[RobertSWMissouri]

Peppers grow well here is SW MO, but only come on well LATE in the season. don't do well unless set out 2-3 weeks AFTER tomatoes. For a number of years we start early, and set out in wall-o-water (or we have found even better an UNVENTED 1/2 translucent plastic 55 gal drum) a few week BEFORE last frost. This has worked well for us.

Last year I read about pruning the pepper transplants back to the first set of leaves for sturdier / bushier / better sun protection and heavier fruiting plants. Tried that, yes, BUT set them back 6-8 weeks !!!! Great harvests, at the END of the season !

The trial this year is:
1/3/20: we started the peppers (South window, heat pad, under grow lights)
+ 6-8 weeks, when large enough to transplant (and still WAY too soon to plant outside), will prune, and pot into larger pot,
--- so that by the time it is warm enough to set them out, they will have regrown to larger than usual size at transplanting time nice bushy plants.

Will see how this works.....

 

[charliemeyer007]

Good work. I think growing food is a great prep.

 

[Weedinhoe]

Those are great ideas for peppers, Robert. Last year I decided to play with pruning pepper plants for the first time, taking out just the central growth tip and it worked really well. They were a lot more bushy and more productive with those extra branches.

That said, you're right about the extra time needed to get back to transplant size. Last year I started the peppers about 4 weeks earlier than the tomatoes and that worked out pretty well and will do that again this year.

This year I'm going to play a bit more and once they're out in the garden, I will tip the resulting new branches one time on a few of the plants and see how that goes.

 

[Sharkbait]

I've tried to over winter peppers in my hoophouse by severely pruning them .
It hasn't worked for me.

 

[Weedinhoe]

I've tried to over winter peppers in my hoophouse by severely pruning them .
It hasn't worked for me.

Maybe try overwintering the pepper "as is" and then pruning hard when you set it outside again. I tried that two years ago with a pot-grown 'Gypsy' and it worked really well.

11/16/17 - brought into house just before killer frost

1/23/18 Gypsy overwintering indoors

2/17/18 Pruned in spring and repotted

3/15/18 Starting to flush back

3/23/18

6/22/18

 

[RobertSWMissouri]

overwintered peppers

I have over wintered peppers a number of times, they are a prenuptial in tropical areas. Mixed results:

How:
1. If I dig around a pepper 1/3 of the way, then a few weeks later dig the second third, then a few weeks later dig up and pot (Pruning 1/8 to3/16th each time), I have had great results moving them from the garden to a large pot.
2. Overwintering has been the issue (a earth-bank / earth sheltered greenhouse is in the longer term plans, the site has been cleared, plan to level and dig the earth bank / install the air tubes this year, the build 2021). Getting enough sun (have not tried under grow lights) in the house. Aphids have also been a problems.

Results:
- Some years no flowers until they have been out in the garden for a while.
- Some years Ok, small peppers by spring time, but even after putting out they do not do great until really hot weather, so not a huge jump on the season. I have read that they will not flower, even if hot enough, until the roots have filled the available space IN POTS.
- A few years they have died.

This 'test' of January starts (and I have now a gro-light set up) is a way to see if almost if not as good results as overwintering a whole plant, with the advantages of multiple smaller one (only so much space) AND not having to baby them - at least until planing in January.

 

[Sharkbait]

Maybe try overwintering the pepper "as is" and then pruning hard when you set it outside again. I tried that two years ago with a pot-grown 'Gypsy' and it worked really well.

11/16/17 - brought into house just before killer frost

1/23/18 Gypsy overwintering indoors

2/17/18 Pruned in spring and repotted

3/15/18 Starting to flush back

3/23/18

6/22/18

Nice pics , thank you.

 

[RobertSWMissouri]

Is no one going to laugh at my misspelled word ?

Kinda looks like peppers need a prenuptial agreement... not that peppers are perennial in tropical areas !

lol

r.

 

[Weedinhoe]

ROFL! I must have skipped right over that opening sentence. That's *funny*! :

 

[n1d]

CAW!

Is no one going to laugh at my misspelled word ?

Kinda looks like peppers need a prenuptial agreement... not that peppers are perennial in tropical areas !

lol

r.

I'm knot a sintax popo.

 

[ebjr1967]

Is no one going to laugh at my misspelled word ?

Kinda looks like peppers need a prenuptial agreement... not that peppers are perennial in tropical areas !

lol

r.

I was waiting for you to explain the details of the contract.