I don't know why but I know first hand that in my area my plants thrive in the shade. Last year I grew lots of plants in pots and they were arranged in different areas of my property and noticed the ones not in direct sunlight shaded by a tree seem to grow very well. They had very dark green growth and looked amazing but the ones I grew in direct sunlight didn't look all that healthy and didn't produce quality pods versus the ones in the shade. So now I always grow in a shady area. This year seems to hold true to this as well. My best plants are in the shade and the others that get lots of sun are going in the shade today because they aren't growing as fast and don't look as healthy. Anyone else notice this with their plants?
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shade My plants thrive in the shade!
- Thread starter shoVel
- Start date
I think the root zone temps get too hot in potted plants, especially those in black pots. My in ground plants do just fine in full sun and 95+ temperatures once they're well established and the roots are able to penetrate deep to draw water. A full sun pepper is almost always going to be bigger and more productive, unless maybe you're growing pubescens or you're in Arizona with 110F temperatures. Peat also becomes hydrophobic when the temperatures are really hot so it's difficult to keep them watered well in those temperatures if you're using a peat based potting mix. The water just runs straight through it unless you're saturating it with a ton of water. A think layer of compost or composted bark on top of the potting mix helps a lot with keeping them from drying out.
you right
Not a whole lot of photosynthesis going on in the shade though.
Moving plants to an area that has a wind break also makes a big difference, plants out in the open are putting more energy into firming up their structure.
Also a shaded area like next to a fence will provide a moist micro climate along with radiant heat later in the day.
Also a shaded area like next to a fence will provide a moist micro climate along with radiant heat later in the day.
I'm not saying chile plants in general do better in shade. They don't. I was only talking about why the OP's plants seem to do better in shade...
As an AZ. feller I too am noticing my afternoon shaded plants staying a lil greener than those in direct sun all day. I am using orange 5 gal. buckets and having to water daily now that we are in triple digit temps....
I could never figure out why my plants in full sun always did so poorly until one day I touched one of the pots to pick it up and it was like touching hot tar. I learned something valuable that day.
Very informative post! i also had never considered the fact that it could be the soil temps getting to high. This goes back to something that always messes with me though. when you guys said full sun do you mean zero shade middle of an open field. fun from 7am till 8pm? how many hours is your full sun?
"Full sun" where I am is any direct, unfiltered sun after around 9 AM in the Summer.
The sun here is brutal.
The sun here is brutal.
Ummm Kishke, I would say due to your location white would be right, but the styrofoam would hold heat in as well as out.
I'm not a container grower, but I've always wondered about sinking pots into the ground. Seems like it would help for those without good enough dirt to grow in the ground as long as they still drained well. Also been wanting to try a DWC bucket in the ground to keep the water temp down.