Growing Peppers Is So Much Easier When You Understand This

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In this video, you'll learn all about the life cycle of the pepper plant. From seedling through to harvest, what can you expect when growing peppers from seed? I talk about each growth stage, and include some helpful insights to grow healthier peppers in your garden.
Learn more about pepper growth stages:
peppergeek.com/bell-pepper-pl...
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Sources:
www.researchgate.net/publicat...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/share...
www.alberta.ca/production-of-...
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0:00 Intro
1:45 Seedling stage
2:44 Growth stage
4:14 Flowering stage
6:03 Fruiting stage
8:28 Top takeaways
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Thanks for watching Pepper Geek!
#peppers #gardening #plants

[@pjotrboboy900]

10/10 - not a video but a lecture

[@glow1815]

I have bell peppers, yellow habanero, banana peppers and Thai chiles(blue cobra super HOT) gives me loads of fruits year after year for 3 years now. It doesn't die since we live in Phx it can take 120F. It just need water daily in the summer. Except Dec 2023 frist frost burns the leaves i pruned it down to a stick, i add fish fertilizer now it's already starting to fruits again!

[@xaviercruz4763]

Since habanero I find is so strong and a little crass what’s the best tasting peppers you know?

[@GuitarsAndSynths]

so how do you keep them from wilting and drying out in containers and not getting destroyed by high wind conditions?

[@GuitarsAndSynths]

@@xaviercruz4763 love shishito and poblano peppers since have tons of flavor and not too spicy and great for stir fry/grilling (shishito) and stuffing (poblano)

[@Volfor321]

@@xaviercruz4763 If you make your own sauces you can experiment with different pods. An example would be using your normal ingredients for a jalapeno sauce but add a habanero for a little kick and fruity flavor or something like jimmy nardello. Your taste will differ from many others so just work from what you know you like and maybe have a happy accident. I keep experimenting with the peppers and other ingredients I grow but to be honest the first sauce I made was the best one because I stuck to what I already knew I liked. The others I made weren't bad but weren't on the same level. Luckily i wrote that recipe down.

[@omsteve4761]

@@xaviercruz4763there are types of habanero with the same nice flavor but with only around 500 scoville units, vs 350,000 scoville

[@nicklausjohnson-yn2qk]

🎉 I remember watching your videos for the first time back a few years ago. I have learned soo much just from you Calvin, and Krystal. Keep up the Great work, and good luck This Pod season 💯😊

[@PepperGeek]

That's great to hear, and thanks for still watching! Hope you have a great season as well 🌶

[@BigboiiTone]

After a less than terrific first summer growing peppers, I have learned a lot and upgraded to some improved technology. Alaska is very hostile to most forms of life so I need as many factors on my side as possible! Thanks for adding so much to my knowledge

[@PepperGeek]

That does sound like a challenge, growing tropical plants in Alaska 😅, but I know it can be done! Best of luck this season 🌱

[@HumanHamCube]

Your channel is excellent! Thank you for sharing, this is what KZbin was made for!

[@ZackZaqZakXah]

Great video, as always... thank you for creating and sharing!

[@PepperGeek]

I appreciate the support ☺️

[@TheNetsrac]

Very helpful video and tips 👍🏻 Thank you very much

[@PepperGeek]

Our pleasure - glad it was helpful ☺️

[@BelindaGerard-ms7us]

🎉 Nick Johnson & I, grew a Habanero last season. It produced 9 Pods. Once September came, we brought it inside my mom's South facing "sun-porch" for this past winter. Temp im not going to lie was chilly, still is, but this plant in a 5 gallon container, has continued to produce a lot of foliage. Can't wait for it to warm up

[@Satisfyingexperiment]

@@Wonderland_Homesteadthey were addressing the name of another commenter

[@mikepaulin5509]

Just started learning about peppers and came across ur channel! Great job! Totally appreciate ur insight and thoroughly enjoy the content 🙌

[@PepperGeek]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@Arcticdi]

Very informative! Thanks!! I had stunted peppers last year and wasn't sure why. I am starting peppers a bit later this year hoping to avoid any dips in temperature.

[@cmchatton1680]

Great video, Calvin! I have about 40 seedlings in various stages. All up-potted accept the really small ones. Looking forward to an epic pepper year! Thanks so much for the great tips! John McHatton

[@PepperGeek]

Sounds great John, hope you have a huge harvest from all those plants. We can't wait to sow the majority of our pepper seeds this week! 🌱

[@alfonsocastrol2805]

Hey pepper geeks love the content

[@TreMusick]

New subscriber here. Love what you e got going on. You have been my guide in some ways for my peppers

[@HelgrafFireHammer]

Got super unexpectedly cold this summer. Nighttime tempd are right at that border you mentioned of when pollen starts to lose its viability, around 57°f, but sometimes slightly lower too, and day temps are only 64°f, maybe a tad bit higher 😭

[@laurafrey5244]

Zine 5b - We started our peppers a few weeks ago, and still don't have true leaves - patience is the key.

[@Brocuzgodlocdunfamdogson]

I planted almost a month ago (mar 6). Still no true leaves but that’s normal for me. Every year I end up with way more peppers than I can handle. I still have a bunch of ristras that I tied last season.

[@callikohl5698]

I'm also in 5b, I planted 2/28, I have true leaves on some and not on others. All planted on the same day. Funny fellows.

[@MrHarjas21]

Thanks for a great video! I love this scientific and detailed approach to pepper gardening. keep up the great content, I really appreciate your hard work!

[@PepperGeek]

Thank you, I'm glad you enjoy our videos. Good luck this season!

[@MrHarjas21]

@@PepperGeek Are the pots on the table in front of you (Calvin) the 3.3" ones from your collaboration with bootstrap farmer? Or a bigger size but those same special colors? I love the look of them and am definitely interested in getting some but unfortunately, all of my plants have outgrown what could fit in a 3.3" pot. I wish I knew they were for sale sooner

[@PepperGeek]

@@MrHarjas21 Those are the 3.3" pots that come with the kit, yep. Bootstrap does make a 5" pot, but not in our custom colors. Sorry you missed the announcement of the kit, but maybe next year! By the way, thanks so much for becoming a Patron ☺

[@umarabdulrehman3395]

Great

[@__bugc__]

Great video love your explenation on things. It's very clear and structured which makes it easy to uptake the information. Thank you. Im growing Carolina Reaper, Bhut Jolokia and Madam Jeanette this year 🙂 I have a question aswell, the pepper plant on the right of the middle (the darker one) what pepper plant is that? It has some amazing colors and realy beautifull flowers.

[@lostpony4885]

Most of my peppers are hitting their first birthday, a couple are 2 now.

[@lostpony4885]

With how slow my crops grow i need things that i can overwinter for the head start. I have blooms on!

[@jasonellis7856]

Because we had such a weird weather pattern here in Oz last winter I didn't prune or overwinter them as normal I simply put them under the protection of a massive tree at the front of our house and they still produced fruit for the whole year. Very weird but good for all year round chilli's to use.

[@davidbrooks9576]

I'm also in Aus. I get my best chilli's during winter. During summer I struggle hard with fruit fly.

[@Papawcanner]

Do you live on the yellow brick road or are you incapable of spelling out what country you live in ?

[@davidbrooks9576]

@@Papawcanner it's called an abbreviation, look it up if you don't know what it means.

[@LittleKikuyu]

Australia is an awfully long name. Also it’s a pretty magical place 🤷🏼‍♀️

[@kyleglasco6695]

Im super excited to grow my buddy jeff remmerts Deadpool pepper this year, going to be a spicy summer

[@JachuPLxMetin2]

I personally prefer to pinch flowers, from what I witnessed during previous seasons it promotes bushier growth a little bit. Tested it on jalapeño, lemon drop and thunder mountain longhorn species. It does not seem to apply to explosive ember species (which is a shame, it would look much much better). This year I started the seeds on Jan 14, today's Mar 24 and I had to pinch 2 flowers on jalapeño. Zone 6b, indoor growth if curious.

[@PepperGeek]

Yep, if you plant early the flowers come early and we prune them as well. I find it better if we plant later and avoid early flowering all together though - keeps the plant on the right track of foliage growth before fruiting

[@kajtokajto7146]

Thats gonna be usefull for me and my newborn Carolina reaper seedling ❤️🔥

[@damienkatsirubas3498]

I'm growing Carolina Reapers, too! I planted my seeds indoors at the end of January since I know they take so long to grow. Now, all four of them are about 3 feet tall and living out on my balcony.

[@WilliamLopez559]

@@damienkatsirubas3498any tips for Carolina reapers? They seem to not want to grow and actually started flowering. I am thinking about transplanting to bigger pots, giving them some 20-20-20 fertilizer and prayer lol. 😂

[@HealthyDisrespectforAuthority]

I'm in Georgia.. Summertime is 80s at night and high 90's to triple digits. I have to grow in shade from about 10am on... or they blister. When it gets to the middle of September, since I grow in containers, I can bring them into a sunny spot.

[@djc6323]

Last summer in GA recked my harden. It was my first go at it and didn’t know how to protect my plants. Everything cooked and died

[@kyleglasco6695]

When I grew ghost, reaper and aji in Douglasville i found partial shade was best also.

[@Crystalspets]

Very nice tips on the pepper 🫑🌶️ plant

[@PepperGeek]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed

[@brewtalityk]

Was really hoping for some information on watering at the seeding stage, container moisture levels as it gets into the growth stage and fertilization in the 2nd stage and so on. Huge misses...

[@COTTONMAU5]

2:14 - what is that beautiful purple pepper plant?! 😻

[@4EverMoore]

My high temp (indoors) is 85*f with lows at night around 73*f... everything seems happy, for now

[@PepperGeek]

Warm is better than cold! I'm sure your plants will acclimate and do just fine

[@ninjabakerdaddy3220]

When over wintering should the main stock of the plant get cut back?

[@WisGuy4]

Which to plant: saved seeds or year-old leftovers? I had about half a dozen pepper varieties I planted last season that I definitely want to grow again and I saved seeds from those peppers, generally from the largest, nicest peppers of that variety that I grew. However, in planning my plantings this spring, I found that I still had leftover seeds for those peppers in the 2023 seed packets. Which would you plant this year, the seeds saved in the fall of 2023, or the year older leftover seeds still in the 2023 commercial seed packets?

[@Justin-xi6ue]

My dad hates it when the house is over 65-67f and sometimes the temperature at the bay window ends up going below 50f... I hope this is still okay. Don't really have any other options but to get grow lights and a shelf if I want them out of the window.. However now I wouldn't know where to put them aside from my small bedroom. 😅

[@dragbug100]

I'm in Vegas, the temp is never going to work out. I bought a ghost pepper plant a couple weeks ago that we planted into a large elevated planter. It's doing ok so far but temps have been mild. It's popping flowers soon I believe but here in the next month or so, temps are going to sky rocket.

[@Penguino-cx3xk]

Hello Pepper Geek and other pepper gardeners, I have a ghost pepper plant in about a 1 foot deep pot but the plant is 10 inches tall and has a decent amount of foliage it started to flower about 4-5 days ago and it has 4 flowers already it looks like there will be another 6. Should I clip the flowers and have the plant grow or let the plant do its thing? I am a new gardener and in southern FL any info will help 🙏

[@dragongyld2967]

Hey pepper geek. Is miracle gro all purpose plant food okay for the seedling stage and as the plants continue growing until they are ready to start fruiting? It has 24-8-16 for its values. I would probably cut it to 1/4 strength for the seedling stage.

[@GuitarsAndSynths]

Question: I transplanted pepper plants from small container to 1 gallon containers so when and how large container for larger plants to move them?

[@KOOM.studios]

Im only growing my peppers indoors under grow lights. Do i need to trim them down to during the winter as well? Or does that only apply to bringign plants from outdoors inside?

[@oliviastar3812]

What are the grow lights that you use for this?

[@chrisz.9974]

Can I start pepper plants all year round in zone 11a south Florida?

[@kirk4A]

I have Ghost peppers planted and have about 40 Peppers. A cool front recently came through and the night temps dropped to 49 degrees for about 3 nights. My peppers that were on the plants turned from dark green to a lighter green. Will they still continue to grow?

[@75shadystorm]

Any advice for black pearl peppers? Zone 4 grower.

[@MK-ti2oo]

I'm lucky to get any nights above 50-55° all summer. This year I may try keeping my peppers in the greenhouse but man it'll get hot in there so I'll have to do some extra ventilation.

[@jtmarshall]

Where abouts are you from? I'm kinda jealous, only cause I don't like warm nights even though my peppers do.. 🤣

[@stevejohnson2284]

Can you tell me why Neptune's harvest says not to store diluted fertilizer? I don't have enough plants to use up all the mix for the smallest amount of mixture. Please help

[@gameviking354]

So, can you delay flowering by picking early buds/flowers while still pruning to make the plant focus on foliage growth?

[@larawines4875]

Do they need light to overwinter or can they go dormant in a 65° room?

[@SuperManning11]

What is the lowest temp that the plant can take in order to successfully overwinter? I live in the desert SW. We get temps down to as low as the upper 40’s, but that’s only for a few days each winter, otherwise the average night temp for winter is in the mid 50’s in Jan-Feb, in the 60’s now, then quickly goes up to the point where a low of 90-95º is common in summer months, when daytime temps can reach as high as 120º. Are peppers even suited to my climate? Thanks!

[@stephenneal739]

If they start to flower early because of pot size, will they stay that size after they are up potted or transplanted outside?

[@johngiunta5230]

If my new smallish plants start to flower and fruit should I prune the flowers and fruit?

[@oneplay44]

Hi do you need air flow when growing pepper plants because im growing them by a window and the flowerbuds keep falling off

[@heidimarchant5438]

So that's why I don't do well with peppers. In Wyoming temperatures can be a little drastic between night and day. It might help if I harvest seed from a pepper that I grow and plant those instead of new store bought ones to be successful in growing peppers.

[@nigl2807]

Another nice video. Average 24 hour temps - noted. Never knew that. One thing, how long does it take for fruit to ripen?

[@PepperGeek]

In general, it takes about 20-30 days to go from a mature unripe pepper to a fully ripe one. This can vary, too, based on temp and other factors!

[@sharonpreston2826]

I just saw a picture with the caption: don't plant pepper p,ant without using bay leaves. What is that about? Will it keep aphids away?

[@dragongyld2967]

How can I mix up a small batch of fertilizer if I only have a few plants to water? Should I weigh the normal serving of fertilizer per gallon of water and then do the math like if I'm only using like 2 cups of water?

[@beckymartinez9926]

Unfortunately mine have to be out in the shed where it can get in the 40’ even with a heat lamp. I just hope for the best. 😣

[@nikkster01]

I saw some videos on over wintering so I tried it 3 plants survived but are way behind the seedling ones the hassle of looking after them was so big I wont bother again

[@PepperGeek]

Agreed, it's a 1-2 special-plants-per-year kind of thing for us

[@IgotthisDontworry]

what happens if you didn't up-pot the plants for 1 year, they survived (for 1 year) being small but with a lot of foliage, can you up-pot after 1 year and continue the cycle like now, starting with April ?

[@FreeManLetov]

Babe, Pepper Geek posted!

[@MarkoRSolidus]

That's a fan right there! (me too!)

[@minhthuyluu9556]

Hey! What is the species of the purple plant with purple flowers in your video? It's so beautiful, I'd love to try growing them. Thanks!

[@PepperGeek]

That is a variety called fluorescent purple, we saved seeds from a friend’s plant a couple years ago. There are many purple varieties though, here is our article about several: peppergeek.com/purple-peppers/

[@Dr.Z3rdi]

I live in Stockholm, Sweden, and last year I grew Scotch Bonnet Chocolate, Carolina Reaper, Bhut Jolokia White, Habanero Orange, Habanero Lemon, Cabai Kopay, Alien Metamorphos, and Borg 9. Of course, you have to start indoors with lights, and around May when the night temperature doesn't drop below approximately 13 degrees Celsius (55.4 degrees F), the plants can stay outside. Don't forget to acclimatize your plants by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions, especially direct sunlight. Otherwise the leaves will get burn marks, affecting the whole timeframe of your plant's healthy growth. This year I overwintered my favorites, and I have some new seedlings of 7 Pot Brain Strain.

[@stuearth5076]

Temperature wise, is that for soil temperature or for air temperature around the plant foliage? I am asking as it is easier to cover the soil than the whole plant in a cold snap. By the ways thanks to you I brought some peppers inside and they both fruited late into the year, and I have had one or two chillies since February (I'm located in the middle of France). Hopefully with your tips I'll have a better crop next year :-)

[@PepperGeek]

In most cases I was referring to air temperature. If you need to cover plants outside, make sure you cover them all the way to the ground. If they're small, an upturned bucket works well for an overnight cold snap. Soil temp is much more consistent, and the rootzone will generally be around 20-21°C. Mulch helps insulate the soil further. That's great to hear! I hope you have a good crop this season as well ☺️

[@kendm21]

Uh.. did we get a teaser or what!? "Be sure to up pot at the right time" crickets.. 😡🤣🤣🤣

[@MichaelRei99]

I had overwintered plants for 4 years. unfortunately my wife put them outside when it was too cold and they never recovered.😢

[@premierpollo]

Divorce her immediately lol jk😂

[@edwardkuehnle7955]

I love blaming my wife for stuff around the house it helps us bond and helps my confidence!

[@anonet78]

At 4:32 in the vid what are the white patches on the leaves iv got the same thing on my golden nuggets.

[@PepperGeek]

That is a variegated type of pepper, the Candy Cane variety: peppergeek.com/candy-cane-peppers

[@Greens5511]

So here is my question/ issue. I live in MN and have found starting my peppers super early gets me peppers was sooner. I start my peppers around the 10th of March and won't plant out till the end of May or beginning of June. My issue is no matter how big a pot space I give them they still want to start flowering within 6 weeks of growth. I just keep nipping them off, but they vigorously keep wanting to flower. Why is that? The plant itself looks very healthy. Thanks I started a

[@PepperGeek]

It could be related to temperature and/or amount of light available. For vigorous growth, it should be very warm with lots of light (15 hours daily is ideal). This is one of the reasons I prefer to wait a bit longer, even if starting earlier means earlier harvests. We'll usually just plant a handful of plants extra-early, with the majority being planted around late March or early April.

[@justinmcclaughry2574]

So could I dig mine up at the end of the growing season and over winter them?

[@PepperGeek]

Yep, definitely

[@noway905]

My pepper plants never die! Turns out they are actually a tree! I bring them in every fall and winter select varieties indoors under lights and enjoy fruit all year. I trim them back in very late winter so they are ready for new spring growth. Without the trim they just get enormous and much to heavy to drag in and out without using a dolly.

[@prattacaster]

What do you mean bring them in, you dig them up?

[@darksidedsoonnelson2522]

@@prattacastersome will plant them in planters then bring them in. I know a few people who did them up and put them in planters for winterizing them. They will either top them are prune them while dormant and then bring them back out in spring/summer and replant them.

[@Evral5]

A mouse just ate 32/48 of my pepper seedlings under my grow lights yesterday. Never encountered that one before. 🤦

[@debrablum1632]

Sympathies coming from this quarter. Happened to me two years ago.

[@Evral5]

@@debrablum1632 Thank you! You know the feeling. I live in zone 3, so I start seedlings early. Hopefully I can catch up. Pepper Geek has been my go to for over a year and half learning about peppers. Awesome channel.

[@PepperGeek]

That's rough. Have yet to have mice do it, but our mischievous cat has done a number on our seedlings many times!

[@bruce-le-smith]

oh no! we had a rabbit in our garden this spring eating anything that was small and light green. it can be so disheartening after all that work

[@gone4days956]

last year my chickens got in garden and ate all my recently potted plants down to nubs. All the plants came back strong but set the growth back about 6 weeks

[@GuitarsAndSynths]

Yea one thing is using the right soil for containers and raised planters! I made the mistake of using garden soil like an idiot for containers that nearly killed my new pepper plants! Only when I swapped out the garden soil for Fox Farms container sea soil did the wilted pepper plants come back to life! Stupid morons at the hardware store garden area gave me bad advice!

[@WilliamLopez559]

I can vouch for fox farms. I use their ocean forest variety. I saw My plants literally jump the next day after transplanting lol. They love that stuff

[@goldfarmingguides]

I've got two dozen seedlings that germinated 2-3 weeks ago. Some of them had their first true leaves appear last week. But seems like the leaves are growing very slow. I water them every day (not too much) and they get around 10-12 hours of light. The temperatures get quite high during the day - around 24C. I wonder whether to keep them under direct sunlight or not. I've experimented for a few days but haven't noticed any difference. What do you guys think?

[@skichman1850]

Same question here. They germinate and have the first two leaves but then it seems like they just sit there....

[@Whydoyoureadme]

This year I'm trying a new strat. Total neglect. I haven't bothered even picking off the old and dry fruits still left on the uncropped plants. If they die, they die, if they live, they get to go another round. I grew too much last year anyhow.

[@georgeprout42]

That's pretty much what I did last autumn. The only thing I did was to drag a few 10L pots from my greenhouse into my house just before the frosts arrived, they have had a light for 8 hours, minimal water. 5 out of 6 are still alive. Sod all that pruning, repotting and all the other tips; nothing ever worked. Hell, I even have tomatoes that were stunted and I didn't plant out last year. They're all raring to go! Just another 6 weeks before the frost risk passes and they're all going back out again. Sometimes nature just finds its way I guess.

[@Whydoyoureadme]

@@georgeprout42 Yes, I agree. I also live in Spain where I get no frost, so that helps. I also trying repotting, keeping moist, small greenhouse, etc and nothing worked, then a spanish older gentleman told me he never pruned his regular bell peppers or did anything to them until they started sprouting new leaves again, so that's what I am trying. If nature can do it itself, why bother...

[@paulthomson2786]

Is using Miracle Grow appropriate?

[@PepperGeek]

Miracle gro will definitely provide your plants with nutrients, it's a fine option for growing in containers

[@lidip8700]

So I have a reoccurring problem of germination of peppers: The seed germinates, then the seed stays stuck on the tip of the first leaves, and the seedling dies. After 7- 10 days after germination, I do bottom water my trays with 1/4 strength of fertilizer. This really gives them a boost! But the issue seems to be in the germination. I do use a heat mat at 80° but I remove it once germination happens, but I keep the temps at 65-85°F. As for the stuck seed on the leaves, is the plant still receiving nutrients from the seed stuck on the leaves? Should I pull the seed off?? My last question is about using Hydroponics grow solution for plants in soil. Would the same solution for Hydroponics peppers be too concentrated for peppers in soil? Thanks for the video!

[@LloydieP]

It could be the fertiliser. Until they're up and grown a bit, they don't need anything but water. When I've used a rich potting soil for sprouting, it's been a disaster.

[@lefty77713]

When you say quarter strength fertilizer, what are the NPK numbers you're targeting? I've always ended up around 1.66/1.66/1.66, but wondering if that's too heavy then

[@PepperGeek]

Fertilizer is tough, but for generally speaking the plants use nutrients at a ratio of 3-1-2. If you can find something with roughly that ratio, and then follow the instructions and cut the amount in a quarter. It really depends on the particular brand you use, as some are highly concentrated and others are weak. Focus on the ratios and just err on the side of less

[@bruce-le-smith]

@@PepperGeek yeah I'm in the comments looking for info on fertilizers too. i'm a noob and so confused about fertilizing. especially when to change fertilizers to feed leaf growth versus flower/fruit growth. bet you could do a whole video on fertilizers, you probably already have :)

[@jennymartin8264]

@@PepperGeek I have some capsicum plants and over the summer they had hardly any flowers or fruit. I ended up watering down some urine - 10 parts water to 1 part urine. Now flowering and starting to fruit well. I am in mid autumn now but in a relatively warm climate with almost zero frosts. They are in standard potting mix in big pots - like 30 to 50 litres. Lets see how they go. I think it is warm enough if I can get around in a tee shirt and not feel cold.

[@dethomas8676]

My bell pepper plant sprouted one pepper but it fell off..

[@joshdunn8544]

So if the nighttime lows are going to be less than 55, even if for a few hours, then you would pull your containers peppers indoors? Does this apply to all stages?

[@PepperGeek]

A few hours won’t kill them no, the tests that show issues with low nighttime temperatures are for prolonged periods, so I wouldn’t fret over a single chilly night, but if you can avoid it it’s always best

[@renogreens4273]

I have just found a large bag of pepper seeds that are approx. 5-10 years old. Is there any way to germinate these older seeds? They were my favorite Hungarian paprika seeds I grew a few years back that was full of wonderful flavor. Please let me know what I can do besides throwing them in the garbage......thx

[@PepperGeek]

It depends on the conditions they were stored in, but they can definitely remain viable for 5+ years. I might suggest trying to soak some of them in weak black tea (room temp) for 12 hours or so before planting, which might help them germinate. Another thing you can do is scarify the seeds, essentially clip/scrape off a small corner of the seed coat to allow the water to more easily penetrate inside and wet the actual seed. Otherwise, plant in a warm location, keep them wet, and be patient and hopefully a few sprout for you!

[@ericphelps4362]

What pepper is that purple pepper plant? I have never seen a purple pepper before. That is amazing such a beautiful plant

[@TheDynaGuy]

I started my plants in my boiler room. They’re at a pretty constant 80-85 degrees F. My house on the other hand is about 60-65. I have grow lights in the boiler room but will the constant heat negatively impact the peppers? Thanks

[@PepperGeek]

No, they should be okay to handle that level of heat, especially if they are just being grown as seedlings to transplant out. During flowering/fruiting you'll want the temps to dip overnight for better fruit sets. If you can ventilate the boiler room a bit to decrease temps a bit it wouldn't hurt

[@TheDynaGuy]

@@PepperGeek thank you so much. Some of the peppers I planted were from a hot pepper variety pack. I tried my best to separate the seeds based on their physical characteristics. We will see how well I did in a few months. One of the varieties is having some issues. One sprouted without leaves, one is missing the tip of a leaf, and one has really skinny weak looking leaves. I think it may be a lack of water issue because the hot low humidity room is drying them out. I’ve had to water every day and if I have a fan going in there I have to water in the morning and evening

[@debbieh1959]

I have a question? I have 2 bell pepper plants that I dug up at the end of last years going season. I got new pots and new potting soil, washed the roots out then repotted for the winter and I kept them it a filtered light area around the 65 degree and now I moved them to my indoor growing area with all my seedlings, the stems are green and brown, Now they been in this area for 3 weeks and nothing happening. Will it take longer to come back to life or are they done

[@MichaelRei99]

sounds like they are toast. If you keep them under light they will grow foliage. Did you water them over the winter?

[@darylhankemeier3564]

If the stems are green, they are still alive. You should be seeing new stems and leaves coming out of the nodes soon.

[@debbieh1959]

Thanks for replying @@darylhankemeier3564

[@PepperGeek]

That sounds awesome John, hopefully you have a huge harvest year. Can't wait to start the majority of our seeds this week!

[@seetheforest]

All of this is subject to change in Fla zones 9++.

[@JS-jl1yj]

I am growing peppers from seeds for the first time. The variety is Marconi Red. Do I need to pinch off the tops? At what stage should I do that? My seedlings have 4 sets of true leaves.

[@PepperGeek]

No I wouldn't bother with pinching/pruning. We stopped "topping" a few years ago after realizing it doesn't really provide a noticeable benefit in yield or plant structure, especially for larger types. Just let the plant grow naturally and provide some support (a tomato cage is perfect for Marconis).

[@JS-jl1yj]

@@PepperGeek Thank you. I have one more question for you. Since Marconi Red has longer size of the fruit than the average bell pepper, I am thinking of removing the flowers that are close to the ground and allowing only the ones higher up to develop into fruit. In the past, when I grew regular-sized bell peppers from purchased seedlings, the peppers near the ground looked perfectly healthy, but they were infested inside by some bugs and the seed head was all black. I had to throw them out. What is your thought on this.

[@reefslug]

My plants leaves tend to turn yellow with dark green veins during fruiting. Is that from lack of nitrogen or magnesium? If you think it's nitrogen will it be okay to give the plant nitrogen during fruiting or will that result in less peppers?

[@PepperGeek]

Some chlorosis later in the year, especially on older leaves, is normal. What you're describing is interveinal chlorosis, and can be caused by calcium deficiency. However, I wouldn't recommend dumping calcium onto the soil without knowing there's a deficiency, or you're having other issues with fruit production. Adding a bit of bone meal early in the season in the planting hole can help prevent calcium issues especially in potted plants.

[@reefslug]

@@PepperGeek thank you so much. I really appreciate you taking the time to help me out

[@WEEBO74]

I accidentally left new seedlings out for two cold nights😢 i hope they are salvageable.

[@MadameCasper]

I'd start some more just in case. Good luck.

[@ianmcgaughey1]

Do you have any advice for overwintered pepper plants that are not "waking up"?

[@frogstock2597]

Throw in bin?

[@ianmcgaughey1]

@@frogstock2597 does that mean the trash?

[@ryanwiebe2202]

Before you toss it, scratch the bark a little to see if it's still green underneath. You can tell a living branch from a dead one pretty quickly. If it's green still, give it time, light and water.

[@ianmcgaughey1]

@@ryanwiebe2202 it's still green. The stems are turning brown towards the top. I thought about digging it up to see if there's a soil issue

[@dethomas8676]

My bell pepper plant has lots of follage but it stopped flowering..What can I do

[@PepperGeek]

I would cut back on any fertilizer and give the plant some time to flower. If it’s very hot, I’d try giving it some shade in the afternoon

[@dethomas8676]

Will try.Thank You

[@crftersp5049]

will pepper plant grow in clay soil ?

[@jtmarshall]

It can but it's not optimal.. id suggest using peat moss, coco coir, or other amendments that'll help loosen your clay soil

[@PepperGeek]

Yes, but make sure it drains. Ideally, add some compost each year and the soil will be improved over time to have better aeration and drainage.

[@guytokquez4935]

Hey any idea who can supply my hot sauce biz with about 1,000 lbs of Fresno Reds and Habaneros a month?

[@alkolaqi83]

How come he doesn’t talk about pest, i have too many issues with pest

[@seetheforest]

Peppers like it warm and full sun. But not Florida warm snd full sun.

[@tomthumb3880]

Top your peppers

[@Dahh_tl]

I dont have most of these issues because I live in the Philippines. However, Aphids are my mortal enemy. Sprayed neem oil several times and theyre still there 😢

[@PepperGeek]

Aphids suck - they're a global issue! The best defense is other insects that eat the aphids. Not sure what is available to you, but I'd suggest doing some research on beneficial insects that feed on aphids (ladybugs, lacewings, etc.)

[@tutortani]

I want to be your friend. ❤❤❤I saw your video until the end and I have L, C, S. Complete package. ❤❤❤Always happy greetings.

[@PepperGeek]

Wow, thank you! Glad to have you here

[@happydeux2254]

Specifying a 15 or 18 hour photo period isn't correct. You need to know your Dally Light Intergal. If you have a 1000W LED light that's 10" away from your plants after 15 hours they'll be vaporised. I have excellent plants with 12 hours of light

[@alpha42069]

oh shut it

[@kx4532]

They get destroyed by aphids.

[@klaudii4446]

Get ladybugs or diatomaceous earth

[@Tommasi0310]

Its 2024, we are on youtube, Can we please use the metric system?

[@PepperGeek]

Did I miss one of the conversions? I usually add the Celsius conversion in text at the bottom!

[@Volfor321]

We are in the USA. Nope.

[@katie7748]

It's 2024. Can we please learn how to convert on our own?

[@djc6323]

You can access Google while watching and allow the great and grand internet convert for you.

[@James-ru3st]

Get this man Royale with cheese!

[@Soundofwindonsand]

NO.......just ask an auto mechanic Metric is not small enough in increments for exact measurement... Its printed on the screen already Karen 😼 It's kinda like an Original Language Then the New people show up, and don't want to learn the Original customs or language... Like NewYorkas moving to Florida