[CH] Windowsill peppers and what to do with them
Punto (punto@inch.com)
Sat, 28 May 2011 10:52:53 -0400
Since I am much better at killing off potted plants than growing them,
the frustration of watching them slowly (or not so slowly) wither or
otherwise drop dead has gotten me out of the gardening game for many years.
A couple of weeks ago, I succumbed to temptation at the community garden
fundraiser near where I work and bought some 3 jalapeno and 4 yellow
banana (someone grabbed the ones that said "hot peppers" before I
could). They are sitting on my windowsill and are still in the tiny 2"
square containers, so I am trying to figure out what to do next and when.
The jals are about 3 inches high and white blossoms have just appeared
on them, the bananas are 4-6 inches at this point. The instructions that
are on the stakes pushed into the soil assume that you are putting them
in the ground and say nothing about what size pots might be best and
what soil mix to plant them in. I gather it's a matter of timing
deciding when you should give the roots more room and I don't know what
I should be doing now.
Is there a good source that specifically answers my questions or do any
of you growers out there have some guidance on this. I'm sure that the
$8 I have invested so far (plus whatever else on new pots, soil, food)
could have bought a whole lot of really fine peppers when they show up
at my greenmarket later this year, but here I am and I don't want to
watch these guys dwindle away without giving it my best.
Oh yeah, I am in NYC and the windowsill that they are on gets several
hours of sun at this point but is not in full sun the entire day.
Regards,
Peter H.