(The short version, I found 73 total peppers today on my single plant that was started late, growing in a 5 gallon bucket, cheap soil, cheap fertilizer, still another 10-12 flowers that I just pollinated)!
Now for the details ha!
I started way late in zone5b June 10th with a 5-6" tall transplant. I put it in a 1 gallon jug with the cheapest potting soil I could find, it had lots of mulch in it. I only get 4-4.5 hours of direct sunlight per day, and by July 4th, it had barely grown, I'd say it was maybe 8-9", July 5th I transplanted to a 5 gallon bucket using more of the same cheap soil, I also purchased some $5 10-15-10 fertilizer that you mix with water, and watered my fresh transplant. I also added in a couple 43w CFL's to supplement my lack of daylight, so it get's 4 hours of direct sunlight, and I also give it an additional 10-11 hours when the sun isn't out with my CFL. Unfortunately, I bought 2900k bulbs not knowing any better.
Fast forward, I since have upgraded to 5 total CFL's, 4 of them are 23w 5000k, and still use one of the 43w 2900k. I have a bad habbit of over fertilizing, when I water, I always deep water so just enough comes out the bottom. I've had high heats, and have been watering every 1-2 days in 95 degree weather, and 2-3 days in lower temps. I give them like 3/4 strength nutes once a week, and give them about half strength every 3-4 days, so yeah, lots more than recommended. I also FLUSH them every 10-14 days, watering them over the course of about 15 minutes 3 separate times, making them "piss" each time to flush old nutes, actually just did that today, then hit them with around 3/4 strength nutes after I flushed.
Today I did an official count on my Jalapenos, 73 are pollinated and growing! Many of them are just starting, as I just started finger pollinating by running the inside of the flower with my hand a few days ago, but many took to the pollen and have little peppers! I'm shocked, a couple days ago a quick look, I thought I had around 25ish peppers, but 73! Plus I just pollinated a guestimated 12-15 more peppers tonight!
The Jalapeno is now 33" tall at its tallest branch, and most are around 29" tall. Also, my pair of baby bell peppers in same growing conditions have 28 bells currently growing! I just harvested 5 ripe ones a couple days ago
I give most my light to my Jalapeno as I want it to succeed the most lol
Oh, and I DID have a "tee pee" setup in my Jalap bucket when I first planted, but took it out a lil bit back as the sticks were flimsy, and read you usually don't need them. I think I'm going to add supports back to the bucket, if all these fruits grow all the way, I'd hate to have branches fall over!
Still have a teepee in my baby bells, they are now taller than the sticks I put in there, but it still provides support, plus I sometimes mount one of my lights on top of it aiming down lol
Edit: haha, most the open flowers are usually hidden and burried, but in my first pic, I spot 7 open flowers!
My Jalapeno plant
Just a lil bit ago after moving them from the front of my 3rd floor porch to the back to setup my CFL's
Lights on to run from 7-9pm, then at 6am I turn them back on to run until sunlight around 3pm
Now for the details ha!
I started way late in zone5b June 10th with a 5-6" tall transplant. I put it in a 1 gallon jug with the cheapest potting soil I could find, it had lots of mulch in it. I only get 4-4.5 hours of direct sunlight per day, and by July 4th, it had barely grown, I'd say it was maybe 8-9", July 5th I transplanted to a 5 gallon bucket using more of the same cheap soil, I also purchased some $5 10-15-10 fertilizer that you mix with water, and watered my fresh transplant. I also added in a couple 43w CFL's to supplement my lack of daylight, so it get's 4 hours of direct sunlight, and I also give it an additional 10-11 hours when the sun isn't out with my CFL. Unfortunately, I bought 2900k bulbs not knowing any better.
Fast forward, I since have upgraded to 5 total CFL's, 4 of them are 23w 5000k, and still use one of the 43w 2900k. I have a bad habbit of over fertilizing, when I water, I always deep water so just enough comes out the bottom. I've had high heats, and have been watering every 1-2 days in 95 degree weather, and 2-3 days in lower temps. I give them like 3/4 strength nutes once a week, and give them about half strength every 3-4 days, so yeah, lots more than recommended. I also FLUSH them every 10-14 days, watering them over the course of about 15 minutes 3 separate times, making them "piss" each time to flush old nutes, actually just did that today, then hit them with around 3/4 strength nutes after I flushed.
Today I did an official count on my Jalapenos, 73 are pollinated and growing! Many of them are just starting, as I just started finger pollinating by running the inside of the flower with my hand a few days ago, but many took to the pollen and have little peppers! I'm shocked, a couple days ago a quick look, I thought I had around 25ish peppers, but 73! Plus I just pollinated a guestimated 12-15 more peppers tonight!
The Jalapeno is now 33" tall at its tallest branch, and most are around 29" tall. Also, my pair of baby bell peppers in same growing conditions have 28 bells currently growing! I just harvested 5 ripe ones a couple days ago
I give most my light to my Jalapeno as I want it to succeed the most lolOh, and I DID have a "tee pee" setup in my Jalap bucket when I first planted, but took it out a lil bit back as the sticks were flimsy, and read you usually don't need them. I think I'm going to add supports back to the bucket, if all these fruits grow all the way, I'd hate to have branches fall over!
Still have a teepee in my baby bells, they are now taller than the sticks I put in there, but it still provides support, plus I sometimes mount one of my lights on top of it aiming down lol
Edit: haha, most the open flowers are usually hidden and burried, but in my first pic, I spot 7 open flowers!
My Jalapeno plant
Just a lil bit ago after moving them from the front of my 3rd floor porch to the back to setup my CFL's
Lights on to run from 7-9pm, then at 6am I turn them back on to run until sunlight around 3pm
my serrano is starting to go completely nuts..had 4 initial pods that started about 3 weeks ago, and no other pods until 4-5 days ago..now there's like 25 and many more flowers and potential flowers all over the plant! i'm leaving 'em on 'til they go red 
i'd post a pic, but raining out(try tomorrow)
