A Pepper Plant Question

[AlittleSalt]

I've been watching the hot peppers we planted this year. I've noticed that pepper plants that start setting peppers don't seem to grow taller like the plants that don't have pepper growing on them. I've never had this problem before.

I have read that tomato plants that start producing tomatoes while the plant is small - all the energy goes into producing the fruit instead of growing the plant larger. I'm guess the same holds true for pepper plants. Should I cut the peppers off the plants until the plants grow bigger?

In the first picture is a Thai Chili that is basically the same size as when I planted it back in late March. The second picture is Aji Amarillo, and it is growing more like my pepper plants have in past years. The third picture is a Tabasco plant. It looks healthy and no peppers growing on it. I grew Tabasco plants last year, and they are about the same size this year as they were last year at this time. I've never grown a Thai chili or Aji Amarillo until now.

[Worth1]

I wour pull the peppers on a plant that small from my experience peppers on a small plant seem to stunt them.
Worth

[GreenFarmer]

there is something munching 3 meals a day on this poor baby...

[AlittleSalt]

I cut them off.

Yes the plants are getting eaten. It's supposed to rain a lot tomorrow and Wednesday. Thursday, I'm hoping to be able to spray them for bugs. I noticed at Walmart (where I get a 10% discount) they have Malathion, bug be gone, and some others that are like Malathion. I've used Malathion in the past and will probably be what I buy this year too.

[Tracydr]

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

I've been watching the hot peppers we planted this year. I've noticed that pepper plants that start setting peppers don't seem to grow taller like the plants that don't have pepper growing on them. I've never had this problem before.

I have read that tomato plants that start producing tomatoes while the plant is small - all the energy goes into producing the fruit instead of growing the plant larger. I'm guess the same holds true for pepper plants. Should I cut the peppers off the plants until the plants grow bigger?

In the first picture is a Thai Chili that is basically the same size as when I planted it back in late March. The second picture is Aji Amarillo, and it is growing more like my pepper plants have in past years. The third picture is a Tabasco plant. It looks healthy and no peppers growing on it. I grew Tabasco plants last year, and they are about the same size this year as they were last year at this time. I've never grown a Thai chili or Aji Amarillo until now.

Thai chiles are tiny plants in my experience.
I use a lot of kelp and fish emulsion. I finally got mine from Amazon this weekend and the difference in the tomatoes from yesterday and Friday is amazing.
Alfalfa also has growth factors and is another favorite additive of mine. Get the horse or rabbit alfalfa cubes/pellets and add a handful or two each plant. They will break down slowly, while the kelp and fish emulsion give rapid response. I don't think you have a big issue. You could nip the blooms and fruits but I really don't know if that helps.
I use neem,spinosad and BT, plus Dr.Bonners peppermint Castille soap if bugs are an issue.
Once it gets hot, peppers usually start growing, unless it's AZ hot. Make sure they have decent pH,too.

[sdambr]

The Thai chilis are very small plants. For me they produced 3 rounds of peppers and never really grew to more than 15", and it took all summer to get that size. I must have gotten close to 50 peppers from each small plant. Do you know if you got hem from me in Tormato's swap? I would let them be and do their thing.

[Blueaussi]

Forget the Malathion and put out a cup of beer. Slug damage would be my first guess.

[luke]

I overwinter a few superhots every year because they are slow producers in my garden. This year I put out 3 plants that were 3' tall, and 2 are loaded with peppers. The third acts like it wants to go back inside.

[ScottinAtlanta]

Are the Thai chilis bird peppers? I grow the tiny red ones from seeds I saved from my dinner plates in Bangkok, and they grow pretty large - up to 3 feet tall with many branches. Perhaps the Thai Chili is something different?

[AlittleSalt]

Originally Posted by sdambr

The Thai chilis are very small plants. For me they produced 3 rounds of peppers and never really grew to more than 15", and it took all summer to get that size. I must have gotten close to 50 peppers from each small plant. Do you know if you got hem from me in Tormato's swap? I would let them be and do their thing.

The seeds I planted came from the MMMM. sdambr, Yes they are from you.

I'll share some pictures when all the plants mature in that round bed this summer. I think the shorter Thai Chili plants will look good with all the taller pepper plants I have planted in the background.

[AlittleSalt]

I'll have to read up on slugs. I have read many times here about using beer traps for them, and the local grocery store sells a Texas brand (I think) beer called, "Frio" - it is very inexpensive - like less than $4 for a six pack of 16oz. and is really a beer with alcohol. HEB (Grocery Store) had a sampling stand with Frio Light. I'm not a huge fan of beer, but it wasn't bad for a cheap beer. I could see using it in a barbecue sauce. I'll buy some and see if we have slugs.

I remember playing with slugs as a child. Seems like they only come out at night and they like it when it's rainy/foggy/humid. It could very well be slugs because this spring has been very wet here.

[Blueaussi]

I read that it's the yeast in the beer that draws them. Supposedly you can make slug bait with regular bread yeast, but I've always just used beer.

[Blueaussi]

luke, if it's been as cool in Mississippi as it has here in South Carolina, your super hot pepper might actually want to go back inside! They like hot weather, and our nights have been very cool. It's gotten down into upper 40's a few nights, and that is unusual for this time of year.

I noticed a few of my peppers looked unhappy, and I think simply the lingering cool weather this spring.

[rhines81]

The biggest bug problem around here are Japanese beetles. They just love to eat pepper plants. I get beetle bags and put them about 20-50 ft away around the garden area. Best to hang them before you notice the beetles.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Blueaussi

I read that it's the yeast in the beer that draws them. Supposedly you can make slug bait with regular bread yeast, but I've always just used beer.

I use bread yeast and sugar.
After a while it starts to smell pretty good.
I think I will add some rice the next time.
I think when the plants die out this year I will lure them all in to the garden and set off about 5 pounds of gun powder under them.
Worth