and vermiculite. I thought this would provide enough nutrients, but maybe not. The pepper leaves are good and green.

Interestingly, my hot peppers are doing fine. Guess sweets are just picky!

I have drip irrigation rather than a sprinker system. I will try some supplemental watering and see if that helps. The heat is moderating a bit so perhaps the beans will produce again.
korney19
14 years ago
Originally, Mel's SFG method also incorporated a coffee can full of granular fertilizer... maybe per 4x4' or per yard.

6 cf PEAT MOSS (Bale)
4 cf COARSE VERMICULITE
3 cf SAND
3 cf COMPOST
2/3 cf WOOD ASHES
1 can LIME
1 can FERTILIZER
cyrus_gardner
14 years ago
I would also mix lots of natural garden soil. The soil here in GA is red clay. I have amended it by adding lots of lots organic mater, top soil . Clay is good too when mixed with compost.

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