Any southern growers of sweet peppers out there?

[Deer Park]

I noticed that most sweet pepper growers appear to be located in the Mid USA and north into Canada.

I just finished reading through my SSE yearbook looking for southern growers who list sweet peppers and only found one in Texas.

Can I assume then that sweet peppers don't take to the southern heat and humidity?

Seems that at least here in Texas everyone grows hot peppers but not sweet peppers.

If you're out there I would like to hear from you as I am just now considering growing my first sweet peppers but would like to hear of your sucesses and failures so I don't waste my time and precious garden space.

Michael aka Deer Park

[Rena]

I grow peppers well here in GA. I sent you a pm.-Rena

[Suze]

Rena, what varieties do well for you? I'd like to hear more.

Any luck with bell types? I've had the best success with the frying types so far.

[feldon30]

Originally Posted by Deer Park

I noticed that most sweet pepper growers appear to be located in the Mid USA and north into Canada.

I just finished reading through my SSE yearbook looking for southern growers who list sweet peppers and only found one in Texas.

Can I assume then that sweet peppers don't take to the southern heat and humidity?

Seems that at least here in Texas everyone grows hot peppers but not sweet peppers.

If you're out there I would like to hear from you as I am just now considering growing my first sweet peppers but would like to hear of your sucesses and failures so I don't waste my time and precious garden space.

Michael aka Deer Park

It might be a matter of taste more than anything else. Texans like it hot.

I guess I will find out as I am growing exclusively sweet varieties in 2007. Jimmy Nardello to a couple of different bells to pimientos, to banana peppers.

[Rena]

I have grown many and had a major learning curve. SOMEWHERE I am not sure where I found out that Phosphate is what I needed. They are also heavy feeders. I liberally use a slow release. I have found they like some shade. (afternoon) Yes, they ripen slower but they can't take the sun fully. THEY will scald. Last year I grew a good bit of heirloom types like frying peppers and miniature bells. Sheepnose Pimento and Sweet Chocolate did wonderful.... I really have noticed that if I properly feed them they have much much thicker walls. They also grow bigger. It is amazing what proper fert will do. Maybe if given the right amount then you get less scald due to more leaf cover.
The Green chili types GREW like trees.
:wink: :wink:
This post above is my opinion and my experience with peppers in GA. I have to say my tomato growing is much more perfected then peppers.
Let me edit to add when I plant my peppers I use those spiral tomato poles and this helps support them. Grown properly they will grow tall enough to need support just like a tomato plant. Those spiral things never worked much for tomatoes.

[mdvpc]

I use espoma tomato tone with my tomatoes and eggplant and sweet and hot peppers. It works great, although its very hard to get it here in El Paso-I have to order it from the internet and the shipping is expensive.

[Lilypon]

Last summer I grew 40 peppers (about 8 different varieties) and I certainly can back up what IMISSCOLO has to say about sweet bell peppers and shade. Morning sun they appreciate but give them shade in the afternoon. 25 years ago I grew my first peppers and they did wonderfully in full sun (we didn't have the extended hot summers then).

[Deer Park]

Thank you all.

I really appreciate the sharing of your experiences and other helpful information.

I want my first pepper experience to be memorable. LOL

My family thinks I will fail. They say just because you can grow tomatoes doesn't mean you can grow peppers. Now that I have the secrets...,we'll see won't we.

Michael

[spyfferoni]

My peppers didn't get any shade and we had several weeks of 100+ weather. My sweet peppers (green bell, yellow bell, and Sweet Banana) did excellent, even with black plastic for mulch, better than my Anaheims! I planted them with some peat moss and bone meal, and gave them the same fertilizer as my tomatoes a couple of times. My summers are usually dry though, so what worked for me may not help you much. My Mother-in-law in Puerto Rico (hot and humid) has Aji Dulce growing that she uses for most of her Sweet Pepper needs. Her two bushes are about 5 feet tall and about 3-4 years old. She doesn't do anything special for them either. Cubanelle peppers also seem to grow well there.

Good luck!

Tyff

[wilderness1989]

There is information on Espoma here: http://www.espoma.com/content.aspx?t...goryID=4&id=23

Originally Posted by mdvpc

I use espoma tomato tone with my tomatoes and eggplant and sweet and hot peppers. It works great, although its very hard to get it here in El Paso-I have to order it from the internet and the shipping is expensive.

[biermaster]

I grow yolo wonders that I go at the local HD three years ago. I usually cut the plants back to the 2nd or 3rd node on the stem in January. This year I need to trans plant them as they have been in the 18 gal container all this time and the soil is so fine that the water runs right thru it.

I was told of this trick by a local (older) gardner who also suggest to cut back the root by about 1/3 when cutting the stem.

Currently they are in a plastic "green house" and are about 6 feet tall. I usually water every third day in the fall and spring and every day during the May thru August. I usually water every Sunday with the Blue stuff. I will wait this year until they stop blooming due to the heat and then cut back the root and stems at that time.