Topping pepper plants

[drew51]

I saw a series of videos on topping (heading) pepper plants and wondered if others practice this technique? Also bud removal of early buds? Any opinions welcome! I must admit I have never grown peppers from seeds. I have grown tomatoes and other things, but not peppers. I now have about 12 pepper seedlings. I need to experiment to see what works well here, and what works well for me, taste, in the kitchen, etc. So I have years of experimenting ahead of me! I'm growing a lot of ornamentals too, as I also want function and form.
A little of everything with a touch more ornamentals. I'm into edible landscaping. I plan to overwinter the ornamentals and the hotter peppers for possible better production the 2nd year.

[Hermitian]

If plants are started indoors with insufficient light (< 50W / sq.ft.) then their growth habit can be spindly. If pinched back when taken outdoors (or a few days prior), they will develop a more bush-like structure.

My experience with overwintering chili plants outdoors (zone 10b) is that in cooler temperatures the stems tend to stiffen and the plant struggles to restart growth the following spring-summer. In fact I have a habanero outside right now. Indoor overwintering can be very successful if temperatures are kept above 75F and daylight is simulated with 6400-6500 Kelvin bulbs at least 50W/sq.ft. -- the plants never stop producing.

[drew51]

Thanks for the info. I have plenty of light, not a problem there. Here's the video's
beginning
few weeks later
conclusion

[Hermitian]

Originally Posted by drew51

Thanks for the info. I have plenty of light, not a problem there. Here's the video's
beginning
few weeks later
conclusion

Ok, but the videos show growing conditions in a lower light environment.

[drew51]

Originally Posted by Hermitian

Ok, but the videos show growing conditions in a lower light environment.

OK, well i didn't get that from the video. If that's why, it should have been made clear. On my lights I'm not sure about wattage? Input is 230 Watts. Output is 20,000 lumens. I also use diamond foil around plants. In the spring/summer they will get full sun.

[Hermitian]

Originally Posted by drew51

OK, well i didn't get that from the video. If that's why, it should have been made clear. On my lights I'm not sure about wattage? Input is 230 Watts. Output is 20,000 lumens. I also use diamond foil around plants. In the spring/summer they will get full sun.

Lumens are a measure of human perception of brightness. There is no relevance to plants. They are only on the label because of an outdated US architectural law regarding light bulbs. What matters for plants is spectrum (6400-6500 Kelvin) and Watts/sq.ft. of projected area. Fluorescent bulbs have an output efficiency (initially) in the high 90 percentile, so input Watts is very close to output Watts.

[drew51]

Originally Posted by Hermitian

Lumens are a measure of human perception of brightness. There is no relevance to plants. They are only on the label because of an outdated US architectural law regarding light bulbs. What matters for plants is spectrum (6400-6500 Kelvin) and Watts/sq.ft. of projected area. Fluorescent bulbs have an output efficiency (initially) in the high 90 percentile, so input Watts is very close to output Watts.

OK, well it doesn't have the wattage info. Spectrum is as you mention, the growth spectrum, not the blossom spectrum. They are plant lights, T-5's at 4 feet, 4 bulb fixture. It's bright!! I'll tell you that! I do not like looking at it. I can also add more lights, but only 2 footers. Like say a side light for mature plants. Right now the foil is useless as they are just seedlings and the light is very close to plants. I actually have a bunch of old I guess T-8 fixtures. I might use them in the future too, they are being useless at the moment.

So in the winter, use the 6K Kelvin? not the 3K Kelvin lights?

[Doug9345]

Originally Posted by Hermitian

Lumens are a measure of human perception of brightness. There is no relevance to plants. They are only on the label because of an outdated US architectural law regarding light bulbs. What matters for plants is spectrum (6400-6500 Kelvin) and Watts/sq.ft. of projected area. Fluorescent bulbs have an output efficiency (initially) in the high 90 percentile, so input Watts is very close to output Watts.

Actually that looks either like a ballast efficiency or a ballast factor. Fluorescents are in the 25% - 40% range. The main problem is that low pressure mercury emits most of it's energy in the ultraviolet range. That ultra violet is then used to make the phosphors in the tube glow. A photon of ultraviolet light has much more energy that a photon of visible light. The difference in the energy is lost as heat.

[kath]

Some other members have weighed in on this question before in parts of these threads:

http://tomatoville.com/showthread.ph...pepper+flowers

http://tomatoville.com/showthread.ph...pepper+flowers

http://tomatoville.com/showthread.ph...pepper+flowers

Hope you find what you're looking for and have great success with your plants-

kath

[drew51]

I have seen photos in the hot pepper forum of decent plants that never were put outside, grown under shop lights, impressive, with many peppers. It's pretty amazing what you can accomplish with simple lights.

[RootLoops]

can you recommend a good source for t5 fixtures and bulbs that will suffice for tomatoes, bell peppers, and culinary herbs? possibly kale, lettuce, and strawberries at some point as well.

i've avoided t5's for the cost but maybe i can put back a little and move to them in the near future

[Hermitian]

Originally Posted by RootLoops

can you recommend a good source for t5 fixtures and bulbs that will suffice for tomatoes, bell peppers, and culinary herbs? possibly kale, lettuce, and strawberries at some point as well.

i've avoided t5's for the cost but maybe i can put back a little and move to them in the near future

Lettuce has different light and temperature requirements. You want to aim for about 40W/sq.ft. If the "overnight" temperatures are above 60F, then the heads will be bitter.

So to source T5 light systems, you can drive to a home repair store and buy 4' x 4-bulb fixtures and T5HO 6500K 55W bulbs for them at reasonable prices. If you need a lot of fixtures and bulbs, then locate a contractor's supplier -- for example, find out where a local hospital or manufacturing facility buys their lighting.

Online you can order purpose-made fixtures that include the bulbs. I think the best one out there is the "Sun Blaze T5 VHO 48". On the west coast, the supplier that currently has the lowest price is Greentrees Hydroponics.

[drew51]

Wow if you buy 16 of them they give you a whopping 5 bucks off each fixture!

Man that beast looks cool! I'm not sure my set up could handle 8 bulbs wow! I'll have to grow some pot to pay for it all! It's nice though!
So VHO are 95 watts! Wow! Those are beasts! I may have to get one....
The 4 lamp set up makes more sense for me! I maybe can actually afford it. Not not really, but I have the magic plastic card!

[RootLoops]

thanks for the info! i may just grow lettuce outside i doubt i can get it that cool at night during the summer here mid seventies are the norm at night here once it gets hot