Does anyone grow pubescens varieties outdoors in Zone 5-6?

Pepper Grower · Dec 8, 2009

I'm trying to figure out how to best grow pubescens varieties on a larger scale. Does anyone have any experience growing varieties like mazano/rocoto outdoors in Zone 5-6? Is it possible to get decent yields growing outdoors if seedlings are started early enough?

Would be interested in hearing any suggestions or tips.

Thanks pepper people.

POTAWIE · Dec 9, 2009

Pubescens never do well for me no matter how I grow them. They grow tall and lanky and never produce much. I'm probably in zone 4B

origamiRN · Dec 9, 2009

I've grown Rocotos in northern Minnesota, and they did not finish before winter set in. I also grew them in Vermont, then moved to southern Wisconsin (Aug '07) and finished them there. I was able to get a decent yield. My yield was probably 12 large peppers between 2 plants(they were sharing the same 5 gallon pot). I believe had they been in seperate pots, they would have produced more. I also lost a few when making the move.

Pepper Grower · Dec 9, 2009

POTAWIE said:
Pubescens never do well for me no matter how I grow them. They grow tall and lanky and never produce much. I'm probably in zone 4B

Potawie- do you grow them outside in the ground during the summer? What sort of yields did you get? Did you grow them in a semi-shaded area? How long did you grow the seedlings indoors before transplanting them outside?

Thanks!

origamiRN said:
I've grown Rocotos in northern Minnesota, and they did not finish before winter set in. I also grew them in Vermont, then moved to southern Wisconsin (Aug '07) and finished them there. I was able to get a decent yield. My yield was probably 12 large peppers between 2 plants(they were sharing the same 5 gallon pot). I believe had they been in seperate pots, they would have produced more. I also lost a few when making the move.

Origami- how long did you grow indoors before transplanting them outside in Minnesota? Did you get any flowering and fruit at all?

Thanks!

POTAWIE · Dec 9, 2009

Pepper Grower said:
Potawie- do you grow them outside in the ground during the summer? What sort of yields did you get? Did you grow them in a semi-shaded area? How long did you grow the seedlings indoors before transplanting them outside?

Thanks!

I've only grown them in containers, and I always start them early usually in February but I've never harvested more than 10 peppers per plant. I've grown them in different environments but usually find that filtered sun light works best although I know some who have no problems growing in full sun.

pepperfever · Dec 9, 2009

The first year I grew rocotos I bought the plant from a nursery so it was more than ready to go outside. Planted it in a grow tub with another pepper but the rocoto took over, hung over the side, beautiful plant and lots of peppers but I can't claim too much as it was good sized when I got it, someone else did all the work for me. It also got afternoon shade so it was a happy baby. I still have rocotos in the freezer and have shared the seeds. It is on my grow again list for next year. Btw I'm in zone 4.

johnf · Dec 10, 2009

I grow them in pots here in Maine. I have got best yields the second year from plants that were over wintered inside but get some the first year too. I have also found that when I run out of time and bring plants inside to finish ripening they can do so with very little light.

john

willard3 · Dec 10, 2009

I experimented with the full sun/shaded theory growing manzanos. I am in upstate NY.

The plant in full sun had two flushes of fruit the first summer:

The plant is partial shade grew larger and flowered but set no fruit:

Pepper Grower · Dec 10, 2009

So it sounds like virtually everyone is growing in pots...can I transplant a large number and get a significant yield??

If I started them 3 months indoors and then transplanted them out a few weeks early under a low tunnel...would this work?

I've been told that 10 weeks is the maximum period of growth before transplanting them outside..is this different for pubescens?

cmpman1974 · Dec 10, 2009

I did OK in ground this year. Nothing compared to C. Chinense, but it was a bad year. Always, if I had 1-2 more months, the harvest of Pubescens would yield 3-4x. It's sad. lol. There are many different varieties within this species too. Some seem to be more suited to shorter seasons IMO.

Chris

Pepper Grower · Dec 10, 2009

cmpman1974 said:
I did OK in ground this year. Nothing compared to C. Chinense, but it was a bad year. Always, if I had 1-2 more months, the harvest of Pubescens would yield 3-4x. It's sad. lol. There are many different varieties within this species too. Some seem to be more suited to shorter seasons IMO.

Chris

What zone are you in Chris? Any suggestions on varieties more suited for a short season?

POTAWIE · Dec 11, 2009

Pepper Grower said:
I've been told that 10 weeks is the maximum period of growth before transplanting them outside..is this different for pubescens?

Many of my plant get 5-6 months of growth before transplanting them outside

Pepper Grower · Dec 11, 2009

POTAWIE said:
Many of my plant get 5-6 months of growth before transplanting them outside

Are you taking them out of pots and planting them in ground? How long do they take to recover when you transplant them after growing for 5-6 months? Do you lose any?

pepperfever · Dec 11, 2009

Willard, that manzano is a beauty. I haven't tried manzanos or yellow ones yet but planning to do that next year.

POTAWIE · Dec 12, 2009

Pepper Grower said:
Are you taking them out of pots and planting them in ground? How long do they take to recover when you transplant them after growing for 5-6 months? Do you lose any?

I can always grow bigger/better peppers leaving the plants in pots so I use my garden for tomatoes and other veggies

origamiRN · Dec 14, 2009

Origami- how long did you grow indoors before transplanting them outside in Minnesota? Did you get any flowering and fruit at all?

Thanks![/QUOTE]

Sorry about the delayed response. It was 2 1/2 years ago, but I believe I started them in February as well. I knew that I was leaving Minnesota when I planted them, so I kept everything in pots. They fared well when I moved to Vermont in April. I put them outside in a 5 gallon pot in late May. They really did well when I put them outside, producing dozens of flowers on each plant. I hans pollinated the flowers, and most seemed to produce fruit. I moved to Wisconsin in early August, and even though I draped the plants in large plastic bags, I lost a lot of the fruit in the move. I ended up with about a dozen large(apple size) peppers between the 2 plants. Most of them finished outside, but I picked some green fruit when it started freezing at night, and they ripened just fine indoors. I highly recommend them. They're the ideal pepper to grow, as they won't cross with most other peppers.

Pepper Grower · Dec 15, 2009

origamiRN said:
Origami- how long did you grow indoors before transplanting them outside in Minnesota? Did you get any flowering and fruit at all?

Thanks!

Sorry about the delayed response. It was 2 1/2 years ago, but I believe I started them in February as well. I knew that I was leaving Minnesota when I planted them, so I kept everything in pots. They fared well when I moved to Vermont in April. I put them outside in a 5 gallon pot in late May. They really did well when I put them outside, producing dozens of flowers on each plant. I hans pollinated the flowers, and most seemed to produce fruit. I moved to Wisconsin in early August, and even though I draped the plants in large plastic bags, I lost a lot of the fruit in the move. I ended up with about a dozen large(apple size) peppers between the 2 plants. Most of them finished outside, but I picked some green fruit when it started freezing at night, and they ripened just fine indoors. I highly recommend them. They're the ideal pepper to grow, as they won't cross with most other peppers.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the info, much appreciated.

Has anyone tried transplanting pubescens in the ground??

thepodpiper · Dec 15, 2009

I started mine in Jan. and potted up the Manzano into a 16 inch pot and two other pubescens (Rocoto's) in the ground around the 1st of June. The one in the pot got sun all day except about an hour in the morning and it produced around 20 pods to maturity. The two in the ground were in morning sun only (4 hrs.) and grew the same as the one in the pot but neither plant in the ground produced any fruit, just alot of flowers all summer.

Yellow Manzano (seeds from Chris a few years ago) The tulle is to protect from the pepper maggot flies.

These are a few of the Yellow Manzano's, Jalapeno's, Hab Long Chocolates, Bishop's Crown and the other one I can't seem to remember, on the smoker.

Red Rocoto that I pulled out of the ground about 2 weeks ago to see if i could get it to survive. This plant saw temps in the low 20's. It now has new growth starting.

shayneyasinski · Dec 15, 2009

I never have good luck with plants that go from a pot to the ground...
Not sure why but my potted peppers are 5 times as big as the ones in the ground.
I am in sask so I start my stuff in the greenhouse in late jan early feb