Growbags and Pepper Plants - Too Small ?

[maillme]

Hi there,

ive had my pepper plants in grow bags for about 3 weeks now - and maybe im just being paranoid (its myfirst time gardening) but y friendhas bell pepprs - and his appear really tal (plants) compared to mine!

I Have:

Sweet Red Bell (10½ inches)
Sweet Green Bell (10½ inches)
Banana Pepper (8.5 inches)

They arein grow bags - and one of them has peppers on it that are over an inch in length - im worried they are maybe not being allowed to grow to what they should? or is it just my paranoia? :





thanks,
Neil

[Kristen]

They look just fine to me.

(Presumably the bottom of the pots they are in have been removed?)

[Alison]

I'm growing some of mine in the same way and they're just started to go mad with their chilli production. Keep up the feeding and give them a bit of a hand on the fertilisation stakes (no sure if it's strickly necessary but seems to help!) and you'll be fine.

[Tori]

what are you feeding yours with?

[maillme]

tomorite, or tomatorite i think its called - only once a week - should i be upping this? They al nowe have fruits

Neil

[Kristen]

I think that's probably about right

[lzyjo]

Your plants look great! Don't think theres anything to worry about.

[Alison]

I tend to feed mine a couple of times a week but at half strength so suppose it's the same concentration in total.

[thatsshallot]

hi started feeding my sweet peppers 2x a week coming on fine lots coming on, picked a tip up out of royal horticulural book if any one wants to try it seems to be helping spray tepped water on flowers to help pollination .

[nick the grief]

Hi there,

ive had my pepper plants in grow bags for about 3 weeks now - and maybe im just being paranoid (its myfirst time gardening) but y friendhas bell pepprs - and his appear really tal (plants) compared to mine!

I Have:

Sweet Red Bell (10½ inches)
Sweet Green Bell (10½ inches)
Banana Pepper (8.5 inches)

They arein grow bags - and one of them has peppers on it that are over an inch in length - im worried they are maybe not being allowed to grow to what they should? or is it just my paranoia? :





thanks,
Neil

I tend to feed mine a couple of times a week but at half strength so suppose it's the same concentration in total.

The trouble with Grow bags is they get hot and the roots don't like it. I always used to empty the contents into tubs and plant in that - I think they like it more as the root run is cooler, alternatively you could stand it on another Growbag and cut the top and bottom out of the top one but I think it's easier to use tubs.

As to feeding, I always treat it like alchohol little and often so I always feed my Toms etc at 1/4 strength but at every watering ( I make up a dustbin full of feed at a time)

But that said it's been a funny year. 3 of my Toms are still about the same height s when I planted them

[leicestershirelass]

Hi - probably a bit late to respond now, but .........

I put my pepper plants in grow bags too and their growth was quite slow and stunted ... peppers have formed and are about half the size of ones you buy in shops.

I had a couple of spare plants that I left in plant pots whilst deciding what to do with them and when some spare ground was free I planted them into it. One is twice the size of the grow bag ones, but the other planted elsewhere was gobbled up by I presume insects (in polytunnel and haven't noticed any slugs).

So next year not wasting money on grow bags but will pop into prepared ground and hopefully get a quicker, better crop.

[fwuffydragon]

The thing about grow bags is that they are too shallow for the plants to develop a decent rooting system. They also dry out too fast.

The way to fix this is to use the grow bag on end, like a cylinder, and put one plant in the top instead. Chop the bottom corners off for drainage. This will give you a much better result.

[Alison]

I use them with rings to get a greater depth - remember my grandad doing this as a kid and he always had a very productive greenhouse.

[DaveC]

My peppers didnt do well at all in grow bags but the two i planted in a large ceramic pot outside are doing very well.

I live in yorkshire and the nights are dropping down to 4 or 5 degrees now and i am wondering if they need to be put in the greenhouse and also when will i no if they are ready to pick?

Thanks

DaveC

[BrideXIII]

My peppers didnt do well at all in grow bags but the two i planted in a large ceramic pot outside are doing very well.

I live in yorkshire and the nights are dropping down to 4 or 5 degrees now and i am wondering if they need to be put in the greenhouse and also when will i no if they are ready to pick?

Thanks

DaveC

bring em indoors if you can, to a bright windowsill, they dont like low temps.
you can pick them green, or wait till they go red, although this late in the year that might be a struggle, you could always hang a banana near them to help them along.