root bound peppers

14 years ago

I just grew a couple of habs and was wondering if chiles were the type of plant that fruits more if slighly root bound. i know some figs have this trait.

im thinking of growing them in pots and bringing them in before frost since they're a perennial.

thanks for reading

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

mister_al
14 years ago
I've found that peppers will fruit earlier if they are root bound. But, they still need to be in a large enough container to be able to grow a full root system (3-5 gallon container minimum).

A lot of people bring their pepper plants inside for the winter ant grow them outside again when the weather warms back up. I've known of pepper plants grew for several years.

Alan
staticx
Original Author
14 years ago
more early,but is it in higher quantity

I dont want three early peppers,I would rather have 20 late ones.
Related Discussions
Habanero root bound?
Q
Comments (6)
I'm a habanero lover too. :) I don't know whether your plants would be rootbound from the photos you posted. But I would say that they look plenty big enough for transplanting. You don't want then to become root bound first. I would probably transplant them soon. There is contradictory advice about putting two habaneros in the same space. The photo below is a pair of habaneros that I grew last year in the same pot. They were perfectly happy and they were productive. They produced larger peppers than my other plants, but the other plants were bigger and produced a greater number of them. I find that spacing them so that as adults their upper leaves will touch works best for me. As the saying goes, "peppers like to hold hands." As far as soil goes, the secret seems to be drainage. As another saying goes, "peppers don't like to get their feet wet." Peppers like soil with SOME sand in it, but the drawback to soil with lots of sand is that sandy soil tends to not hold nutrients well. I do normally put the heads of about 8-10 matches (to provide sulfur) and about a teaspoon of crushed egg shells that have been boiled (to provide calcium). Enjoy! Angie
...See More
What I learned about root bound plants
Q
Comments (3)
Yep, I have seen the same thing. You should do as you say and "rough up" the old root ball at the least. I basically strip them of the old soil. This is easily done by swishing them in a bucket of water to loosen and wash away the old soil. When transplanting trees, they normally come with instructions for "scoring" the old root ball to encourage it to break out of the old shape. The same holds true for peppers. Bruce
...See More
Pepper Disease? Help needed
Q
Comments (8)
Thanks for the response. This plant was intended to be planted in the ground in 3-4 weeks. I don't think it is over-watered. In fact i try to keep my plants on the dry side. But it has had some inconsistent moisture levels just recently. I noticed this one was droopy and watered it moderately. It perked up overnite and the next day I noticed this issue. Like I say the plant is (at least now) not over-watered. The weight of the container/plant itself feels pretty light. I have an 8-bulb T5 VHO light fixture and it will get the soil temp up to about 100 F so I have a floor fan linked into the timer to provide a cooling drying breeze. It probably got too dry and perhaps the sudden onset of available water caused this issue. I did not think it could be fungal in nature - my basement is like 20% RH. Thanks for the feedback. Have never heard of edema so I'll look into it. If you have any good links I'd benefit to read about edema.
...See More
Root Bound Peppers?
Q
Comments (2)
Not necessarily. When I put pots out in the garden I put them on a stepping stone or one of those carpet saver dishes so the roots can't escape to the ground. Some plants bloom better when a little pot bound, so it is not always a bad thing.
...See More
User
14 years ago
staticx,

In my "past" experience growing in both 3 and 5 gallon pots, the plants in 5 gallon post grow larger and produce higher yields. I did not notice any dramatic difference in the time to start fruit development or time to ripen. The plants in 3 gallon pots did tend to produce less fruit.

However, last year, witnessing the results of a local Market Gardener who sells chili plants in 1 gallon pots I'm wondering if pot size really matters. His plants put my 5 gallon potted and in-ground garden peppers to shame (both in size and pod production). His plants get a 1/20 - 1/25 strength of 20-8-20 feed every watering (the 8 really confuses me given the pod production).

I'm starting to wonder if the plants produce less extensive root systems if adequate nutrients are readily accessible? If so, feeding is more important than pot size.

I'm currently running and experiment on some germination test ornamental s. So far (1 month) I'm not noticing any difference between plain water and feed water starts.

Like you, I'd be interested in hearing from other growers.

Bill
staticx
Original Author
14 years ago
seems logical thet if there are enough nutrients there would be no need for a big root system searching for food,also maybe it could be a water issue.
plants grown hydroponically have smaller root systems compared to soil grown but the hydros grow faster.
mister_al
14 years ago
A root bound pepper will still produce a good amount of peppers. But there is no way to tell if the amount they produce is more, or less, than a plant that is grown in open soil. But you should get more than three peppers.

Also, a root bound plant doesn't mean a stunted plant. The plant will still grow to maturity in size if it is given the nutrients it needs to grow.

Alan

Related Stories

FRUIT TREES How to Grow Your Own Persimmons

By Marianne Lipanovich

Sturdy and easy to care for, these trees offer bright fruit through winter — and keeping them in bounds is no sweat

Full Story

HOUZZ TOURS My Houzz: A Jane Austen-Inspired Home in a Historic Tannery

By Michaela Dodd

A Maryland couple stay true to their home’s historic roots

Full Story

FALL GARDENING Make This Fall’s Garden the Best Ever

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Learn the most important tip for preventing buyer’s remorse, plus get more valuable buying and planting advice

Full Story

HOUSEPLANTS Orchids 101: Try Something Different With Dendrobiums

By Marianne Lipanovich

If you’re looking for something out of the ordinary, these orchids may be a good choice

Full Story

SPRING GARDENING Summer Crops: How to Grow Strawberries

By Marianne Lipanovich

Pluck your own sweet strawberries right from the garden vine for smoothies, salads or eating then and there

Full Story

GARDENING GUIDES California Gardener: What to Do in July

By Margie Grace - Grace Design Associates

Active green thumb or not, top priorities for peak fruit and veggie season: watering, feeding, keeping up with growth

Full Story

KITCHEN STYLES New Southern Style for the Kitchen

By Dressed Nest Interiors

Gracious tradition is alive and well, bless its heart, but Southern kitchens are welcoming in modern updates too

Full Story

101

GARDENING GUIDES Essential Watering Tips for Your Edible Garden

By Marianne Lipanovich

To give your edible plants just what they need, check out these guidelines for how, when and how much to water

Full Story

URBAN GARDENS Harvest the Bounty of a Patio Garden

By Marianne Lipanovich

Make the most of small spaces on decks and balconies to enjoy your pick of vegetables, fruits and herbs

Full Story

GARDENING GUIDES 12 Edibles Perfect to Plant in Late Summer

By Marianne Lipanovich

Keep those homegrown vegetables and greens coming well into fall

Full Story

root bound peppers

Comments (5)

mister_al

staticx
Original Author

Related Discussions

User

staticx
Original Author

mister_al

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

root bound peppers

Comments (5)

mister_al

staticxOriginal Author

Related Discussions

User

staticxOriginal Author

mister_al

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

staticx
Original Author

staticx
Original Author