Low yields on my pepper plants

[linzelu100]

I had replied earlier, but it never went through I guess

Kevin, yes it is possible that I use too much. I can't remember the directions on the bottle, but I remember they sounded general too me, so I did my own thing in frustration. Capful in a large pitcher of water, probably water 10-12 plants with it. Sometimes I use a capful in a water spray bottle and just spritz everything and I would count the spraying as one of my 3 feedings.

"Jalapenos are one of the easiest peppers to grow"
Yes so I have been told which is why I am feeling concerned. I don't usually get many flowers on them at all and the ones that do fruit are so SLOW to grow. I have tried in the ground and in containers. We move a lot and the soil is always different, but my meager pepper results are the same, which is why I think it is me. One year, about 5 years ago, if I remember correctly, I didn't get a one!

Hotwired, I am surprised you feed every 2 weeks! People around here keep telling me my three feedings are why I have low yields. I am beginning to think it maybe something else. I will have to read up on Jacks classic. Thank you for the suggestion.

Lindsey

[linzelu100]

I had replied earlier, but it never went through I guess

Kevin, yes it is possible that I use too much. I can't remember the directions on the bottle, but I remember they sounded general too me, so I did my own thing in frustration. Capful in a large pitcher of water, probably water 10-12 plants with it. Sometimes I use a capful in a water spray bottle and just spritz everything and I would count the spraying as one of my 3 feedings.

"Jalapenos are one of the easiest peppers to grow"
Yes so I have been told which is why I am feeling concerned. I don't usually get many flowers on them at all and the ones that do fruit are so SLOW to grow. I have tried in the ground and in containers. We move a lot and the soil is always different, but my meager pepper results are the same, which is why I think it is me. One year, about 5 years ago, if I remember correctly, I didn't get a one!

Hotwired, I am surprised you feed every 2 weeks! People around here keep telling me my three feedings are why I have low yields. I am beginning to think it maybe something else. I will have to read up on Jacks classic. Thank you for the suggestion.

Lindsey

[Hotwired]

I believe that what you feed them is more important than how often. High Phosphorous (P), medium Potassium (K) and low Nitrogen (N). One thing I do different for peppers is my soil mixture. Most of my raised beds are about 80% compost, except for the pepper beds that have 80% topsoil - 20% compost. That's probably why I can feed so often. My experience has been that productivity in "inversely proportional" to the amount of Nitrogen you throw at them.

Something else I learned is that Peppers don't do well in a high Peat content soil. I don't understand why, but the difference is significant, even when I potted up seedlings. The other thing that I've found necessary is partial shade. I have abundant large bell peppers. It works for me. I only grow Bells, Carmen, Nardello, and Mini-bells.

[linzelu100]

Originally Posted by Hotwired

I believe that what you feed them is more important than how often. High Phosphorous (P), medium Potassium (K) and low Nitrogen (N). One thing I do different for peppers is my soil mixture. Most of my raised beds are about 80% compost, except for the pepper beds that have 80% topsoil - 20% compost. That's probably why I can feed so often. My experience has been that productivity in "inversely proportional" to the amount of Nitrogen you throw at them.

Well, I will try that. Less Nitrogen, got it. I don't know what to do about partial shade. We have a very sunny plot. I guess I can plant behind a row of tomatoes, but even then it's 4 feet away. Not sure it will make much difference. If I put up a shade cover then they won't get any sun which isn't good either.

Lindsey

[Yak54]

I learned that the most common reason for low yields on peppers is setting them out too early and exposing them to cool night-time temperatures, which causes blossom drop and leafy healthy looking plants with very few peppers. Some years ago Stokes Seed Catalog use to give directions to not put out pepper plants till night time temps have reached 55 deg. They use to say not before June 10th. They no longer specify the 55 deg. temp. and currently say June 5th as a reference date of when to plant. Take into consideration that they are in Buffalo NY. I took their advice years ago, and have never found a reason not to take their direction, especially since everyone around me is complaining about very few peppers on their plants every year. And these folks plant them Memorial Day or before, and these plants often experience night time temps below 55 deg. So for me, this advice has proven valuable.

[mdvpc]

I feed my eggplant, peppers, tomatoes and cukes the same. I am alternating this summer with a 7-4-10 with micronutrients from General Hydroponics called FloraNova Grow, with one of our members' products called Texas Tomato Food. I apply by soil drench. Working great.

One of the Neptunes is 5-1-1, I think-have you been using that?

For 70 plants, you should be swimming in peppers.

[Durgan]

In the past I use to get s a few pinched fruit, until I started using a bit of vinegar. An old timer showed me this technique about 40 years ago near Gananaque, Ontario. I don't grow the hots since I get so many and do nothing with them.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?EVAHQ 23 September 2012 Peppers
Frost is imminent so the last of the peppers were picked about 20 pounds.Over the season about 40 to 60 pounds of fruit was produced by these nine plants.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?LSQWP 2 June 2012 Peppers lowering the pH.
It rained heavily yesterday, so it was decided to acidify (lower the pH) the area around the pepper plants. Two cups of white vinegar was mixed with 20 litres of rainwater.This is a subjective decision, but experience indicates that it is beneficial in my garden.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?OTQIE 15 May 2012 Peppers
Nine pepper plants were placed in the outdoor garden. Four California Wonder and five Pimento, both sweet types were available. The plants were purchased in flats and placed in individual containers to establish strong root structures for about ten days in the greenhouse. Peppers need an acidic soil or production is low or nil. I water periodically with vinegar during the season. A cup of vinegar in 20 litres of water was used for planting time watering. Some support was provided utilizing curved metal stakes from the dollar store, which I painted with Tremclad.

[ScottinAtlanta]

Originally Posted by Hotwired

Neptune is 2:4:1 NPK. Too much Nitrogen can produce heavy foliage and reduced fruit production. I use a 1N/3P/2K ratio for peppers such as Jack's Classic Blossom Booster 10-30-20. Your P & K should be at least twice as much as N. I grow 200-250 plants each year, and have great yields. I avoid feeding for about 10 days after planting out. After that I feed every two weeks until Fall.

On the strength of this post, I bought some of Jacks 10-30-20. Applying it now every 2 weeks on tomatoes and peppers and eggplants. Looking forward to the results!

[linzelu100]

Originally Posted by ScottinAtlanta

On the strength of this post, I bought some of Jacks 10-30-20. Applying it now every 2 weeks on tomatoes and peppers and eggplants. Looking forward to the results!

You'll have to update here with how your results are going. I had already bought my neptune's so I am using that first...

[b54red]

Maybe the high Phosphorous levels in my soil is why my peppers do so good. I have been doing everything I can to fertilize with as low a Phosphorous content as possible since my last soil sample said P was extremely high. Talked to an expert and he said use of very large quantities of manure can raise the P levels. It is slow to leach out so after nearly 40 years of adding cow, horse, chicken, and rabbit manure at least one kind every year has raised my levels far too high. Maybe the peppers are taking some out. I don't do anything different with my peppers than I do with my tomatoes. They get the same fertilizing, watering and spraying.

Bill

[Master_Gardener]

Originally Posted by Redbaron

To be honest I wouldn't know how to grow a jalapeno pepper plant that only produced 8 peppers. I guess you could mow it down after the first 8? That might stop it from producing more. Outside of that I am more interested in figuring out how it is possible to get so few? I am baffled.

Whatever you are doing just stop. Don't do anything. Only water when the plant droops completely, Never fertilize, Never baby them, Call them bad names, Kick sand in their faces and steal their girl friends and they will still produce more than 8 per plant.

I agree with your assessment. Too funny though.

[linzelu100]

I stopped babying them this year , pulled all flowers/peppers off for transplanting, and have slowed up on the nitrogen feeding. My pepper plants look great. Real robust; however....ERRRR my dog keeps walking on them! Each day a new one is snapped in half. My luck I suppose. Next year we are changing the entire kitchen garden to 1 foot high raised beds. (poor drainage)

Lindsey

[b54red]

Originally Posted by Durgan

In the past I use to get s a few pinched fruit, until I started using a bit of vinegar. An old timer showed me this technique about 40 years ago near Gananaque, Ontario. I don't grow the hots since I get so many and do nothing with them.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?EVAHQ 23 September 2012 Peppers
Frost is imminent so the last of the peppers were picked about 20 pounds.Over the season about 40 to 60 pounds of fruit was produced by these nine plants.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?LSQWP 2 June 2012 Peppers lowering the pH.
It rained heavily yesterday, so it was decided to acidify (lower the pH) the area around the pepper plants. Two cups of white vinegar was mixed with 20 litres of rainwater.This is a subjective decision, but experience indicates that it is beneficial in my garden.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?OTQIE 15 May 2012 Peppers
Nine pepper plants were placed in the outdoor garden. Four California Wonder and five Pimento, both sweet types were available. The plants were purchased in flats and placed in individual containers to establish strong root structures for about ten days in the greenhouse. Peppers need an acidic soil or production is low or nil. I water periodically with vinegar during the season. A cup of vinegar in 20 litres of water was used for planting time watering. Some support was provided utilizing curved metal stakes from the dollar store, which I painted with Tremclad.

How was the vinegar applied and how much for each plant? My soil is too alkaline and is very high in P so I thought I might try the vinegar on a couple of my bells to see if they do better than the others. My thinking is the vinegar will help release some of the P that is already in the soil but may be unavailable due to the high PH of my soil. I did this with some of my tomatoes to release more iron and it worked so I thought I might try it with a few peppers but would be afraid to do it to all until I saw what kind of result if any I got from the treatment.

Bill

[Durgan]

Originally Posted by b54red

How was the vinegar applied and how much for each plant? My soil is too alkaline and is very high in P so I thought I might try the vinegar on a couple of my bells to see if they do better than the others. My thinking is the vinegar will help release some of the P that is already in the soil but may be unavailable due to the high PH of my soil. I did this with some of my tomatoes to release more iron and it worked so I thought I might try it with a few peppers but would be afraid to do it to all until I saw what kind of result if any I got from the treatment.

Bill

I mix a cup or two of vinegar in five gallons of water or thereabouts. Nothing critical. I feed the pepper plants about a litre of the mixture around the roots about an eight inch diameter. I do this about four times during the growing season. It is easy to run controls and only do half, since the liquid is contained mostly around the target plant.

[b54red]

Originally Posted by Durgan

I mix a cup or two of vinegar in five gallons of water or thereabouts. Nothing critical. I feed the pepper plants about a litre of the mixture around the roots about an eight inch diameter. I do this about four times during the growing season. It is easy to run controls and only do half, since the liquid is contained mostly around the target plant.

Thanks.

Bill