[CH] Containers and Peppers
Kasprowicz, Ray (RKasprow@microage.com)
Fri, 19 Mar 1999 08:18:52 -0700
I have been growing peppers in containers for several years and now and can
attest to the vigor in which they grow. In the old days, I used to travel
behind strip malls all over town trying to find discarded food buckets
(grocery stores and fast food places are the best. The target was the white
6 gallon plastic buckets. With minor modifications of removing the metal
handle, cleaning and drilling 1/2 inch holes in the bottom, they were ready
to go. Living in the Southwest I needed something that wouldn't absorb too
much UV and the white plastic seemed to do the trick.
One year I had a 6 ft Isleno Mulato that grew VERY well in a 6 gallon
bucket. It was large enough to grow past my 5 FT plant stakes.
Now that I have moved on to better places I have abandoned the buckets and
bought the "nicer" pots from Home Depot. Most of the larger podded types are
in 18 inch pots that roughly handle 7 gallons of dirt. I even plant my
tomatoes in the 18 inchers (they grow well too).The smaller podded types are
in 14 inch pots with about a 4 gallon capacity. The dirt is regular cheap
potting soil with an addition of perlite. I mulch each pot with bark that
comes in the 5 pound bags. I think the bark was intended for it's aesthetic
value more than it's mulching value, but when the wood gets soaked I swear
that it cuts the transpiration down.
I fertilize with Miracle Grow and Peters 20-20-20 with a sprayer on the end
of the hose. I hook the hose up to the cold water outlet of the washing
machine with e Y valve. This sure cut down the traffic through the house
carrying buckets of water. The hose sits next to the washer when it's not in
use and I pull it out when needed. What a savior......
With these methods, I usually have an over abundance of peppers (which makes
my neighbors happy), not to mention tomatoes. One plant already has about 6
tomatoes that are turning red. Maybe it's my green thumb but my peppers do
as well as they ever did in the ground.
My Red Habanero is about aft tall with a aft canopy, the Thai Dragon has
about 150 flowers blooming, the Pusa Jwalla has about 100 flowers, the De
Arbol has about 75 flowers, the Chiltepin has about 10 flowers but is aft
tall and 3 years old, the Anaheim is aft tall and just sprouting flowers
this week. This is just an example of what's happing in my garden. All the
plants are a lush dark green and could not possible do any better than they
are right now.
My neighbors think I am somewhat of a fanatic with all these plants on my
balcony but who cares, some like it hot.
So the rest of you apartment dwellers, don't despair, if you plant
them.......they will grow......