Green peppers....where is my crop?

[farmeratheart]

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If I can find the epsom salts I could try it on one plant of each variety. How much is a few ounces? 3 or 4 dry measure maybe?

I guess so- a 1lb box usually lasts me about 4 feedings ... That would be ~4 oz/gal. Good Luck! Epsom salts can usually be found in most drug stores ...

 

[SandburRanch]

So I found about a third of a cup of epsom salt yesterday evening that has probably been in the cabinet 20 years. I dissolved it in 3 gallons of water and set up my IV drip bucket irrigation system on a selected plant. I checked this morning and still no peppers :laughing::laughing::laughing:, not even one single bloom.:laughing::laughing::laughing:

 

[JDgreen227]

So I found about a third of a cup of epsom salt yesterday evening that has probably been in the cabinet 20 years. I dissolved it in 3 gallons of water and set up my IV drip bucket irrigation system on a selected plant. I checked this morning and still no peppers :laughing::laughing::laughing:, not even one single bloom.:laughing::laughing::laughing:

Don't feel bad, I purchased two brand new boxes of ES at the store yesterday and mixed up a batch in 5 gallons of water, carefully irrigated my peppers, 29 hours has elapsed already, nothing has happened yet...you think YOU are disappointed? 20 year old stuff has to be pretty weak.

 

[JDgreen227]

FINALLY getting a decent harvest of peppers, lots of them just over the size that would fit into a standard coffee cup. Flavor is just okay, not sweet like one would expect a bell pepper to taste like, most are slightly bitter.

HMMM, wonder what Epsom Salts taste like....:laughing:

 

[SandburRanch]

FINALLY getting a decent harvest of peppers, lots of them just over the size that would fit into a standard coffee cup. Flavor is just okay, not sweet like one would expect a bell pepper to taste like, most are slightly bitter.

HMMM, wonder what Epsom Salts taste like....:laughing:

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I'm sure glad someone is harvesting some. It seems as if the summer heat took all the will to reproduce from mine.

slightly bitter - I had one replacement plant one year that had that slightly bitter taste. IIRC the tag had the mention of pimento somewhere on it and they may need to go completely red in color to be sweeter. This is strictly a wild guess on my part.

 

[EMB5530]

Epsom salt is good and so is sulfur try adding some ground sulfur this year for next years crop then next year when trans planting put a little in the hole you plant the peppers in.


The hot hot heat in Kansas this year has really been hard on my pepper plants but now they are growing like crazy.

 

[GrowFarmers]

Glad to hear that you ended up getting some peppers out of your plants. ES is usually the first thing to try. Where in Mid-michigan are you? I just finished up a graduate degree at MSU and got to travel around mid Michigan quite a bit. Its a nice area.

I would recommend contacting one of your local extension agents and maybe even getting a soil test. It could only stand to help you improve the growing conditions in your garden. If you are near East Lansing and are interested in organic production practices I bet you would enjoy taking a visit to the MSU Student Organic Farm, they have a great setup. Not sure if any of these will directly address your problem with the peppers, but it should at least get you moving in the right direction!

 

[Stimw]

I have been using E S on everything in my garden for a few years now. Radio show gardener said we need to use it because the magnesium leaches out of our soil.
I buy it at Walmart, 4# $3.99. I sprinkle it on the ground just like adding salt to food before I plant. Then water it in with planting.
My spring crop of cucumbers was unbelieveable! I picked 676 from a 20' X 20' plot. I only ate about 50-60 and gave the rest away. I was picking two 5 gal buckets every other day. Everyone raved about how sweet and jucie they were.

 

[JDgreen227]

Glad to hear that you ended up getting some peppers out of your plants. ES is usually the first thing to try. Where in Mid-michigan are you? I just finished up a graduate degree at MSU and got to travel around mid Michigan quite a bit. Its a nice area.

I would recommend contacting one of your local extension agents and maybe even getting a soil test. It could only stand to help you improve the growing conditions in your garden. If you are near East Lansing and are interested in organic production practices I bet you would enjoy taking a visit to the MSU Student Organic Farm, they have a great setup. Not sure if any of these will directly address your problem with the peppers, but it should at least get you moving in the right direction!

Thanks much for your input, I live in the country about 8 miles directly north of MSU, my road runs right into downtown East Lansing. My wife works at one of the MSU animal labs...have never thought about having my soil tested as I am just a dabbler as far as gardening goes. Was a fair year for peppers and tomatoes BUT, look at the attachment...I harvested 107 butternut squash, average 4 pounds each, from EIGHT DOLLARS worth of sets...:thumbsup: photo shows about a third of the total harvest...

 

[ray66v]

I had a bumper crop of peppers, but they also came late this year.

I grew Yolo Wonder, and Keystone. They seem to do the best in my area. Keystone was the winner this year.