Update on Volunteer Chicken Yard Pepper Plant

[so lucky]

Remember when I said I found a volunteer pepper plant growing in the chicken yard, with blooms on it? It "suddenly" has 5 nice peppers on it. I used one today to make some sloppy Joes. Not the best pepper I have ever tasted, but not bad. I am just amazed that a bell pepper plant could grow and produce from seed, by accident, in a rather hostile environment, when the ones I buy and pamper all season long don't do squat! That doesn't say much for my gardening ability, now does it?

 

[journey11]

Glad your volunteer amounted to something for dinner.

 

[897tgigvib]

Maybe that spot's a good place to toss a bunch of Pepper seeds next year.

 

[Mackay]

I had a terrible time getting peppers started. It took me weeks getting about 6 plants to take off from seed and live in pots that are now being taken in at night. I ended up purchasing some starts that did ok in a bed, but not great.

then in early august suddenly two pepper plants appeared in my raised beds. These volunteers are twice as big as all the others and now loaded with blossems. Dont know that they will go anywhere though as first frost is expected tonight. I'll cover them with buckets and maybe with some luck.

Im surprised that your chickens didn't do that pepper plant in! im wondering if the heat from all the chicken poop helped them along.

next year Im going to try some seed in a bed covered with black plastic as well as seeds started on a heating pad wrapped in wet paper towels in plastic baggies.

 

[Jared77]

Id save some of those seeds just to try in a different location to see just how well they do. Might be an interesting option. Plus I'd start spreading that chicken manure around too so your other plants can capitalize on the obvious benefits.

 

[catjac1975]

Pepper seeds take a little longer to germinate. If you get bad germination I think it is just bad seed, which is more common in peppers. I always grow several packages from different sources for that reason. Sometimes a whole package will not germinate. I find hot peppers are more likely to be bad seed.

I had a terrible time getting peppers started. It took me weeks getting about 6 plants to take off from seed and live in pots that are now being taken in at night. I ended up purchasing some starts that did ok in a bed, but not great.

then in early august suddenly two pepper plants appeared in my raised beds. These volunteers are twice as big as all the others and now loaded with blossems. Dont know that they will go anywhere though as first frost is expected tonight. I'll cover them with buckets and maybe with some luck.

Im surprised that your chickens didn't do that pepper plant in! im wondering if the heat from all the chicken poop helped them along.

next year Im going to try some seed in a bed covered with black plastic as well as seeds started on a heating pad wrapped in wet paper towels in plastic baggies.

 

[Ridgerunner]

One of the problems with pepper seeds is that the soil really needs to be warm to get them to germinate. I talked to a guy this spring that starts organic seeds and sells the plants. He said 80 degrees is not a bad temperature for pepper.

Ive had trouble getting peppers to germinate. I usually heat my starter mix to the low 70s. Ill try going a little higher next year to see if that helps.

I think (dont know for sure, just think) if they get chilled it stunts them. Im not in a big hurry to get them in the garden until it warms up some.

 

[ninnymary]

Luck you, so lucky..to get those peppers. Why is it that volunteers pop up so late in the season and then frost or colder weather comes?

Mary