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Sweet Pepper (what to do now?)

MeomyeMeomye Posts: 949
in Fruit & veg
I have just bought my first sweet pepper (Pheobus) it is currently in a 10cm pot with roots coming out of the bottom. What do I do now? Do I re pot it? feed it? Do I keep it indoors? if not, what aspect does it like? Sorry for so many questions, I am a veg novice  :/  t i a  

Posts

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    Pot it on into a slightly larger sized pot (eg 15cm) now, then grow it on indoors on a sunny windowsill or in a greenhouse until the roots reach the bottom of the new pot, at which point your can 'harden it off' and plant outside in a sunny but shetered spot (against a south-facing wall or fence is best.) If keeping in a pot (best for most situations as you can bring them undercover to finish ripening in poor weather) use a 25 to 30cm diameter one.
    To harden it off, put it outside during the day but bring back indoors each night for a week or so.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • MeomyeMeomye Posts: 949
    Many thanks for your reply @BobTheGardener I have re potted and will keep an eye out for roots appearing as per your suggestion. How often should I water? and at what point if any, do I start feeding? Any idea how long before I get an edible pepper? t i a
  • MeomyeMeomye Posts: 949
    Pepper plant growing nicely on a window sill after being re potted but I am still not sure how much water to give it and if i am supposed to feed it at some point?
  • strelitzia32strelitzia32 Posts: 758
    Stick your finger into the pot, go down about 3 or 4cm. If it feels damp, no need to water. Do this every day (maybe twice a day if it's in direct sun and very warm).

    If it feels dry, water it until water drains through the bottom of the pot. Allow to drain completely, don't let it sit in water. 

    Before you water it, lift the pot up and get a feel for the weight. After you water it, lift and feel the weight again. Very quickly you will get a feel for watering simply through the weight of the pot.

    If you've got fruit, feed it once a week.
  • MeomyeMeomye Posts: 949
    Thank you @strelitzia32 no fruit yet but here's hoping!
  • REMF33REMF33 Posts: 731
    I treat mine like I do tomatoes in terms of location (outside in a sunny spot) watering and feeding.

    This is year two for me. I have these, for example, but ordered the peppers from Suttons so they had an early start. They've been outside since the beginning of June.

    I have tried to grow them in previous years too, and found the red ones taste a bit funny (same last year) so sticking to orange and yellow types this year. I sense sun is even more critical for peppers than for tomatoes for flavour. (Plus if your tomatoes are a bit meh, roasting them can do wonders. True, but to a lesser extent for peppers?)


  • MeomyeMeomye Posts: 949
    edited September 2020
    I have nicely developed green peppers at the moment but have no idea when to 'pick' them off! How do i know when they are ready? I have Phoebus which are supposed to go green to yellow. Do they go yellow in situ or do i ripen them off on a windowsill? I hasten to add, this is my first attempt at growing peppers. t i a
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    They should ripen on the plant ... but you can of course use them green if you have a recipe calling for green peppers ... after all, green peppers in the shops are simply unripe red/yellow peppers 😊 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • MeomyeMeomye Posts: 949
    Thanks @Dovefromabove How do i know when they are ready? 
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