Bottom Pruning and Mulching Pepper Plants - Pepper Geek

[@ryanr6656]

trimming the base makes everything look bigger and better

[@omahanprabla3058]

;)

[@JT-ik4cm]

Just found myself out bottom pruning my pepper plants at 12 am 🤣

[@sslocke]

I find myself doing as much 12am gardening as I do 12pm.

[@CosmicPBnJ]

0111 for me. Lol.

[@pepperhead8385]

Yeah its all the same around the World! 🤘🏻

[@aam77]

Honest to god, that's the exact same thing I'm doing at the exact same time. I had some straws in the shed and I spread some of that on top of the soil too.

[@mohammedfaizaan9010]

Did u see any ghosts near ur pepper plant?😂

[@tmoutdoors5238]

Watched this, immediately went out and bottom pruned 37 pepper plants, never thought to do this. Thanks!!

[@PepperGeek]

You bet! Hope your plants are doing well :)

[@milstringfellow6283]

Went out as well this morning and trimmed mine. 👍

[@wayneking9997]

I find bottom pruning is the best way

[@mwright6395]

Now I know to go mulch my pepper plants when I’m back from vacation. I worry about my little plants but hope family who is watering them don’t forget any of them.

[@PepperGeek]

Sometimes neglecting peppers is the best thing you can do for them, so don't worry :)

[@thetangieman3426]

TBH I often remove the first 4-6 lateral nodes, keeping each plant to 4-8 stems diverging from the main stem, and I typically leave the leaves on the mainstem 2-3 weeks after pinching out the nodes before removing them. This gives the plant time to use those leaves to provide energy to the overhead stems until they can grow a little more and focuses energy on the intended stems. Ideally resulting in a 6 inch bare stem forking into 4-8 branches.

[@ahnaahna7278]

Kitties always bring good energy to my plants! I do also put little colorful plastic forks/spoons/knives from Dollar Store, all over the top of the soil, to discourage any kitty using the plant pot as litter box. Is a great hack! It works great!!! Ahna Atlanta/Georgia

[@rosswoodland6449]

This was the perfect timing man. Thank you. Actually answered part of my question from my Dm on Instagram. I thought the lower sprouts were a sign that the plant was too root-bound. I'll just let them be and see how that goes.

[@PepperGeek]

Glad to help, thanks for watching us!

[@DustyNonya]

It's nice seeing a bottom pruning video on peppers. I don't generally prune mine at all unless the leaves become damaged or too close to the soil...but I've found it stunts the plant less (if at all) compared to topping them, and you don't generally end up with compact growth that weighs the plant down from being bushed out artificially. I've seen both methods harbor success for certain peppers or growers, but the bottom pruning method always seemed to be more the more logical choice in general. The leaves are older, closer to pathogenic "splash" hazards, and there's less guesswork involved in determining the effects of losing a fully mature leaf/plant segment.

[@TimBeitz-vp2fw]

I started pruning the main stem the last 2 growing seasons. My peppers produced big time.

[@DustyNonya]

@@TimBeitz-vp2fw I've never topped mine but the local wind tends to bush my peppers out plenty by itself. Funnily, as it comes to my FR-1125 "Tailed Beast" project, the trunk of the plant forks so low and symmetrical that, after 5 years of selective breeding, I can't exactly say they have a main stem anymore LOL.

[@UrbanGardeningWithD.A.Hanks14]

Love the kitty. She's adorable!

[@gapey]

I've always bottom pruned my peppers but I also prune the lower suckers. I figure it will help the top growth grow more quickly since it isn't spending energy on all the new shoots. This is my first year using straw mulch on my peppers and am happy with how that is working out. I've only used straw mulch on my garlic but this year I'm putting it everywhere. :)

[@PepperGeek]

Nice! Yeah pruning the suckers is probably optional - might be better to remove some if you have a shorter season. A few people have mentioned that the brand of straw we showed may contain wheat seeds...so we'll be looking forward to weeding wheat all season 😂

[@gapey]

@@PepperGeek yeah there is that. I think most do. We give ours to the chickens for a few weeks. They eat ALL the seeds for us. Didn’t do that one year and had tons of wheat sprouts.

[@Wheelman1966]

I love bottom pruning. Puts more energy UP and makes it look like a tree

[@iwuvwaffles]

the snap of the leaves coming off has a satisfying sound lol

[@SuperStruct]

You can get free straw mulch from Farm Supply by asking them if you can sweep up near their stray bales... But I use that for containers only because it does have wheat seeds in them, could get gnarly if you let the weeds grow. Worth it to me, got enough for the year in one day!

[@hollynelson543]

I never heard about trimming the bottom and that it would make more shoot, thank you.

[@richardsanchez177]

Thanks for the tip. I have some peppers and having some growth problems. I’ll give this a try

[@LateNightYinzer]

Another great video Calvin. One thing I might add.. Make damn sure you get straw mulch that's WEED FREE. Mine was 99% weed free, and now I'm growing wheat with my peppers, lol.

[@PepperGeek]

Haha, yes I do think the brand we got may have seeds in it unfortunately

[@artistinagarden]

Great info! My peppers dropped their bottom leaves before I moved them into the garden! I think they became to large for their pots? They are doing great and I am happy to hear they don't really need the bottom leaves anyway, lol!

[@PepperGeek]

Nice! Thanks, and hope your plants are settling in well :)

[@mytech6779]

That can be caused by a number of things. The most benign reason is that the lower leaves get shaded as the plants grow and the plant will drop the leaves that are consuming more energy than they can capture. Also stresses like being root bound, especially when combined with things like shade, minor water stress, cool or hot temps, or low nutrient levels. I suppose there are also some pathogens that could cause it too but those tend to have other symptoms, usually it is not a pathogen issue.

[@TimBeitz-vp2fw]

My greenhouse peppers are setting fruit. Pruned the tops and looking good.

[@TimBeitz-vp2fw]

I treat my pepper plants the same as my tomatoes. No leaves touch the soil.

[@TwoMarshmallows1]

So helpful and thorough, thank you! I am assuming having a cat inspect the plants is optional but preferrable.

[@PepperGeek]

No problem! Yes, she likes to taste-test the leaves on occasion as well.

[@UrbanGardeningWithD.A.Hanks14]

Yes, and all of that mulch is very inviting for a cat; both for nesting or littering, LOL.

[@davidisaacson9328]

@@UrbanGardeningWithD.A.Hanks14 Yeah...that's why I have a 2nd litter box outside. Caught him doing his business in my mulched row beds, gave him a nice, little lesson... and now he uses the litter box.

[@davidniemi6553]

I've long been removing low leaves and sometimes branches, starting with seed leaves, when they (a) no longer look healthy; (b) are dragging on the ground or close to it; and/or (c) are completely shaded out by higher leaves and branches. I experimented a lot with topping 2 years ago and did not find it very helpful except on leggy plants, and my pepper plants are rarely leggy even indoors under my grow lights. However, I do remove tops (and move plants out to pots to quarantine) if I suspect a virus like whatever causes the curly, smaller, dark, shiny leaves. In that case I remove the parts of the plants that don't look 100% healthy and hope for it to regrow. This works about half the time.

[@mikeconklin1567]

I learned to use Pine Straw to keep weeds from germinating. Mulching every month.

[@amandaleeborchert3745]

Thank you for the wonderful tips!🫑🌶🫑

[@Robert-xp4ii]

Those companies would charge us for poop. Oh wait, they do. 😒 Anywho, great video as always. You're my bible as I grow my first peppers (habanero and piñata).

[@PepperGeek]

Yeah, we did buy some poop this year 😅...thanks for watching and good luck with those plants!

[@KAP1984]

This was the video that made me subscribe, easy and nice close up instructions!

[@PepperGeek]

Thank you :)

[@hekkenschutz]

Hey Pepper Geek! Thanks for all the content and all that you do! Wouldn't it be neat if you had a playlist on KZbin about peppers, wherein you make an in depth video on each type of pepper? That'd be too cool!

[@PepperGeek]

Thanks for the idea - we will definitely give a closer look at some types later in the season when we have fresh pods! Not sure if we'll do a series but may try it out on a few.

[@hekkenschutz]

@@PepperGeek yeah, one way would be to read off an encyclopedia of information about each individual strain or perhaps maybe tips, tricks and recipes for each type? Idkmaybe fresh salsa with ancho, poblanos and tomatillo next to stuffed bishop's heads, bells and jalapenos?

[@kellyclark7517]

Topped my pepper plants,WOW! Makes all the difference! It’s so fluffy n Bush in out🤙🏽🤙🏽🤙🏽 Mahalo pepper geek ;)

[@PepperGeek]

Nice!

[@annasweynor6344]

It's June in Western NC. Can/should I top prune them

[@kellyclark7517]

@@annasweynor6344 yesssssss! I was Wayover thinking it and I just took the scissors and gave them a nice haircut and it is amazing! Perhaps you might not want to do it in the heat of the day but I’m not sure that would even make a difference🤷‍♀️

[@DonPandemoniac]

It may seen counterintuitive to clip off parts of your plants, but there is a logic there. Nice and informative video, thanks! Nice to see some footage of the garden too, looks good. Ow, and be wary of the cat, he/she seems to have plans for that mulch.

[@PepperGeek]

Hahah, yes she seemed to be very interested, right away. Appreciate your nice words :)

[@paisley1134]

I bottom pruned mine and took the leaves, cut them with scissors scattered them in my garden to help repel bunnies. My jalapenos are producing like crazy.

[@nicholaslomb7174]

This is my first year attempting to grow ghost pepper plants. I'm using all your advice and taking it to heart. My plans are about 5 in tall. I live in southwestern Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh area. And I noticing at this young they are starting to sprout flowers already. Should I trim them off so that they don't start growing peppers so young? And when should I stop clipping the flowers and start letting them bloom into peppers?

[@nicholaslomb7174]

So I just found the video you did on the subject. It was very helpful.

[@TheCookster64]

My peppers are just getting big enough to start trimming the bottom leaves. I use grass clippings to mulch all my containers and raised beds. It's free.

[@notflanders4967]

grass clippings may contain harmful fertilizers and seeds of various weeds. But im sure you know this, just in case. Definitely not a bad idea

[@brianhall2694]

I've been removing any leaves that look like they might come in soil contact if there was a very hot day and wilting while I'm at work, same for my tomatoes, if they look like the lower leaves could touch soil then snip snip. I've a number of black plastic pots that lose moisture incredibly fast on hot days outdoors, I find a little layer of weed mat or non-laminated cardboard/old newspaper sheets topped with a couple of inches of grass clippings prevents drying out an awful lot, very cheap too.

[@PepperGeek]

Nice, thanks for sharing the extra tips

[@nateethegreat48]

I use alfalfa as a mulch it doubles as a alfalfa meal providing nitrogen and other nutrients to the soil as it breaks down , great video thinks for the information keep up the good work !🙌🏽

[@PepperGeek]

Interesting - we have some alfalfa pellets we were planning to ferment and integrate with our soil but didn't get to it... thanks for watching!

[@nateethegreat48]

@@PepperGeek I use the alfalfa hay , never used the pellet before but I’m not sure u would want to mulch with that

[@IjeomaThePlantMama]

​@@nateethegreat48 I have alfalfa hay so I'm going to try this!!

[@cr8zyamg]

Great Videos . Keep it up I just started growing pepper plants . And I am in dilemma. My pepper plants started to produce flowers already and the size of the plant isn’t to large about 24 cm . Is it best to pinch the flowers off and allow the plant to establish stronger roots and focus more on shoots and etc. any suggest or help would be great . Thanks . Keep up the great videos

[@rhoeasie]

Just what I needed! I'm growing peppers for the first time ever and in addition to my seed-grown jalapeno I bought a pepper plant from a garden centre, as insurance in case my jalapeno never grows anything. That plant is growing extremely bushy and I had wondered about pruning it, but I think it's branching like crazy so probably shouldn't. Question: as I bought this plant it had already started flowering but it is very small and low-lying. I planted it in a rather large pot as that was the only one available. Is there any hope for it to become larger even though it's very soon starting to push out fruit? Does it develop a root system to use this newly found space, or will it just focus on fruits and then that's it? Unfortunately I don't know the variety but I believe it's probably a mild generic red pepper and the growth looks a lot like the Hungarian pepper that was mentioned. I grow my plants outside on a balcony. And thank you very much for your excellent videos that make chili growing feel very accessible!

[@PepperGeek]

Yes, don't worry about pruning - it will still continue to grow while it fruits, but just a little more slowly. The energy the plant produces is finite, so it needs to choose where to put it. Thanks for the nice words :)

[@brucepechtel7791]

Just wanted to thank you so much for your videos. They are a joy to watch and extremely informative! This is my first year growing peppers (jalapeños, Trinidad Scorpions, Carolina Reapers, Siracha Peppers), and others! I have learned so much and will be doing things a little differently thanks to your videos! Thank you again for all your hard work into putting these videos together! It’s very much appreciated!

[@Jack_Pepsi]

Another concept to do if you don't want to prune is cleaning the leaves. While commonly done for house plants outdoor ones could be rinsed after say a storm comes and splashes soil on them or old spice powders I use to keep rabbits away. It'll help your plant photosynthesize better and keep it clean

[@W1zdumb]

True. But to prevent splashing up of any type of particle... I myself place cut to size garden fabric with slits for stems. No more splash back if you mulch on top.

[@tomasrivera4950]

Thanks for you’re videos !!! Very helpful!!!!! I been trying to grow some special peppers from my country I just been successful for the last 2 years !! Fallow yours videos 👍🏻

[@johntompkins4707]

Awesome video length.

[@liquidxskin19]

I love this channel!

[@NightRunner417]

I see you're using a grow bag. I'm new to these and currently growing some sweet potatoes in 5 gallon ones and they look great, but my bell peppers are in plastic pots and definitely not happy (leaf curl probably from overwatering). Do you have a video where you discuss the bags at all or do you have any quick comments about them? Finding your videos very helpful! Thank you for all you do! BTW your plants are _gorgeous._ :-)

[@Robert_Lawson]

Very helpful video. I've got a bit of bottom pruning to do this weekend!

[@nateethegreat48]

Hemp mulch is also a great sustainable mulch and it doesn’t poke or splinter you hands

[@janellarosepurugganan5476]

You can use those leaves in chicken soup..Yum! Thanks for sharing that about bottom pruning..

[@mikesbasement6954]

Have you considered doing a video (or set of videos) on growing peppers using hydroponics? In my living situation that's all I can do.

[@deepalib3096]

Such an informative video!

[@PepperGeek]

Glad you think so! :)

[@HezamBBQ]

Very silly question, but how do you know when to water when you have mulch? I like to see the soil and touch it to see how dry is it

[@PepperGeek]

With potted plants, we generally go by the weight of the pot, but it is also easy to move mulch to feel the soil

[@Melanieallen968]

Great advice! Thankyou.🙂

[@Halloweenville]

Thanks for the tips.

[@PepperGeek]

You bet, hope it helps

[@Amapola454]

Thanks so much! Love your cat!

[@PepperGeek]

She’s a sweetheart 😸

[@notrenature5777]

i really like your channel .keep Going

[@Dai-sy11]

thank you.

[@sharonbrowne2311]

I used this straw for the first time last year. I loved it. I did not tidy up my vegetable garden last fall so I have to do it now. Is it okay to turn the straw under in the vegetable garden bed or will it take nitrogen from the new plants as it breaks down this planting season?

[@PepperGeek]

No, I would not turn the straw into the soil. I’d recommend removing it from the bed, doing what you need to do with the soil (transplanting plants in, etc.) then putting the straw back. It can last a few seasons before needing a refresher, at which point it can be composted or just left to decompose on the bed’s surface

[@sharonbrowne2311]

@@PepperGeek thank you

[@wayneking9997]

I actually prefer bottom pruning than topping my pepper plants. Quick question should I be mulching my pepper plants in containers or leave be

[@PepperGeek]

Not a big deal with container plants, it may help a bit with water retention/splashing, but weeds won't likely be a problem anyway.

[@wayneking9997]

@@PepperGeek thanks

[@lucphinney]

Some broadleaf herbicides commonly used on wheat crops are fairly persistent and do get absorbed by plant tissue - have you ever had a problem with straw contaminated with herbicide? Learned about the issue years ago in a master gardener class but haven't actually seen it happen...

[@PepperGeek]

Thanks for the insight on this - We have not seen it ourselves, but definitely something to be aware of. Herbicides are no good for peppers (or tomatoes) - I’ve heard some people who live near inorganic farms can have gardening problems from herbicide drift on the wind

[@lucphinney]

@@PepperGeek I'll know I'm babying my peppers a *bit* too much when I insist on organic straw to mulch them with...

[@rauls7616]

Greetings, would mulch prevent fungus gnats?

[@nathanboyd7460]

I noticed wild grass in your buckets...lol...I have the same problem.

[@franciscolacorte5958]

Hello one of my small bell pepper here in dubai did not grow that fast and the top leaves are curling up. Can you pls tell me what are the reasons of that and what can i do for it to recover.

[@thecyclingcouple4438]

is cultivation (loosening the soil) necessary if you have mulch around the plant? great video btw. subscribed bro

[@joepeduzzi8834]

Great video. Can you tell me where you get your straw mulch because where I live on Long Island New York the chances of getting straw that isn't contaminated with Roundup or even worse grazon is slim and none. Thanks

[@williamcwright]

Thanks!

[@PepperGeek]

Thanks for the super thanks - appreciate you!

[@tradertom4843]

the tap roots will also pop through the top soil cause the mulch provides moisture barrier. I use mushroom compost so when I lift the mulch I see that beautiful mycelium. have you ever heard of crop and drop? I highly suggest using cover crop

[@tonkabear2369]

What is the tack in the mulch made of?

[@karenkramberg2990]

My red bell pepper plant isn’t growing well, although my green bell is doing ok. It is in a 5 gallon grow bag. Is this too small? It has been a very hot, dry, summer, so nothing has been overly productive, but it’s my first season growing so I’m unsure if maybe I should’ve given them more space. Drip, Ph, and fertilizer seem to be ok. Thanks for any ideas!

[@PepperGeek]

5 gallon should be enough for bell peppers. Thankfully, the green bell will probably ripen to red if you leave them on the plant long enough :)

[@carlbreeden9074]

I have some pinhole size holes on my hot pepper plants...thoughts? Keep adding those subs...love the channel

[@PepperGeek]

Hmm..could be some kind of mite or flea beetles - check for pests at various times of the day to see what you may have. Oh, and thanks!

[@carlbreeden9074]

@@PepperGeek Ive been looking and so far nothing I can see with my old eyes nut I will keep looking..is DE an effective treatment for these pests?

[@dianafuld3450]

I use a mix of essential oils in water to spray the leaves of my pepper plants to avoid bugs feasting on the leave. Generally, 4-5 drops each of peppermint, clove, thyme, and rosemary essential oils mixed with water in a small (maybe 6-8 oz??) spray bottle. Spray on affected and surrounding leaves. Spray about once or twice a day until you no longer see any bugs. Worked last year when I had a serious aphid problem on one bell pepper plant.

[@nunyabisnass1141]

I bottom prune stems that will interfere with the growth of the plant going up, and leaves that are shaded by the newer growth.

[@ijazh6790]

I just mow the grass and put it in a pillow case. Then put it in the washer dryer. Now just apply the dry grass as mulch. It's not always possible to leave it to dry in the sun.

[@santhoshpulluru2632]

Thanks for the video. My pepper plants does not healthy! They are curly bubbled and sometimes rusty stains! I am not sure what I am missing! Can you please provide some tips.

[@PepperGeek]

Hm, sounds like it could be a pest problem, or perhaps over-watering or over-fertilizing. If none of these seem like the problem, could be disease/fungus...

[@Lastman737]

I'm a top should I still prune them?

[@lavernforeman9063]

Can you plant 2 pepper in one pot

[@ianwilliams7740]

Do you have any concerns with mulching close to the stems of the plants allowing mould or fungus to grow ?? I have heard some advice that says keep mulch a little bit away from the stems. Not sure it makes any difference.

[@mrblungorn]

I want to use shredded leaves as mulch. Easy to spread and available. Would that consume nitrogen like wood chips?

[@PepperGeek]

That should be okay, not sure if it would rob nitrogen - I would just avoid working it into the soil and keep it on the surface

[@YoKnow]

I don't use mulch, I use river rocks on the top of my soil. It helps keep pest from laying eggs in my soil. The rocks do help keep my soil moist. I always bottom prune because most of the time your plant isn't going to need the bottom leaves and they are just taking up energy & nutrients from the plants!

[@napaea9460]

Is black mulch ok for peppers? If I don’t have any other, is black mulch better than no mulch?

[@PepperGeek]

Yep it should be okay to use

[@tomm5228]

I’ve overwintered for the first time, if you mulch in pots how do you know when to water?visually ?

[@PepperGeek]

Yes, in pots we usually go by the weight of the pot. You can also move the mulching aside temporarily to check on the soil's moisture

[@andylopez6393]

I used wood chips for my plants which are still small. They definitely didn’t like it and also trapped a lot of moisture which lead to a fungus gnats infestation. Wish I had seen these video 2 weeks ago.

[@JungleScene]

depending how you mixed your soil, woodchips helping to trap moisture is can be a feature instead of a bug. its very common to use woodchips as a mulch in the garden, and when using in pots just make sure your soil is very free draining.

[@AM4N18]

I really like the grow bag in this video, which one is that and where did you get that from?

[@PepperGeek]

Bootstrap Farmer makes them, but you can get them from many different companies. They are 'non woven' material which is important

[@AM4N18]

@@PepperGeek Ok thank you, will take a look. Could you tell me why non-woven is important when looking out for one?

[@deborrahmorgan8067]

I was wondering what size of grow bag you used for the demonstration pepper?

[@PepperGeek]

7 gallons

[@garlicgirl3149]

Have you grown in a vertical greenstalk?

[@PepperGeek]

We have not

[@johnathanscott8009]

My plants have already been in the ground for about 45 days is it too late to trims the bottom leaves?

[@nicholaslomb7174]

What is a good product to use for insects outdoors? Having a problem with it looks like holes on my leaves

[@KittyKat.777]

Look up captain jack’s dead bug brew. If you’re specifically dealing with leaf eating worms look up Bonide’s Thuricide.

[@LockRocker]

Cat be like: How to get your geek to provide more headroom and make a litter box from scratch, fertilizing made simple!

[@shmuzee]

Is important to use straw that was from a pesticide-free farm?

[@PepperGeek]

Yes, definitely. I've heard horror stories of people having straw with pesticides remaining that ruined their gardens for years. We will likely be switching to using leaf mulch from fallen leaves in autumn.

[@tomc8115]

Very useful. What size is the fabric pot shown in the video? Thanks

[@PepperGeek]

Thanks! That is a 7 gallon pot

[@TheL0wner]

i use straw mulch in my outdoor potted plants. it seems to stop the squirrels from digging in them.

[@Zizzyyzz]

Where do you purchase your straw? Thanks!

[@PepperGeek]

We get ours from Tractor Supply - there seems to be an issue lately with seeds in the straw, leading to unwanted sprouts. Just something to keep in mind.

[@Zizzyyzz]

@@PepperGeek Thanks!

[@derpina615]

I have the same straw mulch from Lowe’s… hubs and I were arguing about it not being organic and hence messing up our organic garden 🤦🏻‍♀️ what are your thoughts?

[@PepperGeek]

The tackifier is questionable..it is apparently all natural but I don’t honestly know much about it. Couldn’t find much info about this brand

[@robinholbrook8296]

I use dried grass clippings to use as mulch

[@dkexpat2755]

I always wondered, does it matter that the top soil is dry? If you have enough water at the bottom? I bottom water my plants, and the top is almost always dry.

[@PepperGeek]

No, the first 1-2 inches of soil can dry out before watering - peppers have almost no roots in this zone anyway. For potted plants we usually go by the weight of the container

[@martinachandler5289]

Where do you get that fine mulch? I don't think I ever seen it anywhere.

[@PepperGeek]

It is used for planting grass seed, so we found it at Tractor Supply. Should find it at big box hardware stores too

[@holdenv]

Bruh my pepper plants are absolutely tiny this year. Germinated in March and still only 8” tall. I assume it’s the soil so I’ve transplanted them into what I hope is a better area for them.

[@PepperGeek]

Hm, well that isn't too tiny, depends on the size pot they are in, might have outgrown them and stopped growing - hope they do well going forward

[@robinholbrook8296]

Same here

[@davidhuerta1846]

Can you use grass clippings? For mulching?

[@Rubysay233]

Yes

[@Mr_Daddy1980]

As long as the grass clippings you are using wasn't treated with weed killer or other chemicals.

[@BHadassah]

Is it alright to use straw with tackifier on plants with vegetables that we will eat? Do I need to be concerned about toxins being released into my pepper plants?

[@PepperGeek]

Modern products typically use guar gum or natural substances for tackifier these days, but you should look into the specific type of tack if your straw contains any - you can also find plain straw at Tractor Supply or other farm supply stores

[@BHadassah]

@@PepperGeek Thank you!

[@rs2543]

Just put mulch around my peppers and then realized the mulch has an added color to keep it brown. Probably not the healthiest thing for my peppers or those eating them.

[@ryanr6656]

What about last years stump grinding chips?

[@merkox7857]

It's a deal that nitrogen are removed from top layers. But you also can use some coffee damp it has like 2% on nitrogen+ it will benefit also with zing and other microelements.

[@merkox7857]

just adding compost might be big risk due of balance of some nutrients. ofk when it's calculated.

[@dragonguise]

I noticed your Aji plants are tall and awkward like mine. Will you cage them or stake them?

[@PepperGeek]

We'll just stake them - most baccatum varieties grow this way, tall and slender, requiring vertical support

[@reidrodgers3870]

What about using fresh grass clippings? Do the have the same nitrogen robbing effects that fresh wood chips do?

[@dog-lover84]

Is it okay to use pine needle straw ?

[@PepperGeek]

Yes I used that for the first time this year with our garlic patch - worked great to retain moisture!

[@jakelooter5139]

I agree both should be done I am surprised there is a video about somethings so obvious, then again I am an expert biocultivator, not an average youtuber. while you are at it teach people this species is a perennial lowland tropical tree that can be grown for years in a pot and will fruit at 50 F under low light once mature indoors in a window...

[@hairybass480]

What can you do besides wait if your side shoots are just not growing. I pruned a few plants that did not grow after that. It's been over a month. They side shoots seem to be at idle. Should you not prune some variety. The ones that didn't not like it are my super hots.

[@PepperGeek]

Hm, well if they are just not growing, it must come down to inadequate light, poor soil quality, poor drainage, or lack of nutrients. We typically only top prune those that are getting too tall or that were planted too early.

[@hairybass480]

@@PepperGeek they are coming around now. Fed them a little and they are starting to do thier thing. Had me kinda bummed but they know what to do. Great videos btw. Thank you.

[@toddjohnston4788]

When I transplanted the bottom leaves were really bigger on bottom than the top....l mean most of the power had to go to those bottom 4-6 leaves....I guess I'll find out...thanks