ok heres the habanero
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and the jalapeno
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Perhaps you put them in the ground too soon. When I have done that the plants seem to just sit there, doing nothing. Sometimes they pick up when things warm up and sometimes stay stunted. I am in zone4/5 and have only started hardening them off and will not set them out for another week or so. I would put those plants in pots with some nice Pro Mix.

Johnf

so it wont hurt them if i take them out of the garden and put them into pots now. i assumed once you decided on a spot they weren't to be moved. sorry if i sound like an idiot with all of this, first attempt. thanks

I would take a nice chunk of the earth surrounding the roots with it so as not to disturb it too much. Since I mostly grow in pots I haven't move a lot from the ground to pots but have transplanted a lot from pot to pot. I made that suggestion in hopes of giving the plant both a warmer and more congenial enviornment.

how about a hot cap or cold frame around the plants ?

once again sorry for being such a noob but what are hot caps and cold frames??

That's a good alternative, Byron.

I would leave them in the ground. it is too easy to break off the roots and really mess up the plant trying to put it back into a pot.

Your habanero is huge for this time of year. they grow slow.

However, it would have been best to keep them in pots. I am zone 5 and my habs are in pots. most are smaller than yours. the big advantage is that in the day time the sun warms up the pot and the roots and the plant can grow much better.

I really think you are going to be OK and will get habs. next year with experience. keeping the plants in pots so the roots warm up in the sunshine. you should do even better.

I was at a big fruit stand today, and thy have habs half your size for $3 each in tiny pots. that habanero you have is going to do just fine. but these first weeks are going to be hard on you and then it will get hot and they will shoot up. you will get peppers on them so sit back and enjoy.

now you will always remember. plant peppers last. they need lots of heat. tomatoes like it warm but will grow better at a cooler temperature than will peppers. Peppers want it hot and sunny. and they want the roots good and warm.

Hot caps below

A cold frame can be as simple as 4 bales of hay with a
wood storm window on top.

In essence these hold a few extra degrees of heat

Here is a link that might be useful: Hot caps

Heat, they love the warm weather. You'll see them blast off when it goes over 80. To late to move them now, I wouldn't. Maybe put down some black mulch to keep the heat down on them when it's sunny.

well i probably screwed up now, i took the earlier advice and spent the afternoon transfering them to pots. i made sure not to break any of the roots off so i hope i will be ok. the pots really do seem different. the soil temp was 9 degrees hotter in the pots than the garden this afternoon and both get the same amount of sun. thanks so much for the advice and i really hope i didn't screw up transplanting them. by the way, 3 dollars each seems really high, i got these from a local greenhouse for 3 dollars for 3 of them. thanks again guys i think i joined at the right place to get the help a rookie needs!!

I believe in pots and bet they do well. Kep us informed.

john

A good cloche/hot cap is a glass gallon jug with the bottom cut off with a glass cutter. Get to re-use them year-to-year.

Biggest problem with a cloche is to make sure you keep an eye on the sun and outside air temp because a hot, sunny day will kill the plant in a trice........