Welcome,
This is my first post. Thanks to everyone that has contributed to this forum. It has been a wealth of knowledge and this will be my first post and request.
This is my first time growing scotch bonnet peppers. I purchased pepper seeds from botanical interests last year and started 4 pepper plants in containers late in the spring. After finally placing the plants outside in mid-summer, and growing the plants outdoors through early October I now have the plants indoors under a combination of the following:
2x 60 Watt 5500K CFLs
2x 32 Watt (I think these are 5500K) 4 foot T-8 fluorescent tubes
The soil mixture that I am using is potting soil with a mix of perlite and orchid bark.
So far the soil drains well, and as recommended I used matches in the base of the soil to add sulfur. I use epsom salt to help supplement minerals and a basic balanced organic fertilizer.
I was looking through some videos on youtube this fall, and I pruned the plants back after bringing them in. Each plant has between 3-5 broad leaves remaining.
Before I brought the plant in, it never had fruit, only flower blossoms. Shortly after bringing the plants in the blossoms dropped. Also, after pruning I have not had new leaves develop on the pepper plants. Recently I bought a pH test to see if there was an issue with pH. The pH reading was somewhere between 6-6.5.
I plan on moving the peppers outside once the weather improves in April.
I have a few questions:
Is there anything that I am missing, or is this a typical overwintering experience?
Should I invest in doing any soil amendments such as worm castings or a different fertilizer?
With a pH reading of 6 - 6.5, should I use some lime on the plants?
Do the leaves appear healthy?
Any help is greatly appreciated.
Happy new year.
This is my first post. Thanks to everyone that has contributed to this forum. It has been a wealth of knowledge and this will be my first post and request.
This is my first time growing scotch bonnet peppers. I purchased pepper seeds from botanical interests last year and started 4 pepper plants in containers late in the spring. After finally placing the plants outside in mid-summer, and growing the plants outdoors through early October I now have the plants indoors under a combination of the following:
2x 60 Watt 5500K CFLs
2x 32 Watt (I think these are 5500K) 4 foot T-8 fluorescent tubes
The soil mixture that I am using is potting soil with a mix of perlite and orchid bark.
So far the soil drains well, and as recommended I used matches in the base of the soil to add sulfur. I use epsom salt to help supplement minerals and a basic balanced organic fertilizer.
I was looking through some videos on youtube this fall, and I pruned the plants back after bringing them in. Each plant has between 3-5 broad leaves remaining.
Before I brought the plant in, it never had fruit, only flower blossoms. Shortly after bringing the plants in the blossoms dropped. Also, after pruning I have not had new leaves develop on the pepper plants. Recently I bought a pH test to see if there was an issue with pH. The pH reading was somewhere between 6-6.5.
I plan on moving the peppers outside once the weather improves in April.
I have a few questions:
Is there anything that I am missing, or is this a typical overwintering experience?
Should I invest in doing any soil amendments such as worm castings or a different fertilizer?
With a pH reading of 6 - 6.5, should I use some lime on the plants?
Do the leaves appear healthy?
Any help is greatly appreciated.
Happy new year.