How large is your cell for peppers
 

About 3 weeks ago I completed my first pot up from dense plant to deep cell 6 packs, but the pepper seedlings will need another round of potting up to avoid being root bound. They're between two and three leaves now.

My standard was the 3 inch square pot, 4 inches deep, which is far smaller than a Bonnie plant. I'm thinking larger for larger peppers. What size seedling pot are your peppers in before transplanting out?

- Lisa

[QUOTE=greenthumbomaha;692278]About 3 weeks ago I completed my first pot up from dense plant to deep cell 6 packs, but the pepper seedlings will need another round of potting up to avoid being root bound. They're between two and three leaves now.

My standard was the 3 inch square pot, 4 inches deep, which is far smaller than a Bonnie plant. I'm thinking larger for larger peppers. What size seedling pot are your peppers in before transplanting out?

- Lisa[/QUOTE]
I use 3.5" wide and 4"deep square pots.

I think we use the same size, Marsha.

I unsuccessfully searched for a discussion from some time ago where there was a comparison of different pepper pot sizes, and a large (maybe 5"?) pot made a big difference in seedling size.

It could be that growing in a colder area (especially with the frigid spring we are having) requires a larger pot for a head start.

Wish I was enjoying Florida with you now. We have two more weeks of cold/bleak/hard freezes coming.

- Lisa

I pot up from a Dixie cup to a 3.5" square x 6" deep, works well. For reference, a large solo cup fits right inside of one so I guess you could use those too. Keeps all types of peppers for 16 weeks in case of late plant out. I have (4) 12 week old jalapenos right now in some of these pots and they are thriving.

I decided early on I only wanted to up-pot once. I start peppers and eggplants with individual seeds in 2"x2"x4" pots then go up to 4"x"4"x6" when they have two sets of true leaves. They stay in the larger pots until plant out.

I start tomatoes and peppers in 1"X1"X2"-6pak plastics with several seeds per each pocket. Then at the two true leaf stage (or four if I can't get to it soon enough) both peppers and tomatoes get potted-up into individual 2"X2"X4" plastic pots where they stay until outdoor planting time.

I start my peppers and tomatoes in 3.5 x 3.5 x 4" plastic pots and do not pot up. In fact I have never "potted up" any seedlings in over 40 years and grow healthy plants that do very well when transplanted outdoors. My tomato seedlings are typically 12-14" tall after only five weeks. From my point of view, potting up is just a lot of extra work for no benefit, in spite of the 1927 study that showed better root balls (but not better productivity).

I'm an outlier, it appears. I start peppers and tomatoes and the like with the dense planting methods, using 50-cell trays into which recycled K-cups fit perfectly. That allows me to move sprouted varieties off the heat mat and into the light, while leaving un-germinated ones on the heat mat. It's space management. When the sprouted ones get big enough to handle they get transplanted into 2" soil blocks, where they stay (and grow quite well) until plant-out.

That is a great idea with cups in the 50 cell tray. It would make it simpler. Currently I've been having to dig them out with a pair of putty knives and throw in a pot. Recycled k cups, that I don't have, but I may think of something for next year. My sister in law uses them I believe. Maybe I can get my brother to collect them. Peppers, eggplants, tomatoes transplant into 2" soil blocks well for me as well. Also, lettuce, spinach, and chard if timed right.

BTW once in 2" blocks the peppers don't need to be potted up further, though I have potted up some habs to 4" blocks.

I sow 2-3 pepper seeds in 3 oz. Solo cups & transplant any extra seedlings to their own 3 oz. cups.

From there they go into 4" pots.

If the weather is warm, peppers will grow fine when 6-pack size plants are planted in the garden. Mechanical transplanters for large scale use often require a very small plant to fit through the machine.

Pot size for me is more about holding time until being planted. A larger pot gives me another two weeks or so of time. A lot of my plants in my own garden are planted out of 4" pots. I actually think it is the extra Osmocote in that root ball that is the biggest benefit of the 4" pot.