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Too short and bushy???

Harris48

Harris48

This is my first attempt at pepper growing but I've been all over the web researching it. I started these from seed in the garage under fluorescent lights they are now outside in 12" pots. They appear to be growing well but are extremely short and bushy. Is this normal or do they have so sort of deficiency?
Thanks for the help.

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Red Long Slim Cayenne, Hot Charleston, Pepperocini


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Yellow Hungarian Wax


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Bhut Jolokia
 
They sure are full aren't they? Not sure why they're stunted, how close did you keep the lights to the plants and for how long. One way to get them to grow is to make them stretch to the light. How long have they been outside? You might want to trim some of the lower leaves. The sun should get them going.
 
They've been outside for about a month now and are starting to flower (all but the Bhut Jolokia). They were grown under fluorescent lights for about 2 months as well. I kept the light very close as I wanted to winter them over in the garage for next year.
 
No dude. your good. the lights were good so they did not strech. that's all outside they will change. what you have is an amazing start. outside they will thrive. feed and water then right and you should get a good harvest.
 
These plants look extremely healthy to me. It's hard to achieve that kind of bushiness with artificial light. They are likely to grow strong and taller under the sunlight now. Kick back and enjoy nature doing its thing in the next month.
 
They don't look so bad to me.

They do look kind of droopy but that might be because of the picture.

Most people would love for their plants to be more bushy so you shouldn't worry about that.

Bleash
 
Yeah, they do get droopy during the day but it's around 95 degrees out. In the morning the leaves all stretch out horizontally before it gets too hot out. Thanks for all the helpful replies, I've googled lots of pepper plant pictures and didn't see any this stunted looking so I thought they might have some sort of deficiency. I will see how they like the sun and keep you guys posted.

Jamie
 
they look nice and healthy. :dance:

why do you think they are small?

(or that there must be something you done wrong?) :crazy:

what diameter and height are the pots?

maybe put a beer can or ruler in a photo for scale? :eek:

edited for typo then cause there a gallon jug there did not register at first
 
Harris48 said:
Not really small just stunted in height. The pots are 12" in diameter and 10.75" tall. :dance:
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My pepper plants were bushy before I transplanted them into my garden and I had same concern as you. I grew under floro lights for about 2 months. I'm getting a ton more peppers on my bushy plants than the non-bushy ones. Seems like the peppers are produced at the joint between two branches on the plant and the more branch interscetions it seesm the better. The plants have remianed essentially "bushy" even after transplant to grownd, but they have continued with aggressive growth.

I'm by no means an expert but if you can I would consider removing the plants from the pots and plant in the ground. I'm experiementing this year with pots vs in-ground. My plants in the ground are tons better. Much healthier, better growth and tons more pepper production. And the soil in my garden is crap and the soil in my pots is supposed to be really good.
 
svcook said:
My pepper plants were bushy before I transplanted them into my garden and I had same concern as you. I grew under floro lights for about 2 months. I'm getting a ton more peppers on my bushy plants than the non-bushy ones. Seems like the peppers are produced at the joint between two branches on the plant and the more branch interscetions it seesm the better. The plants have remianed essentially "bushy" even after transplant to grownd, but they have continued with aggressive growth.

I'm by no means an expert but if you can I would consider removing the plants from the pots and plant in the ground. I'm experiementing this year with pots vs in-ground. My plants in the ground are tons better. Much healthier, better growth and tons more pepper production. And the soil in my garden is crap and the soil in my pots is supposed to be really good.
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Unfortunately I cannot plant them in the ground here as I have no available space to do so. I will however continue to experiment with pots as it's all I have. Thank you for your prospective and insight, I'm already seeing an improvement in their growth.

Jamie
 
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