Thats a hearty looking plant.

Be sure to take pics of your indoors setup!

Thanks!
I don't have an indoor set-up, actually....just an east-facing window. I line my plants up, as close to the glass as possible.

Josh

Good job, Super looking
I got a freezer full of those doggies, I love 'em
Happy peppering

Here is a link that might be useful: Organzmo Peppers

Did you use those water cooler bottles to cover your plants when they were small? How warm did it keep them?

Also, where did you get them?

That's a terrific looking, porous potting mix

Hi Josh,

When I saw this post the other day I meant to ask a question, but forgot. So, here it is.

Why do you plant the pot in the ground?

I've posted before about how much better my plants do when planted in the ground versus in a pot. I've had plants from the same seed pack struggle to reach three ft in a pot, but approach five feet in the ground. But that's just me - others disagree.

So, anyway, I'm just curious as to your reasoning is all.

Thanks

Rick

Plantslayer, you're right, I used the waterbottles to cover the plants after I'd put them in the ground in May. I also used one for the past few weeks to protect an avocado. I dug everything up today, though, so gardening season is over for me.

Thanks, Buzzsaw! This potting mix can be watered thoroughly without staying too wet during the winter months. It's lightweight but structurally stable, and it allows for good root-development. Since the pruned peppers might as well be rooted cuttings, I focus on healthy roots - as opposed to big foliage - for the Spring transplant.

Hey, Rick! Thanks for the question.
The plastic pots are to protect the roots from gophers, and to allow me to water/feed the root-zone efficiently. Those are just old nursery containers that have the bottoms cut off. I might try drilling a few holes around the outside next year, to allow roots to grow further, laterally.

My largest pepper plant, this year, was indeed free-range. It was the runt, and I didn't care if the gophers got it or not. In July, a deer got into the garden and ate my pepper plants in half - Hungarian, and two Thai's. The runt plant was reduced to about eight inches. Then, in response, it shot up new growth and became the largest of my plants. Its peppers took the longest to ripen, however. Today, when I pruned it down, there were 76 peppers in varying stages of ripeness on the plant.

Josh

Other than constant aphid and whitefly infestation, my overwintered peppers and my seedlings are doing great!

This winter, I kept my Hungarian in a much drier soil-mix, and I fertigated a few times with dilute 9-3-6 fertilizer.

Anyhow, the proof's in the pudding, as they say. This was my first chili, now going into its third year:

{{gwi:4474}}

This April, the plant is flowering much more than last year. I pluck all flower buds, but left them on for the pic:

Saved for later reading.

My hot wax peppers are finally starting to produce a fair amount of fruit, however I noticed something: the peppers seem kind of runty. They are only about 3 in or less long and the tips are kind of shrunken and pointy. Could it be that the seeds were impure (I got seeds from a trade) or could it be a result of the plants being stressed/malnourished? (also likely since I did not get the hang of caring for container peppers until a bit late into the season)

Sounds like they're stressed/malnourished.
My Hungarian is producing beautiful yellow-orange pods right now, soon to be fully red-ripe.
Meanwhile, an entire second crop of flowers and pods are setting!

Containerized plants will almost always be smaller than in-ground plants...unless you use a container
that is very large, essentially acting as a raised bed.

If the container mix is evenly moist - not too hot or too cold - a dose of Calcium might be indicated.
Also, continue to lightly fertilize plants.

A picture would give a better idea of what you're describing.

Josh

Josh, you said you are using a "bark based" soil. Is this a mulch? I have been searching for the ingredients to use as potting mix , I can't seem to find bark based soil. I'm starting to think it's hiding in plain sight right in front of my face. I see plenty of bark based mulch mixes. Is this what u used? I found the proper gravel. Also, do you use any kind of potting soil to mix with these ingredients?

I do have to make my own soil blend, and the proper bark can be hard to find.
I mix Orchid Bark, Perlite, and Pumice (and sometimes quartz gravel) to pot my peppers.
Sometimes, good bark is sold as mulch or groundcover - but it's hard to know until you've
opened the bag.

Josh

Gotcha! You're the man Josh!
I'll post some pics once I get some progress

Absolutely loved this thread. I'm making my first overwintering attempt this year, and was grateful for all of the wonderful pictures and advice. Is it possible to overwinter sweet peppers in this same way? What about tomatoes?

Thanks, Jesky!
I think I'll pull my Hungarian out of the ground today. More pics on the way....

Sweet peppers can be over-wintered. I've never tried a tomato, though.


Josh