bell pepper fertilizer

[MaryMarg]

We live in the deep South and grow plants in large containers in our very sunny back yard. Using the containers as our thick, red clay doesn't let much of anything grow well directly in soil. Have had little success growing bell peppers and wondering what fertilizer might help? Trying the Espoma fertilizer for tomatoes this year--any success anyone? Thanks!

[beth144]

raised beds are good because peppers like heat but maybe planting them in 5 gallon buckets would be even better. i have not personally done this but know people who have done this with great success. also, if your problem is end rot it is my understanding that this is a calcium defiency which tomatos are susceptible to also so a good tomato fertilizer with calcium might help. hth!

[Teenytoona]

Ground up egg shells are said to be great for bell peppers. Free too!

[MaryMarg]

Thanks--I'll try these and let you know!

[Alyantavid]

Matches. Just put a couple stick matches in whatever soil you plant them in.

[lunarlady]

Bell peppers need a very consistant soil temp. I don't know how cold it gets at night where you are, but if the roots of the plant drop below about 60 degrees F, they will have trouble setting fruit. Also, if you are using clay pots, the evaporation of the water through the clay will cool them further, and can make the soil 10 degrees or so below the surrouding air temperature if it is windy. You might want to check the soil temp on a windy, cool evening just to make sure you arn't cold shocking them. Peppers like it hot, hot, hot...most people with good harvest use plastic or metal containers, since they hold temp better. I love Osmocoat for a fertilizer, but it's not organic (if that matters to you). HTH!

[SundayCrepes]

I was going to start a new thread about my red bell peppers, but since this is already here, I hope the op doesn't mind if I ask my question.

I live in Tucson. My garden's doing well except for the bell peppers. They've hardly grown in over a month. The basil and rosemary are a little slow, too, and the cantaloupe is growing, but not fast. Still, it's the bell peppers that are most obvious.

Do you think it's because of the heat thing that lunarlady mentioned?

Tomatoes, corn, eggplant, zucchini, (even the cauliflower, a winter crop around here) are doing great.

[seeing_stars]

Originally Posted by SundayCrepes

I was going to start a new thread about my red bell peppers, but since this is already here, I hope the op doesn't mind if I ask my question.

I live in Tucson. My garden's doing well except for the bell peppers. They've hardly grown in over a month. The basil and rosemary are a little slow, too, and the cantaloupe is growing, but not fast. Still, it's the bell peppers that are most obvious.

Do you think it's because of the heat thing that lunarlady mentioned?

Tomatoes, corn, eggplant, zucchini, (even the cauliflower, a winter crop around here) are doing great.

I'm having the same issue. I'm in Mesa and everything except my bell peppers have grown. My peppers have been the same size (5inches tall) for a month!

[SundayCrepes]

Originally Posted by seeing_stars

I'm having the same issue. I'm in Mesa and everything except my bell peppers have grown. My peppers have been the same size (5inches tall) for a month!

Clearly we are in the Sonoran Triangle, similar to but a bit drier than the Bermuda Triangle. (Is Mesa still Sonoran?)

[MaryMarg]

Thanks everyone for the bell pepper advice! We have four containers FULL of beautiful organically grown bell peppers! Thank you!

[CariOfOz]

Originally Posted by SundayCrepes

Clearly we are in the Sonoran Triangle, similar to but a bit drier than the Bermuda Triangle. (Is Mesa still Sonoran?)

Originally Posted by MaryMarg

Thanks everyone for the bell pepper advice! We have four containers FULL of beautiful organically grown bell peppers! Thank you!

Wow, maybe they REALLY like it hot I'd imagine it would be just vile hot there at the moment? I guess the wimpy 80-90s of April just weren't good enough I've never had spectacular peppers, so I'm stealing these hints for my own little garden