First year plants... Wondering what size pot I should use? Was planning on overwintering a few... Would 5-7 gal be enough? Planning on using opti-pots, or aero pots
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Pot sizes
- Thread starter Yumyumyellow
- Start date
5 or 7 is enough, but bigger is better more room for root growth
Bigger than that and I'd be worried I couldn't lift it and carry it 3 flights to my attic... Have some back problems. I think I'm going to go for the 7gal. It's not a whole ton bigger than the 5 square foot wise(trying to squeeze 5-10 plants under a 400w light for overwintering.
5 to 7 gallon pots are indeed ideal for outdoor plants and the like BUT if this is your first season and depending on how early or late you've started your plants from seed you can get away with 3 gallon pots. Plants go dormant during winter and stop all growth unless some form of extended lighting is available. Keeping them from getting weathered is one thing but under standard season change- they simply stop growing. If your plants are in their maiden year you can get away with 3 gallon pots. It'll keep them manageable both height and width-wise and will take a much needed load off of your back! Next year... put em in 5 gallon pots and up!
I would have to agree with Fuse on this they will grow plenty big in 3 gals......Have a great grow. 
5 gallons is ideally the minimum for first year plants, but you can get away with 3 gallons for some of the smaller varieties, particularly with some of the annums that tend to top out at under 2 feet. Chinense will grow into any space you put them in, and frutescens are the same way but will tolerate being confined to a smaller container better than most. Baccatums need tons of space usually.
Thanks so much guys! There's just so much conflicting noise online about what to use for container gardening and it's lack of technicality and proof is makin my head explode trying to figure out what I needed. 2 votes for smaller pots from here clinches it. I don't know how far along the plants are; mine are in the ground already but biscgolf said I could purchase a few strains from him I've been trying to hunt down 
they're most definitely gonna be my mommas for next year and going into pots. If all goes well should be picking them up this weekend. Super super nice of him... I had a few super discouraging incidents in a row that killed off a bunch of seedlings and it's my first year growing superhots. Been growing plants all my life so I'm not a super noob, just ridiculous incidents out of my control and never worked with containers... Been blessed having 700sqft of veggie gardens, and about 2000 for flowers (gotta attract bees somehow!)
they're most definitely gonna be my mommas for next year and going into pots. If all goes well should be picking them up this weekend. Super super nice of him... I had a few super discouraging incidents in a row that killed off a bunch of seedlings and it's my first year growing superhots. Been growing plants all my life so I'm not a super noob, just ridiculous incidents out of my control and never worked with containers... Been blessed having 700sqft of veggie gardens, and about 2000 for flowers (gotta attract bees somehow!)
As stated 5 gal would be the minimum for 1st years. But when it come to overwintering you can cut back the roots proportionally with the stem (crown) and repot in a 2 gallon as I do then transplant outdoors into something larger next season, maybe 7-11 gallon. Then at the end of next season overwinter into 5 gallon pots indoors. then repot into larger outdoors.
Greg
Greg
Probably going to end up with 2- 5 gallons an the rest in 3's
Oh ahhh!!!! More advice comin out! Haha idk pic 1's advice sounds like he's pretty confident!
PiC1, what's the purpose of putting them in smaller pots? Is there any downside to just bringing them in in the 5-7 gal and just keep them growing?
I'd cut them back of course
Oh ahhh!!!! More advice comin out! Haha idk pic 1's advice sounds like he's pretty confident!
PiC1, what's the purpose of putting them in smaller pots? Is there any downside to just bringing them in in the 5-7 gal and just keep them growing?
I'd cut them back of course
The main reason is the space issue, I overwintered 25 plants and cut them back pretty good. I was able to fit all of them under my lights with plenty of room for the seedlings. The 5 gal for the 1st year would have taken up too much space. If I had less I might have potted up bigger. But they're doing fine, at least 22 of them. They will be coming out for some sun this week .
Good luck with your ventures...
Greg
The bigger the pot does not necessarily mean you'll get a bigger plant. If the plant doesn't really need the extra root space then it will be a dissadvantage since water, nutrient, and oxygen are not being replenished as quickly in bigger pots and chiles optimally like to dry out well between watering. Potting up before overwintering is not really a great idea since roots grow very slow in the winter and plants need very little water and nutrients. The pots may also become too big to move or fit through doorways.
You can easily cut back the roots and tops, and re-pot overwintering plants into smaller containers. If they are in 5 gallon pots, pot down to 3 gallon etc.
You can easily cut back the roots and tops, and re-pot overwintering plants into smaller containers. If they are in 5 gallon pots, pot down to 3 gallon etc.
good stuff, thanks all! Looks like i'm going to be using 5gal geopots.
Could I just bring them in toward the end of the season and keep them growing? or is it better to give them low light and rest them for the winter. If so, how long of a rest would they need?
Could I just bring them in toward the end of the season and keep them growing? or is it better to give them low light and rest them for the winter. If so, how long of a rest would they need?
Check out the "Pepper-Guru's" guide to overwintering. It's at the very top on the "growing forum"
Greg
I grew plants for a couple of years using 5-7 gallons and had great results. Then I upgraded to custom 31 gallon (rubbermaind roughneck tote) earth box type containers that house 2 plants each. Since I vacation a lot in the summer I needed a way to water ahead of time and go at least a week or more between watering. Because the bottom of the container holds a little more than 5 gallons of water and wicks water up as needed it was a great solution.
Surprisingly giving each plant roughly 15 gallons of space really allowed my yield to increase substantially. My most productive plant was a choc hab that produced a pound or more of fruit every week. That 1 container out produced 5 plants in 5 gallon pots so I actually ended up saving space and soil in the long run.
I did spend a bit of time setting them up, but I feel it was a huge success.
Here is the how to video I used, but I used a much bigger container since I wanted to put 2 plants in each one. I also used PVC for the bottom and wick spouts and a custom mixed soil with a lot of peat moss and coir.
Surprisingly giving each plant roughly 15 gallons of space really allowed my yield to increase substantially. My most productive plant was a choc hab that produced a pound or more of fruit every week. That 1 container out produced 5 plants in 5 gallon pots so I actually ended up saving space and soil in the long run.
I did spend a bit of time setting them up, but I feel it was a huge success.
Here is the how to video I used, but I used a much bigger container since I wanted to put 2 plants in each one. I also used PVC for the bottom and wick spouts and a custom mixed soil with a lot of peat moss and coir.
Oh wow, does he weave them?
