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Liters of pots
- Thread starter ErolDude
- Start date
I apologize to the world for my stupid American units, but the 5 gallon buckets are very good options to house a full grown plant. Peppers generally like taller lengthier pots as opposed to short wide pots.
Now that being said, you can grow a pepper plant in about anything. I have a few bonsai'ing in as small as 3 inch seedling pots. They are putting out peppers and everything. Very happy. But I have to take a lot more care of them as they will suck up water and nutes very fast in such a small pot. The plants also do not get as big, which is what I want for the bonsai situation. But if you want big plants and lots of fruit, use big (and deep) pots.
I generally start my plants in 3 inch pots, then up-pot seedlings to a #1 (approx. 2 liters?) pot and let the roots fill it up. Then I up-pot to the final pot, whether that be a #2 (approx 1.5 gallons), #3 (approx. 3 gallons), or a 5 gallon bucket that I buy from a hardware store and poke holes in.
Simple answer, I am sure more people will chime in.
PS: I did, however, grow a Trinidad Moruga Scorpion in a 20 gallon pot once and the plant itself from soil level was over 7 feet tall and 7 feet wide! HUNDREDS of pods.
Now that being said, you can grow a pepper plant in about anything. I have a few bonsai'ing in as small as 3 inch seedling pots. They are putting out peppers and everything. Very happy. But I have to take a lot more care of them as they will suck up water and nutes very fast in such a small pot. The plants also do not get as big, which is what I want for the bonsai situation. But if you want big plants and lots of fruit, use big (and deep) pots.
I generally start my plants in 3 inch pots, then up-pot seedlings to a #1 (approx. 2 liters?) pot and let the roots fill it up. Then I up-pot to the final pot, whether that be a #2 (approx 1.5 gallons), #3 (approx. 3 gallons), or a 5 gallon bucket that I buy from a hardware store and poke holes in.
Simple answer, I am sure more people will chime in.
PS: I did, however, grow a Trinidad Moruga Scorpion in a 20 gallon pot once and the plant itself from soil level was over 7 feet tall and 7 feet wide! HUNDREDS of pods.
SadisticPeppers
Business Member
14 liter pots are just the right size for me, but I also use the 5 gallon home depot buckets as well. Just make sure to drill a couple holes in the HD buckets if you get them 
If I'm growing a plant for fruit production, I won't mess with anything smaller than 5 gallons (about 20L). I have had much better luck in 15 gallon pots, however. Just not sure if fruit production increased equally.
If I'm just growing a plant for a seed increase or to have something to overwinter, I've had good luck in pots as small as a 6".
I've had habaneros produce perfectly healthy pods in 4" pots. There weren't many, but I could have harvested a bunch of seed in a very short time if I needed to. That is pushing it, though. As mrgrowguy said, watering and feeding become an issue in a container that small.
If I'm just growing a plant for a seed increase or to have something to overwinter, I've had good luck in pots as small as a 6".
I've had habaneros produce perfectly healthy pods in 4" pots. There weren't many, but I could have harvested a bunch of seed in a very short time if I needed to. That is pushing it, though. As mrgrowguy said, watering and feeding become an issue in a container that small.
you're killing me !D3monic said:This will help with all the measurement issues during this conversation.
As has basically been said, you can grow them in just about anything, but the general consesus is the bigger the better. I would say you will have the best luck in pots that are in the 20L+ size range for most varieties, but you can certainly grow them in smaller.
[youtube]https://youtu.be/URPPQi903ZY[/youtube]
[youtube]https://youtu.be/URPPQi903ZY[/youtube]
guess i better move up a size or 2 !meinchoh said:
WOW! Great video...That last one is a monster!
The sizes given for Murican nursery pots is BS. Most 5gal nursery pots hold just under 4gal and so on with the rest, they are all shy of what they say they are. (sorry, Its a pet peeve of mine, seems like false advertisement to me)
Also I disagree with the deeper pot is the better pot. To my knowledge the most active roots are within the top approx. 8" of soil. Because of this the wider spread of roots will give you a bigger higher yielding plant. Two of my red Rocoto's were in 7gal pots last year, one the standard shaped 7gal and one the wider squat shaped 7gal. The squat 7gal plant was much bigger and produced nearly twice as many pods.
Also I disagree with the deeper pot is the better pot. To my knowledge the most active roots are within the top approx. 8" of soil. Because of this the wider spread of roots will give you a bigger higher yielding plant. Two of my red Rocoto's were in 7gal pots last year, one the standard shaped 7gal and one the wider squat shaped 7gal. The squat 7gal plant was much bigger and produced nearly twice as many pods.
