also whats the best way to support the vine? on a pvc pole like my vanilla?

I am not an expert, but have been ruminating growing the piper nigrum this year, so I googled. the only place that talked about the soil is British, saying no 3. loambased compost, whatever that is. And I saw repeated over and over that they could be used as a hanging plant, so obviously, it can support itself. I'd try pvc, why not?

ok yeah im not sure what pH that would be. i couldn't find it anywhere..really? everything i found said that they are usually grown upright. ok

I also don't know the needed PH, but when I am in doubt-I usually start with a peatbased soiless mix-whose PH is around 6.2-6.5 and then I use a 20-10-20 liq fert which is slightly acidic, and just watch it for any micronutrient deficiencies and depending on what those are, I will know if I need to lower or raise the PH and can adjust according. Most tropicals, I think, are fine around the 5.9-6.5 range.

ok thanks terry..what kind of peatbased soilless mix?

peatbased mixes are just peat, perlite and vermiculite. They all have a slow release lime charge in them to bring the PH up to 6.2 -6.5. There are many companies that make these mixes. Promix is one, although more expensive (not sure why). I am using Sunshine right now, and have used Fafard and Berger in the past. IMO, they are far superior to potting soil, they drain faster so the roots get to dry out and grow better.

ok thanks alot terry..so i can put any acidic loving plant in the peatbased mixes?

Yes, you could, but if they need a PH lower than 6.2-6.5 (which I don't really think of as that acidic) than you will have to take steps to lower the PH. Using sulfuric acid is the quickest way. For instance-both pansies and vinca need the PH to be around 5.5, so I use an acidic fert (like 20-10-20, liquid fert) every week and add a little bit of the sulfuric acid to the water. Over a few weeks or so, the PH will start to drop. The sulfuric acid that I use is the 35%, so its not really as strong ( i.e. burning to the skin as the 90%) and its just car battery acid that you can buy at a car parts store for $4 or so. I am not sure of the rate to tell you to put in either the water or the fert-I would think 1/4 of a teaspoon per gallon would bring you into a PH of around 3, but not sure as I fert using ratios of 1:200 ( so I use cups of the acid at a time)
I hope this isn't too complicated-I know it can get that way pretty fast! If you are really interested in using the acid-let me know and I will do some testing with amts in the water and my PH probe to figure out the amt per gallon.

According to what I have read, Piper nigrum, if grown in a greenhouse it's advised to use soil based potting compost.
However, I have recent started some new vines in my 'vivero' or 'covered by shadecloth' area. I had 20, 12" pieces of stem, and have now 4 plants. I will plant these on the farm, in some pretty dry soil and provide support for them to grow on. Here they often 'grow' sprawled over an existing bush.
I also have vanilla and it grows on tree trunks out of any wind.
Bananas....they seem to grow more or less anywhere......

There is a commercial pepper farm not far from me , and I was lucky enough to talk with a man who works there . He was selling fresh green peppercorns and some plants .
They need to be grown in full sun to get fruit , and need hardwood posts to climb on , not fussy on soil , but usually in tropics its a bit acid . I had a large vine growing on a Black sapote tree and wondered why I never got fruit !!

ok thanks aroid, where do you live by the way? ok do they have to be hardwood or can they be anything sturdy? any preferences on watering, fertilizer or humidity?

I live in Tully , one of the wettest towns in Australia , we have just had 2 days of non-stop rain , avg. for the year is over 4m [approx 13'] so irrigation and fertilezer are not really needed .
The pepper farm is just up the road in a small town called Silkwood. Hardwod is used for the posts as most other timbers would rot in no time , small open trees would do , like a citrus . High humidity must help in the growth .

ok thanks. wow that is a wet town!! lol and i thought it was wet here in the pacific NW lol. how long until you get fruit?

About 2 years .

oh wow! ok thanks

I have four piper nigrum vines and some of the top leaves are turning brown. almost as though they are sun burned.....can they handle full sun?

oh really? how tall are they? what conditions do you have them in? well ive read that they need full sun to fruit but then ive read that they like more shaded. so im not really sure

They are each about two feet tall, growing up a bamboo support. They are all still in the six inch pots that I purchased them in. I have moved they around to various places in my yard with varying degrees of light and shade. I will let you know after some time has past which ones are doing the best.

oh thats cool. mine is about 14". can you post some pics of them? why haven't you transplanted them yet?ok that would be great