What seems to be working for my Thai Hot pepper plant is that I stick my finger in the soil, and if it's moist I don't water, but if it's dry (and it usually is, if it's warm) I do. I also mulched it with pine needles, since peppers like acidic soil and the needles help slow loss of moisture.

I also have placed it near a tree, so that it's shaded only between 11 and 2 each day. This is the time of day which is hardest on peppers and tomatoes if the weather is hot, purely because of the sun beating down on them.

The plant used to get a bit droopy during that hottest part of the day, now it's quite happy. My only fully thriving pepper plant, since the others are in the ground and thus can't be moved to shade.

Heard about your hot weather on the news this morning. Really couldn't have come at a worse time (newly transplanted).

My watering strategy remains the same for transplants whether abnormally hot or cold.

Water very thoroughly to soak the soil mix and let the mix dry out as much as you or the plant can stand it before watering again. You very well might have to shade the plant for a week or so to keep plant from wilting even though the soil is moist. I use wooden lattice sections propped up against the container. With two sections back to back you can precisely control how much direct sun gets through.

After 4-8 weeks have passed and the roots have grown down to the bottom of container is when I add a couple inches of mulch. Feeder roots will begin to spread out just under the mulch.

Tomatoes are so much easier to correctly water than peppers. For them I use a wilt/water schedule until they have set fruit. From that time on I water just often enough to keep the plants from ever wilting. Takes experience to develop an eye for this. I can tell from many feet away that a tomato plant is even 'thinking' about wilting.

Hadn't intended to run at the mouth so on this reply and others here may have entirely different advice that will also work. I've never been one to insist that my method is the only thing to do. Whatever works for you is what to do.

jt

Well, the one thing I have going for me is that the plants are only getting sun for the morning part of the day, after 1pm or so they are completely in the shade. I was pleasantly surprised at how perked up the plants are since I transplanted, I had completely soaked the soil and have applied a couple of sprays of epsom salt water to good effect. I'm expecting a little leaf droop because of the heat, but the stems themselves are now more or less straight up and I can see new leaf shoots that weren't there yesterday.

Thanks for the advice and keep it coming, This is my first batch of plants and knowledge is only going to make it easier from here on out.

I feel your heat the Gresham area... and have been watering the most resent tranplants every day. A couple have gotten a little limp leaf, but bounced right back after watering. Being in containiers, today they get moved out of the afternoon sun.

my guess is that you go to work and leave the plants home alone all day. that is a dangerous situation. if this is the situation then I would make sure they get some shade for sure. at least for a week to 2 weeks. you can watch them closely over the weekend. when you are home. then I would leave them out in the sun and check them every hour.

just what I would do.

right now we are cool. wet and cloudy. I have been transplanting with the sunless days. a good opportunity.

Organic..no, I'm actually home every day and have been keeping a close eye while the kids play in the pool. They help me do the Epsom spritz. The plants are doing great considering the oppressive heat and it's supposed to go down a few degrees starting tomorrow, which should help greatly.

Ric, I'm in Gresham too, 193rd. I guess you know first hand how damn hot its been. Good luck with your plants.

Your plants may be suffering from Temporary Wilt. During the hottest period of the day the plant wilts to conserve water (stomata and guard cells, remember?) but as things cool down towards evening, they perk up. Misting with water only will give relief to the stressed plant. I would not spray any "salt" solution on the leaves in hot weather. If the plants fail to perk up as it gets cooler, then they may be at or near Permanent Wilting Point. Apply Water-urgently. During these stressful times the little transplants are using most of their energy to beat the heat and suck moisture from the soil. Precious little is left for other life processes. In Florida plants can show 'heat stall'-they cease growing.Help them out by keeping the soil moisture up and yes,provide some shade during the hot times. A strategically placed fan palm frond does very well.
Cheers!