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My first Pepper growing Season

AKButch

AKButch

Well . . . I have ordered some seeds from a few different places and even have some seeds coming from a user on this forum.

Now I'm starting to get the rest of the "stuff" I need. I will be growing in containers (for obvious reasons since I live in Alaska) and have pretty much decided the 4 gallon pot would be a good choice from this place . . .

http://plasticflowerpots.net/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=5

Has anybody bought pots from them? I have searched the "net" quite abit and this place is the most reasonable I have found.

I don't know how sturdy they are and I want something that can be re-used for a few seasons and be moved around without falling apart or disintegrating. If anybody knows of better pots or places to order them, I would appreciate the heads up.

Any other time will also be appreciated.

Thanks . . . Butch
 
Butch:

Those look a lot like what I got from my local nursery. I ordered them as 5 gallon containers and they sure don't look that big. Look more like a 4 gallon one to me. You can see pics of them under my blog titled "2008 Inventory". I paid .99 each for them and bought 150. The ones I got are not real sturdy and I don't know how they will hold up under this north Texas summer sun but will soon find out.
 
The local garden store uses his for years. I got a few (will be getting a lot more) and they don't seem extra sturdy but then I don't plan to move them except maybe twice a year. If you have one around, they might make you a good deal.

Mike
 
AlabamaJack said:
Butch:

Those look a lot like what I got from my local nursery. I ordered them as 5 gallon containers and they sure don't look that big. Look more like a 4 gallon one to me. You can see pics of them under my blog titled "2008 Inventory". I paid .99 each for them and bought 150. The ones I got are not real sturdy and I don't know how they will hold up under this north Texas summer sun but will soon find out.
Click to expand...

AJ . . . Those sure do look alot like the ones I'm planning on getting. My main concern was / is how sturdy they are! I don't plan on throwing them around or mistreating them, however, accidents do happen. Although Alaska is cold and brutal in the winter, Texas summers are alot worse when it comes to wreaking havoc on things outside.

wordwiz said:
The local garden store uses his for years. I got a few (will be getting a lot more) and they don't seem extra sturdy but then I don't plan to move them except maybe twice a year. If you have one around, they might make you a good deal.

Mike
Click to expand...

Unfortunatly, the few garden / greenhouse places in and around Anchorage aren't interested in making any kind of a deal on anything. It's normally less expensive to order from the states, pay shipping, and still get them for less than what they want locally. We do have a Lowes and Home Depot now and they have some stuff but it isn't all that good of a deal either. They don't even get most their inventory in for the spring season until March usually because up here, it's not a good idea to put stuff outdoors before Memorial Day if it could be harmed by a frost and it's that late in the spring before it's really safe to put plants out.
 
LUCKYDOG said:
1.25 a pot thats pretty cheap I dont know about the company though
Click to expand...

If I buy then in 30 lot groups, they are a buck apiece and I wanted to get aroung 50 or so. I want to put out some tomatoes also so I think 60 will get me through this sesaon. If they work out, I will get more later on.
 
AK - those containers you show are the basic containers nurseries use for plants,trees,shrubs. well the size might be different for the size of plant going into them but basically the same.
basically all my containers are this type, except for some 5 gallon pails. & I have several of the same kind you show & those containers will hold up for many years of use, even moving them several times a year (which I do because of weather)

very good price! I dont know what shipping will cost but only price that'd be better is free :lol:
 
Buying a container is one cost, but what do you all do for dirt? Filling 60-80 4-gallon containers with top soil from a garden center is going to cost a few beers, maybe a few 12-packs.

I'm thinking about getting it from a cemetary. I got about 14 cubic yards from one last year, hauling it in a Chevy S-10 pick-em-up truck. There was an option to just buy and have it delivered, but between the cost and the amount of work it would take to load it into a wheelbarrow and then spread it (with the truck, I could back it up directly to where I needed), plus my deep need for exercise, it seemed like the better option. I would not need near that for 75 4-gallon containers; I figure each one will need about a cubic foot, give or take a shovel full. The cemetary dirt is sometime very, very good - rich black earth. (Should I add it I really haven't found a bone in any of it?}

Also, if you do container growing, do you fill the container with dirt and stick the plant in it, or do you fill it, soak it, let it set for days so it settles and then transplant.

Mike
 
Mike...that is my next task....to determine which soil I am going to use for all my containers...I just betcha if we get the other container gardeners in here we could get all kinds of different opinions....
 
AJ,

Unless someone offers proof otherwise, I have to go back to my roots (no pun intended). We didn't need great soil, though solid clay was not great. But what was important was a freeze/thaw cycle, or at the least having the dirt compacted. Something that would make it a little harder for the roots to grow though. It seems like the stronger the roots, the stronger the plant.

Mike
 
AKButch said:
Well . . . I have ordered some seeds from a few different places and even have some seeds coming from a user on this forum.

I'm starting to get the rest of the "stuff" I need. I will be growing in containers (for obvious reasons since I live in Alaska) and have pretty much decided the 4 gallon pot would be a good choice from this place . . .

http://plasticflowerpots.net/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=5

Has anybody bought pots from them? I have searched the "net" quite abit and this place is the most reasonable I have found.

I don't know how sturdy they are and I want something that can be re-used for a few seasons and be moved around without falling apart or disintegrating. If anybody knows of better pots or places to order them, I would appreciate the heads up.

Any other time will also be appreciated.

Thanks . . . Butch
Click to expand...

================================
How awesome for you, Butch. I wish you luck in your agricultural endeavor.
 
wordwiz & AJ - the soil I use for my containers is garden top soil BUT its been worked on for some time, the original soil is kinda sandy & lacking nutrients so added compost & rich top soil to it.
I've also used just the sandy soil or wetland top soil before - since this is rich but to much work :lol:

I wouldnt want the soil to be real compact you'll need the roots to grow & if the plant puts alot of energy into growing roots or cant grow a nice big healthy root system then the plant & the number of pods will suffer.

as for putting plants in containers, I just fill the container to about where I want the dirt line to be, scoop a hole & put plant in then water. I try to have the dirt line something like 2" from the top to allow water to be held in the container & soak in, & it gives the plant as much room for the roots to grow.
 
wordwiz said:
Buying a container is one cost, but what do you all do for dirt? Filling 60-80 4-gallon containers with top soil from a garden center is going to cost a few beers, maybe a few 12-packs.

Mike
Click to expand...

I bought a 10 yard load of top soil last spring to do some landscape work on my yard (fill holes, dips, etc) and I will need some more this spring so I plan on getting another 10 yards delivered and use whatever amount it takes to fill my containers and then spread the rest on the yard. A 10 yard truck load of top soil delivered is less than 100 bucks here in Alaska. That's pretty cheap here. I'm sure it's less in the states but I think shipping from there might be abit much! :lol:
 
wordwiz said:
Also, if you do container growing, do you fill the container with dirt and stick the plant in it, or do you fill it, soak it, let it set for days so it settles and then transplant.

Mike
Click to expand...

Mike . . . I am planning on starting my seeds in the "jifffy pot" thingies and then transplanting the jiffy pot and all into the 4 gallon containers when the time comes. I will use "store bought" dirt for the jiffy pots.

If I knew I was going to start Pepper farming last year, I would have brought some top soil in and stored it in the basement. It won't be until late April / early May at the earliest before I can get my 10 yard truckload of topsoil delivered so I really don't have many options other than buy some potting soil for the smaller jiffy pots.

I'm hoping this will work but since I'm new to pepper farming, time will tell. I'm more than open to suggestions from some of the "container experts" here!

Butch :D
 
Are you using Jiffy pellets or pots. Careful with the jiffy pots, they don't biodegrate quickly and often get moldy. Jiffy pellets have their problems too but usually work alright.
 
If you're using the Jiffy peat pots, be sure and break them open and peel off most of the pot before planting. As Potawie says, they don't biodegrade as fast as the company claims. It's ok to break off some of the root tips, it makes them branch more.
 
POTAWIE said:
Are you using Jiffy pellets or pots. Careful with the jiffy pots, they don't biodegrate quickly and often get moldy. Jiffy pellets have their problems too but usually work alright.
Click to expand...

I was going to use the pots but did not know about this potential problem.

Pam said:
If you're using the Jiffy peat pots, be sure and break them open and peel off most of the pot before planting. As Potawie says, they don't biodegrade as fast as the company claims. It's ok to break off some of the root tips, it makes them branch more.
Click to expand...

I have not ordered the jiffy pots yet so might look for some cheap plastic starter pots instead and just pop the plant out when it's time to transplant. I eat quite abit of yogert so might just start saving those containers and use them. I'm guessing that should work but don't eat that much of it to accumulate enough pots to start with.

Time to fire up the internet search engines again :lol:
 
AKButch,

Lots of people use plastic cups or such to start seedlings in. Poke a couple of holes in the bottom, fill with fine potting soil (or soil of your choice) and pop a seed in it. I don't know how large the plants would get before they would need to be transplanted - I'll know in a month or so!

Mike
 
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