Good morning all. I need help with growing pepper plants. What kind of fertilizer should we use? When we planted we had big winds for weeks and even with shelter a lot of them blew off. They were planted a little early, with a good compost and some steer manure. Now after months they have produced small peppers and not many. Hubby uses M grow and I told him that I saw somewhere to spritz with Epson Salt. Any Help ?
Hello, this is the first year that I have used Epsom salts and I have never had such a healthy-looking set of plants(including) peppers. You can make a solution to water in or add a little to the compost before you plant. You say that your plants haven't produced many peppers so I was wondering whether there were many bees around when they were in flower? I may have overdone it though as I can hardly squeeze into my greenhouse now I'm sure someone else will be along soon with more help.
We hardly ever fertilize peppers and try to keep them from being watered regularly. they seem to do better with less of everything except heat.
carolyn keiper, Heat we have plenty, and as for bee's we have lots of those kiosmum.We have bushels of tomatoes and zukes and marigolds planted among all. Thanks for the answer. How much epson salt per gallon of water ?
Don`t know why but everyones peppers are late here. But we have had more water and cooler weather than usual. If you have a lot of small ones, you can remove and use a few and give the rest time to get bigger. They are all small when they have way too many peppers at one time. But if yours are just starting to make just give them time. My first ones are not always much to brag about. Epsom salts will help. I add it at planting.
I just put Epsom salts around some tomatoes and some peppers yesterday. I put about a half cup in a circle around the base, dig it in a little with my garden fork, then water. I hope it helps, although both tomatoes and peppers are growing very well.
Thanks for all the help. Will let you know how it works. Its been so hot here that our Tomatoes quit setting, but that is summertime in AZ.
I live in Pinal County. Mohave is a long county so I don't know if you are in the cool or in the heat. I put my peppers out in April and I just got my first one. But, now that the monsoons are starting things are looking up. The epsom salts thing works good here. I spray mine after about two weeks in the ground, about a month after that and then again when they start to bloom. It really helps with blossom end rot. If you've been having temp. way above the 90's, your peppers may still be suffering in the heat. If you have the bells in full sun, that can be a problem here. There's full sun then there's the glaring, burning desert sun. They might need some filtered light in the middle of the day. I plant mine where it gets afternoon shade from mesquite trees. Also, you might want to thin the blossoms on your bell pepper plants. It helps you grow larger peppers and thicker walled ones. Some years when it's really hot, I don't get peppers until fall. Then, get ready. You'll be busy trying to figure out what to do with them all. I hope this helps you. My peppers looked like heck until about 2 weeks ago. Now they are happy. EDIT: okay, I see you are in the heat. Hang in there and don't give up yet. Gardening in this dang desert is different. Strategies that worked for my mom in Virginia, often do not work here.
