GardenBanter.co.uk - Re(2): peppers

In article fc.003d0941022b1be53b9aca00e7280970.22b1c3a@pmug. org,
(Glenna Rose) wrote:

writes:
In article fc.003d0941022b0ea53b9aca00e7280970.22b0eaa@pmug. org,
(Glenna Rose) wrote:

writes:
Anybody have any good recommendations for an "organic" fertilizer for
peppers? Not doing to good with just manure this year. Growth is
stunted
like. I've had lots of blossoms, but only 2 peppers. They have only
grown
about 2 inches since planting. I have a variety of peppers, sweet &
hot.
Significant amount of water each day, but not too much. No problem with
bugs
& other pests, no spots or browning on leaves. All other plants that
were
planted the same day as the peppers are doing fine, even doubled their
size.
Just having trouble with the peppers lagging behind in growth. Do they
need
some other type of fertilizer, or is something else wrong?

thanks for any input,
Rachael aka Rae

PS: in south/sandhill area of NC

I don't grow a lot of hot peppers but my experience with peppers in
general is that they don't really get going until the weather gets hot.
At least here in my corner of the world, they like the warm weather
which
us western Pacific Northwesterners don't get until now or later.

Patience may pay off well for you and as July gets closer, they will
stand
up to the plate and be in good shape by August.

Glenna

I'm coming at this slowly. All the above and keep the mulch off until
the heat arrives.

Your buddy,
--
Billy

Billy, why would you wait to mulch? I ask because one of the main reasons
I mulch (usually with newly-mown grass) is so the soil will be warmer. It
also seems to promote more and healthier root growth, probably partly
because of the increased earthworm activity due to the composting grass.
Between the mulch and surface watering (deeply and once a week or every
4-5 days when it's really hot), my results have been good in the past -
once the air temperature also is up there.

Of course, there is the added advantage of the mulch keeping down weeds
(as well as keeping moisture at the plant's roots). For my tomato plants,
by the time the mulch has "gone down" from composting, the plants are
large enough to produce shade which also decreases weed activity. Not
only does it help the desired plants to grow, it discourages the
undesired. Rather than waiting to mulch, I get discouraged because I
don't have more grass earlier in the year. I've even mowed the fire alley
grass to have more mulch! (Our block has a T-shaped alley as it is
actually two blocks, the leg of the "T" provides back yard access for fire
trucks for the otherwise not-so-accessible houses but that leg is not
paved.)

Anyway, my plants get their mulch early so I am interested in reasons to
wait.

Glenna

You got it alright. Your doin' good.

I waited wih my plants until they showed some vigor, especially the
corn. I wanted to get the ground warm. I'm using alfalfa, which is light
colored when its dry. I presumed I'd be reflecting some of the heat,
when I wanted to absorb it. Grass clipping would be darker and probably
absorb more heat. Little thing I forgot to include in my advice because
I got in a hurry. Everything is mulched now.
--
Billy
Coloribus gustibus non disputatum (mostly)