4 Tips For a Huge PEPPER Harvest

[@bellofthedesert1595]

I not only liked this video, I bookmarked it because next season I'll be all like "what did he say?" Thanks!!

[@reneelafont2966]

Plant them, pour water on them, pinch the leaf miners, pick the peppers, put them on your plate

[@helgabruin2261]

Too easy! 😁

[@margaretarmstrong4001]

I put dark rocks around my plants. They absorb heat during the day and give it off at night. The peppers love it.

[@angelaraum1545]

I always wonder about that if you could. Can you put rocks in the soil? Or on the bottom?

[@jacqueschannel4538]

How would you give fertilizer? Would you have to mix it under the rock?

[@al4377]

@@angelaraum1545 You have to put around plants on surface or just under mulch. If buried to deep dont absorb heat from sun. I do it for winter growing I live in 6a & actually grew cabbage using the rock method ALL winter.

[@al4377]

@@jacqueschannel4538 side dress at drip line or mive stones put down fertilizer soil top & replace stones I use leaf bed rhen stones. Adds extra protection.

[@robertmatthews3800]

Are you putting larger rocks or crushed/pebbles? Never heard of this but I am just really beginning. I have dark mulch around them now.

[@autumn1231]

I had 2 potted bell pepper plants. A deer chomped on one of them taking it down from about 14 inches to 5. It ended up producing way more peppers.

[@MFV77]

Grow in pairs; add phosphorus to hole when planting- bone meal, rock phosphate; prune: the growth hormone is in the tip / pinch or clip above first six leaves right above a leaf node; pinch off the flowers for two weeks; pick first 6 fruits. Goal of all is to stimulate fruit growth.

[@speakrighttogod]

He said, "pick the first 5-6 fruits BEFORE THEY RIPEN!"

[@jude7321]

Thanks Mary ❣️🌱🐦 How nice of you to do that, It made everything so simple for me. God bless you and have a wonderful life. Jude, from Kentucky ✝️🥀🐴🇺🇲💚

[@MsLovelyArie]

8:09

[@mailywong9612]

Thank you so much

[@stevenjames4659]

I agree with most of this I just think you’re topping the plants too soon. I topped my jalapeño and bells after they were around 2.5 to 3 feet tall and they look like trees with branches growing in all directions. The base of the jalapeño is around 2.5” thick and I get 45-60 peppers a week. I live in Houston and this is my second year with the same plants and they’re full of peppers already. Oh, and I used a simple organic fertilizer when planting and the same once every 1-2 weeks after. Good luck.

[@Wildwwill]

Last year I began pinching tops, mulching and epsom salt on my peppers. Total game changer.

[@jamistokes5333]

Did you pinch the tops off your bell/sweet peppers? What zone are you in? I've heard you shouldn't do it to bell or sweet peppers especially if you don't have a long a growing season. But I did last year and i think my plants did quite well. I'm just looking for input from others. Trying to decide if I should do it again this year in zone 7.

[@Wildwwill]

@jamistokes5333 Yes, I pinched all tops. They really branch out...I believe that's part of the game changer. Even though I get a nice amount of peppers, each of the last two years my plants were loaded at first frost. I'm in 6a. A bit longer growing season would be nice, but both years my plants got a late start. The earlier you can get them in the ground and pinch them the better.

[@jamistokes5333]

@Wildwwill I feel like mine produced later into the year as well. I think I will pinch the bell peppers again this year!!! Maybe I won't pinch 1 or 2 for comparison but I really think mine did better.

[@Wildwwill]

@jamistokes5333 Leaving a few as a control would be a good idea. Last season mine were all loaded so well I had to stake them. I planted late. The plants experienced shock as they were overgrown in the pots. This year, I'm purchasing much earlier. I don't really have the means to start my own. The idea of trying to winter a plant in my basement crossed my mind, but frost snuck up on me.

[@leannecahill2865]

Thank you SOOOO much for putting celcius temperature on the screen. Very much appreciated. From Australia 😊

[@LiftRanger]

Perfectly planned, prepped, produced and presented pepper pvideo! Thank you.

[@kendallmcguire]

Perfect for preppers!

[@GardenKatt]

I thought the weather had finally turned and planted my peppers 2 days ago. It's now 54 at night. Hoping for the best.

[@Gardening-FarmtoTable-andMore]

At Campbell’s Freedom Farm we grow them in pots and they are crowded. We produce a lot of peppers. We also grow them in the soil as well in a crowed situation. Hope all is well, Sabrina

[@holahola3901]

Yeah I want you guys on KZbin as well. I remember last summer you did plan some right next to each other along a fence line and I was just surprised but then when I saw you harvest them I thought wow that works

[@holahola3901]

soryy I watch you guys as well

[@carolkoonce152]

i HAD A PEPPER AREA, YEARS AGO, BUT I GOT IN THE LIFE GOT IN THE WAY. YOU ARE GIVING ME THE NEW WAY, THANK YOU.

[@meganwall7750]

Thank you for sharing all this!

[@Lilithjuniper]

Try dark knight sweet pointed pepper they grow almost black b4 ripening red they are soooo tasty

[@LynneFarr]

I plant peppers not long after the last frost date under mini green houses. I get these from a company that services water coolers. When the big plastic bottles start to leak, they will sell them for pennies. Remove the bottom with a hack saw and you have a mini greenhouse about 2 ft tall with a vent on top.

[@donnaadams7805]

That is a fantastic idea! I bet they stack when you're not using them too, for easy summer storage.👏👏

[@sunii4264]

Good tip. I used two liter bottles over my seedlings that require heat - watermelon & peppers. I'm in MI & planting was water cooler bottles for an early start next year. water really late for the 2021 6b season. The weather was cold until the last frost date then warmed & again turned cold. Didn't get plants in garden until @ mid June. I'm looking for those large water containers for earlier in ground starts.

[@adriankap2978]

That’s a very nice and cool tip you shared. Is it a matter of just going to the water delivery office? Again Thank You.

[@LynneFarr]

@@adriankap2978 Yes. They always have leaky tank bottles to get rid of. Good gardening.

[@markb8954]

Good idea on those large industrial size water bottles. Perfect cloches.

[@1TsuNami]

We cleaned out our chicken coop and till in into the garden bed. We did no other fertilizer and holy smokes, we have pepper bushes 4 feet high and peppers coming out of our ears. I had read it somewhere to till it in and I really wasn’t expecting anything grand. Wow! I’m glad I was wrong. We have been doing it ever since. So I guess my “P” word is poop. Hahahahaha

[@willh.2510]

OMG you are so dead on!!! 1st year gardening and that's what happened to me. I thought i had the IQ to figure it out but boy was i wrong. Thinking that i live in the low desert in so cal i even cheated the last frost date to the detriment of my efforts and plants. The 2nd week of April we had 4 consecutive nights in the low 40's. not only did that stunt my peppers, it caused a blight outbreak in my garden due to over watering/over thinking and not taking the last frost date very seriously. I'm such a humble noob lol. To make up for my loss, I went to home depot yesterday and bought a bunch of starter plants to hopefully make up for my noob mistakes. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and i hope your channel is blessed because of your efforts!!!

[@VelvetWurm]

I container garden with limited space and for several years I have jammed peppers together, two or four to a pot. Then later felt bad when I heard they should be 18+ inches apart. I’m happy to hear that my placement was actually strategic!

[@krissgross2335]

1 have 4 in a wide rimmed deep pot (approx 20 gallons) and they're planted @12-3-6-9 (like on a clock), about 5-6" apart. Seem to be doing great and already have fruits and flowers. 😊

[@nysigal]

After a certain age, we put MORE clothes on! Thanks for all the great info you share!

[@smitdm]

Okay buddy, time to say something. I have been watching your videos, I have liked them all that I have watched, I have subscribed with the bell notifications and have used your advice. I am not sure why you do not show you harvesting anything except a test watermelon fail. PLEASE this year, record what you harvest. Thank you so much!! Dan

[@palephoenix4194]

I give my bells two feet of spacing so I can put clusters of basil in between pepper plants. I also sow radishes to fill in gaps between plants.

[@TriMarkC]

I forgot to top & pinch this year. So now it’s mid-June and just did it to all my peppers & tomatoes. Nearly all already fruiting. So I pinched all the buds, and harvested what peppers already there worthwhile. But I left all the cherry tomatoes that weren’t lost from topping. Fingers crossed!

[@richardcain713]

I started topping my peppers when i saw your video from last year and the results were amazing. More peppers than i could have imagined and easier to care for the plant. In addition, I also overwintered my jalapenos based on your video and I have flowers and peppers dripping from the plants before the other seedlings have had a chance to mature. thanks for the great advice

[@markb8954]

Same here in Maryland. We over-Wintered three Jalapeno pepper plants in one container. Kept them watered & pinched back all Winter. As soon as last frost date passed, we put it out…and bam, here we are on May 31 and we are picking jalapeños!

[@parrotsandmore7446]

Yes! I planted 2 pepper plants in a 3 gallon bucket. When I realized they didn’t have enough room I cut the bottom of the bucket off and dug a 1 inch hole and put the bucket in the ground!! I got about 50 peppers on those two plants! They worked well together! So much so that I am going to do two peppers in the same bucket in the ground

[@AtlantaTerry]

After topping a pepper plant, you can root what you cut off and start a new plant. Trim off most of the leaves. Put the bare stem into moist seed starter. Place in soft light for a few days until the shock wears off. Harden off your new plant for a few days then put it in bright light.

[@shelleymiller908]

Hey Terry where do you live? I'm in n dakota

[@AtlantaTerry]

@@shelleymiller908 My mother was from Mandan. I live in Atlanta - Zone 7b.

[@1blondidea]

@Terry Thomas, I'm gonna try your rooting idea right now with my Cagen Belle Pepper Plants!! I love those little spicy peppers. I'm on Atlanta area as well, SW Gwinnett Co.

[@AtlantaTerry]

@@1blondidea *Cajun* Belle Pepper

[@kingfishstacy]

Hello also in Atlanta going to try peppers again this year. Never really got any fruit

[@dougalexander7204]

I’m a newby. This year I planted every pepper I could find, and by their Scoville Heat Units (purple bell to ghost peppers, and everyone in between. I wish I had seen this earlier. 😊

[@freddieivory625]

Great tips, thanks for sharing

[@patmansz9089]

Here in Ontario More than not Our ground does not warm up enough for peppers until midJune and our season starts to cool down by end of August. Last year I topped my peppers and compared to other years was a very small harvest. If you live in a climate that stays warm far beyond our summers and has a long growing season this makes sense but we have such a short growing season especially for peppers I’m thinking topping them is really not beneficial to us in the north. This year I will leave well enough alone. No offence to Brian and I’m envious they have such a long growing season so those southerners are lucky they have months to give their peppers that advantage of topping to increase the time for hormone growth. Brian I am a loyal follower and almost 100% of your advice Is such great info for us way up north. Thank you and appreciate you. Y

[@Lochness19]

1. Placement: adequate sunlight (6-8 hours, preferably with a bit of shade in the afternoon). Also have some mulch to keep roots moisture. They also grow well in pairs, you can have the stems basically right next to each other. But each pairs should still be spaced apart from other pairs. 2. Planting: frost free isn't good enough, you want the nights to be warm (55F/13C or more, ideally 65F/18C+). Don't use too much nitrogen fertilizer, should be more phosphorus and potassium heavy fertilizer, especially once they're flowering and ready to produce fruit. 3. Pruning: topping off the plant will cause it to produce more branches which means more fruit. 4. Pinching: pinch off flower buds in first 2 weeks after planting to make sure plants focus on establishing themselves instead of prematurely developing fruits. Also pick first few fruits before they ripen, when they're just starting to turn yellow/red, and ripen the picked fruit in a paper bag (if you don't like green peppers). My comments - I haven't pruned my peppers and it's still growing extra branches at leaf nodes with multiple branches growing. Also in my experience they can survive cold weather in the 40s, but they won't grow much. A 50F night here and there isn't the end of the world, but you do want it to be mostly 60F+.

[@mailywong9612]

Thanks so much

[@AnneGoggansQHHT]

Use tomato pfertilizer with pfish bone meal and start plants indoors in pfebruary on a heat pmat. For tall lanky varieties, use a tomato pcage. Wait a few weeks after last freeze dates before planting. Pruning depends on pepper variety. If pruning, start seeds earlier to give more time. Short squat varieties don’t require pruning. I grow a few varieties that branch out without pruning.

[@Robert-xp4ii]

My mom has taken care of my parents' garden every year but, due to her health, I planted and will be taking care of their garden for them. This is my first ever garden and, knock on vegetables, everything is growing remarkably well so far (mostly thanks to this channel and some of another). I never knew there was so much to learn about gardening in general, as well as each individual plant. It was a bit daunting after a couple weeks and I began regretting undertaking this project. Thankfully, my competitive nature took over because my parents never did anything to their plants other than feeding and weeding their garden. I'm hoping my plants will produce much more and better fruit since I'll be taking the advice from professionals like this gentleman. Wish me luck. 👍 Oh, btw, I grew Habanera and Piñata peppers from seed and they sprouted about a week ago. No permanent leaves yet but this IS Chicago.

[@joannewolfe5688]

My "p" comment: Pitiful -- that's what describes my attempt to grow peppers last year. I realized a few things I did wrong, but your tips are fabulous and I will follow them this coming season and hope to grow those big wonderful peppers one finds in the grocery store. Yellow and orange bell peppers are my favorite veg at present, so fingers crossed! And thanks!

[@didanz100]

I over winter mine this will be the third year. Use bone meal and a few matches for phosphorus.

[@loraleewellington9064]

May I ask what zone you're in, and how you do that with in-ground plants? I tried to last winter, but didn't really know if I was doing it right, so I gave up, and let it die...

[@bageorge5337]

I did my bell peppers in pots- I'm zone 4. Brought it in for the 1st winter, then gave it to my in-laws, who grew it indoors for another 2 1/2 years. It produced peppers for the whole duration. I'm their favorite daughter-in-law now. 😊

[@dukeman8481]

Last year I grew bellpepper successfully for the first time. I use the hybrid variety "Better Belle II". Grew it in a very sunny spot, straight cow manure compost, no other fertilizer. Got lots of fruits and huge plants that got up to almost 6ft by the end of the season. This year I am growing the same variety but in straw bales. I was growing "King Arthur" as well, which is supposed to be another great variety, but they got killed by UNEXPECTED SNOW.

[@beverlystufflebeam5731]

My tip comes from my first year growing them! Give them more space than you think. I followed instruction on planting but it was way too close for me to actually keep up with their growth. And mine went crazy huge and tangled and I had a hard time supporting them. I was ill prepared especially since even growing tangled they where also over 6 feet tall. Great I know! And I got so many peppers. But I’m 64 and 4’11” tall. Lol I learned pruning was my best choice. I was on a serious relearning curve last year. I’ve planned better this year.

[@RichM-ij8vr]

I'm going to plant two of a type together and top one and not the other. Jeff from Ripe Tomato Farms did a fairly large scale experiment topping every other Pepper with the total of about 70 plants. The untappd planted fewer, larger peppers with much thicker walls which of course is what you grow it for. The top ones took a little longer to produce cuz they were growing green but produced a lot more Peppers but they were smaller and had thinner walls. At the end of the experiment the overall weight of the untopped pepper plants was much greater than the peppers of the topped ones. His experiment is available on youtube. Doing one of each I should have larger denser Peppers sooner and more thinner Peppers later which I like.

[@shadytreez]

Yup, my father from Hungary always planted 2 peppers together. It was how it is done in his days and always works well.

[@reneenewfrock5743]

Forst time growing Tabasco peppers. Wow, what a harvest!!!

[@alysonbaker939]

I can attest to planting peppers when it is too cold. I planted too early last summer. My peppers were miffed. They just sat in the ground, all summer, snubbing me. I won’t make that mistake this year, you betcha ya,

[@Amanda-cn3pk]

This happened my first year gardening. I was so excited to plant them and the cold sadly stunted the growth for the rest of the season.

[@alysonbaker939]

@@Amanda-cn3pk oddly I took in two of the stunted pepper plants, over wintered them and put them out the next summer. They produced. So not all was lost.

[@reneenewfrock5743]

I always prune the bottom leaves. It prevents leaf rot. I also prune the center leaves that thicken into a bunch and prune off the first flowers. Peppers galore.

[@tizjak07]

Wow learnt some good tips for my next pepper crop.

[@Free_Falastin2024]

I'd have to say that the tip about waiting until it's hotter outside was the most valuable for me. No one else has talked about why a lot of peppers get stunted and stay very small after they've been put out in April or May. I put my peppers out at the beginning of June this year and it made all the difference. I didn't even realize how I'd solved my own problem until I heard your tip. You've saved me a lot of agony from another potentially failed crop of hot peppers.

[@codelicious6590]

I learned this year about the heat-loving nature of peppers when i had a couple dozen starter pots repurposed for other seedlings thinking I had a poor batch of hot peppers (undeterminate varieties) then, when the temp finally stopped dipping below 55 at night, all the peppers showed up next to their respective replacements!! Im excited to find out what types of peppers all of these mystery plants are!!

[@prestoniap3838]

The air temperature is important especially durning the night. As soon as air temp increases they are happy and grow away

[@markothwriter]

I had some peppers out during our winter storm. It went down to 33 degrees a couple nights. They survived.

[@Missbrittany33]

I came from the tomato video and instantly followed. I like to trim the bottom 6 inches or so to give the plant some air and also to help keep bugs from crawling up the leaves. Also helps avoid bacteria. Goodluck everyone

[@tdubbs934]

My wife and I have a 35 acre organic farm. I love growing. Thanks for all the information.

[@cricrisa]

So glad I heard this program as I have a red pepper just starting to turn red. Thanks for the advice🙂

[@300ddsrt3]

Prior month I potted up 45 pepper plants to their final pots. Just finished using poly tubing for the pluming of the irrigation. Can’t wait to pick my peppers and produce my hot sauces.

[@67Meems]

I JUST planted my peppers plants not seeds so this is perfect timing!! I'm super excited! Thank you!!

[@bbtruth2161]

Messed around with double planting and close spacing last year. My observation was that they liked it. A little bone meal goes a long way. Oddly, my peppers at maturity lasted very late into fall despite cool temps. Well balanced soil here, lots of veg growth but many and large fruits. Pretty much my entire garden got shredded by a hail storm last year, I thought all was lost..... just ended up being a free pruning... everything bounced back within 2 weeks, thankfully. Most of my plants had 1.5 to 2 inch thick, woody stems and ridiculous deep, thick roots. I overwintered a few that are chomping at the bit to get back out in the garden. Overnights still hitting 30's here in MN, so they have to sit tight for a bit.

[@lindapitchford4941]

I had heard that peppers like to hold hands. I have seen more production when they are close. Thanks for all the ideas.

[@thecyclingcouple4438]

how close should i plant my bell peppers?

[@1SaltyGirl]

Linda Pitchfork - Yep. Peppers are lovers. I plant them almost touching. And then the next row almost touching . So you end up with one big plant.

[@windellmcspindell3652]

I ALWAYS plant mine close together facing north to south. The foliage from each plant helps shade the one next to it in the evenings here in the southeast when temperatures rinse.

[@1SaltyGirl]

@@windellmcspindell3652 It's interesting that you plant them north/south. An old Italian man many yrs ago said to always plant everything north/south. He said it had something to do with the bees flight. It's always worked for me.

[@mranderson5668]

How often should i add water from a tiny sprout to a larger plant and how much water?

[@kristenoberhauser8228]

As a Northern Gardener I have a couple of tips. First, I use black plastic mulch that I put down a week before I put the peppers out. This heats up the soil. When I plant the peppers I cover them with a floating row cover on hoops. I have done this side by side with an uncovered row and the covered row was MORE than twice as large month later. Some plants can get 3 times as large. Water jugs in between the plants seem to make them even happier because they radiate heat at night. When they start blossoming I take the covers off or take them off during the day. It gets chilly here in Maine, so I will baby my peppers. In September I put the cover back on. I have had great results using seaweed in the soil with the peppers. Also- peppers are perennial. I have grown peppers in pots and brought them in in the wintertime to get early peppers the next year.

[@kristenoberhauser8228]

I think I got 2 Ps.

[@pjsviking]

Thanks for these Northern clime tips. I'm just a degree latitude north of you and trying out peppers for the first time. Thanks again!!

[@tolovly14]

Growing Bell peppers, Chilli peppers for the first time and I will definitely try these tips out.

[@jbonkerz]

I successfully overwintered 2 plants, 1 cayenne, and 1 jalapeno. I had them in my basement under a grow light this last winter and they are currently performing great in their second summer season outdoors. :D

[@baydweller8241]

I overwintered a ghost pepper for three seasons. That thing turned into a bush.

[@joematty1353]

I can't wait to experiment leaving 2 plants together I'm also going to try this with a couple of my tomato plants this year. Thanks for the video!

[@JessicaSilva-pu5hj]

True on growing together...have a large pot with three of them and its been year and a half...now producing fruit again...pepper almost ready to turn red

[@lindafoster8182]

I pray you are feeling well and enjoying your garden.

[@22trident45]

Excellent. You play it on another one of my mistakes which was planting before nighttime temperatures were in the high 50s. We shall see what happens.

[@NextLevelGardening]

Yes!

[@poolman8676]

Here in the California desert, it's been 85 to 90° daily and then today it was about 65 and then it dropped down to about 45 right now. I was going to plant my peppers but thank God I didn't. The wind in the cold was unbearable the last couple hours. This is crazy weather for May.

[@patrickwalsh2361]

Damn, I’m convinced that if I follow your advice on peppers 🌶, like I did with tomatoes 🍅 last year, I’m finally going to master the pepper after many failed attempts! As you said, “Down to Earth Organics” works really well! My heirloom tomatoes, pink brandywine, Cherokee purple, etc., got 8’ - 9’ tall . I’m also going to try putting my (north to south running) raised bed for tomatoes close to peppers so they get afternoon shade in August, but benefit from more sun before fruiting. This is my favorite gardening channel . ❤

[@NextLevelGardening]

Thank you

[@MarleneSAyres]

I just stumbled onto your channel! My lucky day for sure. I've been gardening for many years but everything you discussed here is new to me. Needless to say, my peppers never did well at all( to the point I stopped including them in my garden)....now I know why! Now I'm gonna go "binge-watch" your other videos! I will no doubt learn a lot!! Thank you 🙂 Kindest regards, Marlene (Washington, Pennsylvania)

[@BaughbeSauce]

Poop. I mean, bonus points, right? I have sheep and sheep poop can be used as a cold fertilizer. It's actually the highest in potassium of all the poops. I also have chickens who make lovely compost for the garden that gets used for everything, but the ones that like extra nutrients (like peppers, tomatoes, and summer squash) get a little scoop of lovely sheep beans. By the way, FANTASTIC video and awesome tips! I'll totally be using some of these in my garden this year, but may i make a recommendation? I have severe ADHD and it took me 6 tries to get through the whole video to get the information. A little bit of background music goes a long way for people like me. Maybe you do that in more recent videos (definitely going to check out more!), but it is crazy how much that helps. Think of it as the music helps to drown out all of the constant traffic noise in the brain. Just barely audible, doesn't need to be loud. But if there's a distraction in your videos, you'll get a lot more folks like me able to focus and ultimately subscribe because they were able to get all of the info in the actual length of the video. 👍👍 keep being awesome!

[@pattyfoster6987]

Wow. I never knew any of this about peppers. Thank you so much for this info.

[@roberttillotson6861]

I have super hot pepper plants. Your suggestion of close growing is only good on normal heat types that may get 2 foot. Super hots typically get 3-4’ wide and high. For this you must have 30-36 inch spacing so the plants can breath. 24” if normal heat like Habs or jalepenos. For wetness, it’s better to get laser drip lines 1/2” tubing, 9” spaced of 1gal/hr emitter., have them in loamy soil bed where one line is running left of plants about 4-5” and one line right of plants 4-5”. Having this combo gives slight overlap of watering. Do it deep like 45 minutes every 3-4 days. Do testing at first to regulate needs of soil watering. Your plants will get huge and produce big. As for fertilizer, totally agree with slow release in spring, then mid summer. Prep beds in fall with replenished compost and minerals, and some slow release as well to help keep balance of soil nutrients.

[@craigjacob3704]

Peppers in my opinion grow best in containers. Something you can move around the yard into and out of the sun on scorching days especially down here in zone 9A along the Mississippi gulf coast. Also in my experience peppers put out a lot more production in the second and third years, another reason for containers so that they can be moved indoors on really cold days and when you get a week or so of warmer weather they can go out for much needed sun.😊

[@richardb9400]

Yes my container peppers much better than garden ones

[@edandbarbara]

I pinched and pruned my pepper plants as you directed last year. I could not believe how many peppers grew on each plant, maybe 20 or more per plant. Going to do the same thing this time. Thanks for the tips! My garden has been much better since I "met" you!

[@cloud_9963]

Peppers are perfect for growing in 5 gallon containers and yes they perform very well with a companion plant but I wasn’t happy with the results I got from “Topping” or “Pruning” my Red and Orange Bell’s last year. It stressed the plants out slowing their growth and the leaves of the new growth were curved like an Eagle Claw. I would recommend supporting with Pepper Cages if you choose to prune as I found it difficult to use Bamboo stakes vertically and still support the angled branches holding mature fruit. Peppers are super fun, super tasty and super productive either method!

[@tomm5228]

2nd year topping, strong stem better for wind, 1st year plants ( overwintered) great start

[@emk7132]

Some of the most helpful growing advice I have seen yet!!

[@NextLevelGardening]

Thank you!

[@nanca3094]

I wish I would have watched this video a week ago...hope I did not place them outside the greenhouse too early! Had lots of chili peppers last year but will try the pruning/topping tips this year (on at least a few of the plants) to see the difference in the results. Looking for a good organic fertilizer right now to help them along.

[@helgabruin2261]

Same here. It was a few degrees too cold for them last night. Fingers crossed they are hardy enough.

[@andrewpugliese9927]

I've only ever topped my chile peppers and leave the bigger peppers alone. I am going to try this on some of my bells and see how it works out!

[@mamabear9009]

To ripen I think an apple would work too. I use a cardboard box for unripe green tomatoes and the apples help ripen them

[@conservativemovement]

Re: spacing: A memorable saying I heard is, "Pepper plants like to hold hands" 🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱

[@Im_the_one_that_Fight]

Wow I just proudly planted my peppers seeds outside today in a lined milk crate. Plenty of warm 75° Temps 7 hrs sun during the day. Between 55 to 49° at night. My proud bubble just got popped 🤣 that's what I get for being extra 😬. Back to the drawing board 🥴

[@zbj5647]

Wow! I learned a lot from your tips!!! Thank you!!!

[@raneebyrd1056]

Thanks for all the information. 💜

[@martinvisor57]

Brilliant as always. My garden has taken off this year after discovering and using your methods… planting, trellises, fertilization etc. I’m a novice, but you really can’t tell looking at my raised beds this year. All my plants are bearing fruit already this year… tomatoes, beans, peppers, squash, carrots, broccoli… long season in south Texas. Trying to beat the heat.❤️👍🏻‼️💪🏻🤙🏻

[@jennybalatbat8611]

It's my first time to grow sweet peppers and this tips I'm going to give a try. Thank you for this clear video instructions.

[@robynmorris2408]

Bad girl....did not side dress with phosphorus last year, no wonder I had a puny harvest. I will also have to provide shade this summer. 110 for days on end makes the plants say no thanks to production. I’ve got a good idea for shade cloth cover this year.

[@joannsilva4715]

OMG, I gasped when you snipped off that pepper top & picked off the flowers!! I will try this on 2- plants this year! And the Naked Garden Day, didn't get that memo either! Great video!

[@sheiba09]

Last year was my first year growing peppers . I did everything wrong. I did get some pepper production, some tasted good then they went bitter . They were attacked by carpenter caterpillars . I under watered , overwatered , too exposed to sun . I never checked the soil , had no clue but I was proud I grew peppers This year I’m armed with a wealth of knowledge thanks to you Brian . I have Red Knight seedlings and Purple Beauty seedlings . I’m hoping for more production that continues to taste good 😊 Thank you ! This video is awesome and great timing !

[@loraleewellington9064]

That must be what happened to my Jimmy Nardellos. The first few were delicious, but afterward, they were bitter. I just thought that maybe I'd simply not noticed the bitterness with the first ones...

[@katiestruthers1430]

This is how I feel. My 1st year and they are already suffering. Tomorrow I'll be out there pruning and picking.

[@sheiba09]

@@katiestruthers1430 update . I overwintered two of my Red Knight peppers , thanks to Brian’s over winter video . I brought them out of dormant state and have 7 peppers on one plant , not quite full size yet (indoors ) and the other I just brought out of dormant state a couple weeks ago has eight leaves and two flowers

[@archiereno9020]

I have, this year: Jalapeno, Serrano, Habanero, Anaheim, Cascabella, Poblano, Cayenne (Slim, Thick, Yellow, & Purple). All grown in our 400 sq. ft. house(the one we LIVE in!!!) on shelves 8' long x 2' wide. Foam coffee cups with holes in the sides at the bottom, in tin foil cake pan that fit 12 per. Seeded in potting soil in the cups and watered in the cake pan. 2 LED shop lights cover 1 shelf. 168 plants ( 14 doz. ) fit on one shelf. This begins Mar 15th. About May 15th they begin to go outside to harden. June 15 they go in the ground. That is safe for last frost here on this hill in the Eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan. We also purchased a flat each of Thai Dragon, and Super Chili. I plant 4' apart in the rows. The rows are 4' apart. I rototill north to south one time, then east to west, the next. My plants that do not get eaten by the deer are 4' tall x 4' wide and have 30 t0 50 peppers on each limb with limbs about 1" apart. I prune NOTHING. I pick and eat the peppers as fast as I can find them early to "inform" the plants more are needed!!! May 27 we started eating Cayenne...still IN THE HOUSE!!! We dry them and grind our own specific table shakers. Most of all we pickle them in 50/50 Apple cider vinegar/sugar. One variety through the grinder per jar. Jelly is next. We tweaked the recipe. NO GREEN PEPPERS, only HOT peppers. The heat is minimal, the FLAVOR is FANTASTIC!!!!! MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL!!! We PRAY OVER OUR GARDEN. We ask GOD to bless our efforts, we give HIM the GLORY for the BOUNTY! We bring our loaves and fishes... HE feeds the people! GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU!!!

[@Playingwith3D]

you pontificated perfectly.

[@corymiller9854]

Good vid. I plant peppers every year and i am getting better and better at it. My tip is to be picky when purchasing peppers or start your own. A pepper with flowers to start will always be a flop even when you pick them off. I do prune but more for branch structure and size. A plant will produce as much fruit as its branches can handle.

[@ryanmurphy4287]

Subscribed. Excellent channel! Found you this morning under top search result for pepper plant spacing. I've spent hours today watching dozens of your videos. Tomatoes are my favorite, as well as my specialty. You also explained to me today why my first batch of pepper plants have remained the same size for two weeks (After their first transplant into Dixie cups 2 weeks ago, I left them overnight on my outside gardening table in mid 40 degree temps.) I thought they'd be fine, because I'd enclosed the gardening table under heavy plastic sheeting, supported with a framework of plastic tubing. Apparently 45 degree nights are far more destructive than I'd known. That night ultimately killed two thirds of my marigolds, 90% of my cucumbers and stunted all of my peppers. Tomatoes were not affected. The affected pepper plants have since been replaced but are being kept because they're still alive and they'll serve as a good experiment on revival. I like to hone my green thumb with botanical experimentation. I'm extremely frustrated though. As of today, I've got 36 various vegetable plants growing superbly in 8" pots, and I'm dragging them in and out every morning and every night. I'm scared of damaging this crop. I think I've got at least another week of this. Tomorrow is already Memorial Day, but here in Northern Maine, with an already short growing season, I'm looking at the next several nights remaining in the mid to low 40 degree temps. My dozen Beef Masters are now 14 to 16" tall bushes, and I'm tempted to leave them out overnight, but still don't dare to do so.

[@NextLevelGardening]

Thank you and welcome! Everyone seems to be getting a late start because of weather. Although you in a short climate already have it worse. Patience is always rewarded though!!

[@al4377]

Hi there. Used to live in Waterville so I KNOW your frustration. My advice is start your peppers indoors super early (mid January) and grow under grow lights. You'll have pleanty of time to prune & have them really good & sturdy for those cool Maine days & nights. If plants are a good size 55 nights 60 days wont harm. Mulch mulch mulch & IF you have room overwinter pepper plants. Videos on subject This was my 1st yr doing. Pulled 4 plants 2 florished 2 did not. GOOD LUCK

[@r.j.c.9661]

Thanks so much!! Peppers have always been hard for me but not anymore!

[@qara_ch]

Whether you should prune or not depends on the length of your growing season, because it basically sets your plant back about 2 weeks to a month. If you have an effectively infinite season like I do (that is, tropical!) then pruning might be a good idea. Ultimately though it's not how much you prune your plant that matters, but how big/extensive the roots are. If the plant can reach out and grow plenty of roots, you're going to get a big yield. Though there's also a caveat there, because the more time and energy your plant spends growing roots, the less time and energy it's putting into fruiting. So maybe you can plant early and up-pot several times so that by the time you can transfer your plants to the garden they're large and ready to fruit? It's all about balancing all of these things to suit your growing season, I suppose.

[@heatherg1313]

We have about 8 weeks of a grow season here. If I did all of this pruning I would have 3 peppers 😭

[@jeannebergin4136]

Than you for being a good teacher!

[@MrEzekiel1982]

I fertilize every two weeks or so with a tablespoon of Epsom salts to a gallon of water. Peppers love magnesium

[@aaronhrynyk]

With good results?

[@TheGreatConstantini]

I do as well. In fact Epsom salt greens up my other plants as well

[@MrEzekiel1982]

@@aaronhrynyk yes good results. I also use fish meal

[@maxe381]

There were no oddly placed “p”s in this comment...but it was phenomenal advice 😜

[@TheGreatConstantini]

It is odd being that magnesium inhibits calcium uptake. But I a m convinced the biggest factor in blossom end rot is uneven watering. I really do not recommend blocking calcium so those wanting to try Epsom should make a diluted solution and spray it foliar early in the morning before your peppers get sun.

[@MariaHernandez-it1ym]

Hello from NC zone 7b.... First time going serious about growing a garden. I bumped into one of your videos, I believe it was the tomato growing one. Learn so much. After 2 failing attempts to grow seedlings I followed the Solo cups system and it's working perfectly. Still learning about peppers and bad bugs as well as the good bugs. Thanks for all the knowledge and information.

[@brianodonnell3740]

Just watched your video - this is only my second year planting peppers. I was going to prune back according to your video, but man, I feel like I have really good growth coming from the nodes already. Just feeling apprehensive about topping them. Great videos, btw, I've learned a ton!

[@louiseeyahpaise795]

It is still too cold for naked gardening in my area. I have had peppers that had sun scald!!! Now I know what I did wrong. Progressive!!!👩🏽‍🌾👍🏽🙏🏽💖

[@toniatalley1977]

Thank you for all this info! Im so gonna try this for ally my peppers!!!

[@kurtwauters6159]

Nice video 👍🏻 1 comment on the rock phosphate: Unless the soil pH is below 5.5 what’s unlikely, the rock phosphate stays water insoluble and not available to the plant.

[@charlesclosterman4541]

Cutworms like peppers (and tomatoes and eggplants) I had a friend tell me that cutworms like tender stalks and that when the stalks get tough or woody the cutworms don't like them. He also said that cutworms wrap themselves around the base of the stalks to see if it's tender of tough. His tip is to put a tooth pick into the ground right next to the stalk and the cutworms will be tricked into thinking the stalk is too tough or hard. Anyone else heard of this?

[@pamkirkes]

Grandfather used nails.

[@georgewashington3555]

@@pamkirkes what a great advice thanks !

[@theimperfectlyperfectfamil283]

Just have to say thank you. For all your pruning videos. And others. Helped alot. Not to mention your voice in nice to listen to.

[@ashleighnelson512]

My pepper plants unfortunately were planted too early and I had to cover them to protect them from frost. Fortunately the raised bed soil held some of the warmth from the previous warm weeks so it doesn't seem to have stunted them 😊

[@mtbse789]

Never had production issues with chilis but I will try this with my sweet peppers. Thanks.

[@scottadler]

I would like to grow really pretty pink and purple poppy peppers.

[@stevesmith3556]

Great advice! I've been topping to get the plants more bushy and pinching flowers for years. I grow them for my mother in-law and she can't believe how many she gets every year 😊

[@shayinla1942]

When do you pinch the flowers? Mine are tall, about 2-3 ft and have flowers. I’m not sure if I should pick off the flowers or just let them make peppers.

[@stevesmith3556]

@@shayinla1942 I let the plant grow by taking off the flowers and taking off the tops not letting it get too tall so it can grow more outward and bushy. I do it until I feel it can support a lot of fruit and then just let it go.

[@MollyMcBooter]

Aaaah I did not know of the flower removing trick! Thank you!

[@NextLevelGardening]

You're welcome!