New hobbyist in Iowa

I'm pretty new to peppers. Started with tomatoes five years ago, Last year (earlier this year, whatever) I grew 4 different peppers. Quadrato Asti Giallo, Georgia Flame (misleading name unfortunately but very tasty), early Jalapenos, and a commercial orange Habanero which I am currently wintering in my reptile room.
 
Next season I'm kicking into high gear. 30 varieties and a total of 120 plants. A few new sweets, but mostly hots and superhots including 2 jalapenos, 3 carrots, 5 habs, 2 7pot/pod, 3 ghosts and crosses, and 4 scorpions and crosses. 
 
I'm putting together a table with heat/thermostat to start seeds on and constructing a coldframe large enough to house roughly 200 plants in 4.5in pots, then culling to 120 to put in 2.25gal pots for the rest of the season.
 
Any tips on getting better growth and higher production out of the plants as well as getting the most out of a short Iowa season would be very welcome.
 
 
 
Happy growing, 
                          -Ben
 
Hello from Wisconsin! From my experience with our midwest weather is start early! Also may want to think about a bigger pot, 2.25 Seems kinda small to me, at least for older plants. Welcome to our community:)
 
Hathron said:
Hello from Wisconsin! From my experience with our midwest weather is start early! Also may want to think about a bigger pot, 2.25 Seems kinda small to me, at least for older plants. Welcome to our community:)
 
What would you define as an "older plant"? I'm probably not going to be able to winter more than a dozen or so and need to collect seed from everything else. I figure that 2.25 would be fine for a single season. Maybe by midsummer I can move those few plants into larger containers to suit a larger plant.
 
:welcome:  from sunny South Florida!  :woohoo:
 
Back
Top