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Hi this is my second year growing peppers. Last year each plant I grew produced 4-5 peppers although a lot of them were rather small (egg sized). I was wondering what I could maybe do this year to produce peppers that were bigger? Would it help for instance if I only left a couple of peppers on each plant and pinched out the rest? And would extra feeding help? Any suggestions would be great.
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Hmm. What variety did you grow last year? Some varieties are meant to be small. I grew some "Snack size" ones last year and they weren't very prolific.
Californian Wonder are a popular variety which should reach "supermarket" size if given the right conditions.
If you grew them outside - and I see you are in Sheffy - then it may be a bit too cool for them. Peppers generally do best under glass - and of course they are hungry plants and will need feeding regularly.
As to pinching off fruits, I've been told before that to increase a plants productivity you should try taking off the first fruit that forms before it reaches maturity as the plant is then encouraged to produce more. If you leave the first fruit on, the plant feels it has fulfilled it's destiny (ie. produced seed for the next generation) and doesn't bother to put out any more!
Hope this helpsWhen the Devil gives you Cowpats - make Satanic Compost!
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never though about it like that CT,remove the first fruits,good tip,
mine were under glass last year,much better,i fed them with chicken MP,disolved in the bottom of the water trays,they grew fine,exept they all green,if we keep trying one day......sigpicAnother nutter ,wife,mother, nan and nanan,love my growing places,seed collection and sharing,also one of theseComment
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I presume we mean sweet peppers not chillies. As said above they don't like the cold and are hungry plants. If you grow toms and use tomorite use the same feeding regime for the peppers.
ColinPotty by name Potty by nature.
By appointment of VeggieChicken Member of the Nutters club.
We hang petty thieves and appoint great ones to public office.
Aesop 620BC-560BC
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if you are growing in pots then bigger is better
some of mine (california wonder, big jim and krimson lee) will be in 5 litre minimum, maybe eveb 7.5Comment
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Ah some useful tips there, don't recall really feeding them that much last year so will try that. Not sure on the variety they were a mixture of colours brown,red,yellow and orange mainly. And I can't recall which ones I'm growing this year without checking (but its a red pepper and the seeds were from the real seed company.) Ive got them in 6 inch pots but think I'll upgrade them to morrisons flower buckets. Will try pinching off the first fruits too.Comment
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Big sweet pepper plants need something the size of a flower bucket for sure. Treat them pretty much as you would tome and you won't go far wrong.
ColinPotty by name Potty by nature.
By appointment of VeggieChicken Member of the Nutters club.
We hang petty thieves and appoint great ones to public office.
Aesop 620BC-560BC
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I was looking through some of my old gyo mags the other day and it says to pinch out the growing tip when it flowers to maximise yield and reduce height if you are growing them on a window sill.
Does anybody do this?Comment
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Ive been experimenting with mine, Some Ive nipped the growing tip off, some I've taken the first few flowers off and some I've left to their own devices - I'll report back on how much difference it makes!Comment
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I've done the same as Flowertot in taking a mixed approach, so will see how it goes...It's my first year growing chillis tho...I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives....
...utterly nutterly
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I use a special feed reccommended to me on here a while ago, you can buy it off ebay or specialist shops, its called 'Chilli Focus' and contains nutrients particuarly for Chillis and Peppers, that other feeds dont have much or at all.
Since using it my plants have shot up and produced a hell of a lot of buds, not sure if it is a coincidence or from the feed.Comment
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I'm growing a grafted sweet pepper plant in a 60 litre bag. It's outside and has been for several weeks.
It has lots of flower buds about to open.Comment
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