http://subsistencepatternfoodgarden.blogspot.com/
Growing peppers in a northern garden
My wife and I always have luck growing pepper plants even though our springs are cold, and summers can be hot and dry. Neither of which is conducive to growing peppers as they prefer a warm humid environment. Here are a few tips for growing peppers in a northern garden.
Peppers like acidic soil much the same as tomatoes and lightly limed soil with adequate moisture and a pH around 6.0 - 6.5 will help prevent blossom end rot. We don't use lime but instead are always incorporating finely crushed egg shell powder into our compost since we have chickens. After digging moderate amounts of compost into the soil the peppers are planted deeply, all the way up to their first set of leaves, since peppers are shallow rooted and sensitive to moisture fluctuations. They are set about 15 - 18 inches apart well after the last frost date when the soil has warmed and before the first flowers develop. You want the peppers leaves to just touch when fully grown. We find that those little cages that don't really work for tomatoes are perfect for holding peppers and eggplants.
The peppers are mulched with grass or straw around mid June when the soil has warmed. If using straw we are careful to cover the straw with a thin layer of dirt as it can burn the leaves when sunlight reflects off of it. Peppers need humidity, so keeping the mulch damp is important, we use an overhead water system for the our gardens but always walk the garden and deep water everything a couple times a week during the hottest part of summer. Dark colored rocks and bricks placed around the peppers absorb heat from the sun and help to keep plants warm at night and extend the growing season. We use red bricks from an old walkway, but have noticed that dark rocks seem to hold the heat longer.
When the peppers are off to a good start we give them a little fertilizer in the way of compost tea 2 or 3 times during the summer. Be careful not to go overboard on the plant food though as it stimulates vegetative growth and excessive growth can delay fruit production.
Peppers are picked as soon as they are ready so that the plant can put it's energy into growing the rest of the fruit. Although some of ours do not fully ripen on the plant most will change color if stored in a warm, dry, shady area. One can also pull the whole plant and hang it upside down until the fruit is needed. You may wish to trim all the leaves off first as they will fall off a couple days after the plants are suspended.
Another trick to make peppers last into winter is to carefully pot the ones with the most fruit up and bring them into a warm environment. We were able to pick peppers all they way until Christmas this last year using this method. Better yet, plant a few of the them in a pot in the first place and then all you have to do is move them in the fall. Remember, plants confined in containers will need to be watered daily.We avoid this by burying the entire pot in the ground and mulching. All peppers are a perennials and can be overwintered, most will stop growing in the winter and lose most of their leaves, but will leaf back out in spring.
While realizing everyones local and growing conditions differ, we hope this article will be of some benefit.
When the peppers are off to a good start we give them a little fertilizer in the way of compost tea 2 or 3 times during the summer. Be careful not to go overboard on the plant food though as it stimulates vegetative growth and excessive growth can delay fruit production.
Peppers are picked as soon as they are ready so that the plant can put it's energy into growing the rest of the fruit. Although some of ours do not fully ripen on the plant most will change color if stored in a warm, dry, shady area. One can also pull the whole plant and hang it upside down until the fruit is needed. You may wish to trim all the leaves off first as they will fall off a couple days after the plants are suspended.
Another trick to make peppers last into winter is to carefully pot the ones with the most fruit up and bring them into a warm environment. We were able to pick peppers all they way until Christmas this last year using this method. Better yet, plant a few of the them in a pot in the first place and then all you have to do is move them in the fall. Remember, plants confined in containers will need to be watered daily.We avoid this by burying the entire pot in the ground and mulching. All peppers are a perennials and can be overwintered, most will stop growing in the winter and lose most of their leaves, but will leaf back out in spring.
While realizing everyones local and growing conditions differ, we hope this article will be of some benefit.
DAN & VAL
ReplyDeleteThanks for the timely info on PEPPERS. For the PEPPER plants that are planted in pots can they be wintered over in a root cellar? And what is the procedure to revive them for next season?
Thanks . . . MILO
Milo, if you have any heat in your greenhouse, so that it is above freezing, the peppers, will stay comfortable there. Reduce the watering, mimicing the drier winter soil. The plants will look shabby and loose most of their leaves. When the days begin to lengthen and warm up you should start to see a bit of new growth. Up your watering slightly and you should be off for the second year. I will check with other sources and see about basement storage.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Val