3 gallon pots preferable over 5 gallon pots in Zone 6b?

[bigflies]

Hello All,
 
From searching this forum, I see that the 3 gallon pots versus 5 gallon pots topic has been much discussed here over the years, so I'll try to keep my current question on the topic brief.
 
In one of the discussions from several years ago here, on the topic of container gardening, I read some were of the opinion that 3 gallon pots were preferable in the more northern growing zones (USA), while 5 gallon pots (or larger) were preferable in the more southern growing zones.
 
Do you agree with this opinion?
 
I am in Zone 6b.  In your opinion, would I be better off growing hot peppers in 3 gallon pots as opposed to 5 gallon pots?
 
Thank you.  

 

[Malarky]

i'm in 4b/5a and 5ga works fine for me.

 

[stettoman]

i'm in 4b/5a and 5ga works fine for me.

 
Zone 3 here. Agree with Malarky on the 5-ers, I'm going much bigger with a few this season. I have a few 20 gallon fabric pots for my beloved Aji Amarillo and varieties yet to be determined, and There's a 40-gallon for a BIG-UN....
 
I have used 3-gallon pots to some success, but fives are a good round number up here, especially with the winds we get on the open Tundra...

 

[The_NorthEast_ChileMan]

Hello All,
 
From searching this forum, I see that the 3 gallon pots versus 5 gallon pots topic has been much discussed here over the years, so I'll try to keep my current question on the topic brief.
 
In one of the discussions from several years ago here, on the topic of container gardening, I read some were of the opinion that 3 gallon pots were preferable in the more northern growing zones (USA), while 5 gallon pots (or larger) were preferable in the more southern growing zones.
 
Do you agree with this opinion?
 
I am in Zone 6b.  In your opinion, would I be better off growing hot peppers in 3 gallon pots as opposed to 5 gallon pots?
 
Thank you.  

 
I'm in the 5 gal. pool. I don't know of that discussion (Could you post a link?) but my reason is media volume. As the plant gets BIG, see below'
 
 

 
 
 

 

[bigflies]

 
I'm in the 5 gal. pool. I don't know of that discussion (Could you post a link?)

 
http://thehotpepper.com/topic/28431-3-gallon-pots-vs-5-gallon-pots/
 
Thanks to those in the "northern" grow zones that have weighed in on this topic.

 

[The_NorthEast_ChileMan]

http://thehotpepper.com/topic/28431-3-gallon-pots-vs-5-gallon-pots/
 
Thanks to those in the "northern" grow zones that have weighed in on this topic.

 
I read through that  topic and it does touch on smaller-north/larger-south without getting into detail as to why:
 
About the same zone as me. Yes 3 gal will be fine provided when at their peak in grow season when temps are hot and peppers are growing fast you give then plenty of water and fertilizer to give you the production of a larger pot. Another thing I find is a bamboo stick in each pot helps plant from falling over due to heavy loads of peppers. I use 2 gal and will be happy to post some pictures this year.

BTW:I am sure you know but I say plenty of water and fertilizer. I only mean like consistent fertilizing at very low strength like 1/4 or even 1/8 of what it says. Peppers are not huge eaters, you can alwaying increase the fertilizer if new leaves are a little yellow. Not to get off subject.
 
 
But I would assume it's a temp related issue, that smaller is needed to warm up the plant & larger will help cool. My zone close to yours, 7a, and I've grown in everything from 2 gal. through 7......
 

 
But my biggest plants with highest pod count was always the largest....
_
 
 

 

[The Hot Pepper]

Compromise. 4 gal.

 

[CaneDog]

 
I read through that  topic and it does touch on smaller-north/larger-south without getting into detail as to why:
 
 
But I would assume it's a temp related issue, that smaller is needed to warm up the plant & larger will help cool.
 

 
Also, maybe the idea that in shorter seasons up north the plant will fill out the 3g sooner and therefore produce sooner, while the 5g may produce slower, but more?

 

[D3monic]

I typically do rather large pots, 15gal + Smaller pots dry out fast and dont produce much for me

 

[Siv]

I'm confused. Why would a smaller pot ever be better? The only sane reason I can think of is if you're moving them around. Otherwise, surely the more soil the better?

 

[The_NorthEast_ChileMan]

As usual, there's always the member who bucks the established thought process, in this case a bigger the pot the better.> My plants in 1 L pots
 
 
I was able to recover that blurred pic
 
_

 

 

[Blister]

I'm in the middle of British Columbia. When I grew in soil I found that the big 5g pots stayed wet far too long in my neck of the woods. The plants would never really develop a good root ball either. This was compounded when I tried to grow super hots since they take so long to produce. 

I've since switched my whole process and really only grow in coir now. Fabric 3g pots seem to be an excellent balance for size and root ball development in my situation.

 

[stickman]

I would also recommend plastic Air-pots. They drain like fabric and air prune the roots like them too. Plus they're UV stabilized for durability and the root tips don't grow into the plastic like they do in fabric.

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