raised-bed Raised bed peppers - what's my problem?

[CDatil]

I'm growing some peppers of various types in a raised bed.
They have been doing very poorly. I thought it may be the intense South Georgia heat so I put up at 40% shade cloth.
I believe it helped a little but they still are not growing properly. Should I up it to 60-70%?
The soil is a mix of 'Jungle Growth - flower & vegetable professional mix', peat moss, a little manure, and a little perlite. I'm not overwatering. The raised bed took so much soil to fill it that I didn't really measure a ratio and used my best judgement.

A few years back I grew some peppers and they did amazing on the carport with quite a bit of shade. I've attached a picture of it to show im not totally clueless

Thank you!

 

[HellfireFarm]

Those are quite small for this point in the season.

It may not be quite as hot here but I have mine under NO shade cloth. Definitely would not increase it beyond 40%. How are you watering, and is the bed mulched (doesn't look like it is)? How long have they been shaded? And what sort of temperatures do you mean, and for how long?

Mine are in rows, with weed fabric and drip irrigation. They're not doing as good as last year, actually, but still doing rather well in full sun. Had several weeks averaging mid-90's.

 

[CaneDog]

Your prior season peppers look great! Are you using a mulch - the wood/bark chips on the surface of the raised bed?

Looks to me like there might be some sort of root development or watering/water retention problem. I see interrupted leaf development and some dropped lower leaves. Also wavy leaf fringes on the banana pepper.

I see Hellfire slipped in a post above me while I was typing. Our sun isn't as intense here, but I agree with his shade cloth comment. Also, if that's not a mulch on top and the porous wood is throughout the soil that could definitely be an issue.

 

[Peppers In Keizer]

I had the same problem early on so added a 50% shade cloth only on days over 85* and wow big difference. I also bottom water, generally on Sat mornings and just give sips during the week. Mine are ground covered with straw.

 

[CDatil]

Temperature - it's been 90-100+ the last month or more.
Shade cloth - i keep it up permanently. I'm trying this since my peppers on a covered carport with trees around shading it did VERY well.
Raised bed surface - i just threw light pine straw/leaves on top..not enough to do anything, nothing else.
Watering - I haven't been watering much. It had been raining a lot lately. I know you're supposed to wait until the sand is dry to water so I thought the weekly rain is taking care of it.

I have weed fabric on the bottom.

I was afraid of holding too much water...but its a raised bed so i guess it gets hotter and drains faster. Maybe I should add mulch and water more often?
Maybe I should try daily watering and see if anything changes for better or worse? They can't get much worse as is.
I'm a bit confused because when I planted them on the carport, I just watered them periodically with a bit of Floragro and they did amazing. Everything lined up well, I suppose.

Thanks everyone

 

[HellfireFarm]

mid-90's I don't bother much with shade cloth, but definitely make sure they stay well watered. The rain really messes that up because you don't always know how much water they're actually getting. 100+, yeah shade cloth helps.

A better mulch layer would help, both to keep the soil temperature down and the moisture in.