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Did I start too late?

Coot

Coot

Hi everyone!

I have seen similar topics on this forum before, but I wanted to get some input on my specific case.

I live in the Harrisburg, PA area (Zone 6b I think?), and I am growing from seed. This is my first year growing hot peppers. I ordered my seeds from Pepper Joe's website in May, and had the seeds planted around mid-May. I went a little overboard on the planting, and had germination rates above 50% (except for the chocolate hab, which was 0%), and now have over 120 seedlings growing. Although some are tomatoes, most are peppers. Of the peppers, some are 2-4 inches tall already with 3-5 sets of leaves, but others still have not grown the first set of true leaves.

My question is this: Will I have time left in the season (first frost is early October I think) to get a harvest from my plants? I have multiple varieties of jalapenos, ornamentals, bell peppers, cayennes, habaneros, and superhots.

From the information I found on this site, I'm thinking that I should be OK for the jalapenos and cayennes, but I might be too late to get much from the habaneros and superhots. I figure I have room to overwinter about 10 plants, so I'm thinking about doing this with some of the habs and superhots.

My pepper grow list is as follows (all from Pepper Joe):

Butch T trinidad scorpion
Giant ghost pepper
Yellow bhut jolokia
White habanero
Chocolate habanero (planted, but nothing sprouted)
Golden habanero
Scotch bonnet
Cayenne
Charleston pepper
Firecracker chile
Kung pao pepper
Black jalapeno
Purple jalapeno
Peter pepper
Caloro
Filius blue
Chocolate bell
Santa fe grande (free seeds)
Hungarian hot wax (free seeds)


Let me know what you think. All input is appreciated.

Thanks!
 
You should see some bells, cayennes, hot wax, jalapenos, etc. You might see a few habs and supers but it went be too many unless the weather in your area is smokin for the next 3 1/2 months. Your OW idea is a good! Theres a great tutorial on how to do so in the growing hot pepper forum as well. And next year you'll have 10X the harvest you will this year. If OWing is an option it's never too late to start seedlings in my book!

Brandon
 
i think you might have a harvest but its going to be very very small next year i would start you seeds mid to late april not may.... i live in zone 5 in ne pa and all my peppers and tomatos are flowering and some have peppers and tomatos on already so point is you might get a small harvest a couple of peppers on each but thats fine because every year you learn more so now you know that you should start earlier next year..
 
Even if you don't get ripe pods from all those varieties, you'll learn a lot about growing chiles. So, you'll be able to do better next year. And overwintering is a good idea. Good luck!
 
Thanks everyone for the advice. Sorta confirms what I already thought.

I knew that I should have started sooner, but circumstances really didn't allow it. I'll definitely be starting earlier next year.

Either way, I am sure this year will be a learning experience.
 
I had the same deal with Pepper Joe choco habs and chicken hearts. 0%, other than those mine were all at least 70% germ.
 
You prob will get either very little or no supers! Sorry. you can get an Hps grow light/s and put them indoors when the fall weather sets in if you choose to continue growing and get more pods
 
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