2014 - Peppers
2014 was a banner year for peppers. Building on the lessons learned in 2013, I planted earlier in the spring on March 14. I added Golden, Lilac & Red Beauty Bell Peppers to the California Wonder (Green) Bell Peppers I grew in 2013. In addition, I also added Sweet Banana Peppers to the mix. See below for pictures from planting in March thru the end of season in mid December.
California Wonder, Golden, Lilac and Red Beauty Bell Peppers. By the way, Lilac Bell Peppers start out Yellow-Green, ripen to Purple & finally to Red. Golden Bell Peppers start out Green & ripen to Yellow. Red Beauty Bell Peppers start out Green and ripen to Red. If that helps a bit. Lilac Bell Peppers are smaller than the California Wonder & Golden Bell Peppers. 2014 is the only year I grew them.
You may notice that the Red Beauty Bell Pepper leaves have many holes in them on 07-04-14. I didn't keep good notes that year, but imagine the culprit was little brown worms. Back in 2014, I would have used Bayer Vegetable & Garden Insect Spray. I've since progressed to Seven liquid then to Captain Jack's Deadbug to control these little brown worms that magically appear every year.
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Sweet Banana Peppers do fabulous in Houston. They do not burn up in the 95 plus degree summer sun so there is no need to cover with shade cloth. And they are much more prolific that Bell Peppers. I have planted them every year since 2014. See pics below of 2014 growing season. I normally pick them when they are still yellow. Their flavor doesn't change much if you allow them to turn red as in the last two photos.
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The picture below shows my garden harvest on 07-25-14. You'll see come California Wonder, Red beauty & Lilac Bell Peppers, Sweet Banana Peppers, Red & Yellow Onions, Lemon & Sugar Crunch Cucumbers, Yellow & Red Onions & Tomatoes. I picked 29 tomatoes that day: mostly Early Girl, Big Boy, Rutgers & Celebrity. And no I do not count the tomatoes picked by day every year … just in 2014 & 2016.
2013 - Peppers
From 2013 growing season, the first picture of California Wonder (Green) bell peppers look perhaps a week or two old. So they must have been planted around April 10-15 which is relatively late for Houston. My target plant date for tomatoes & peppers is March 10th, although I planted on Feb 25th in 2018 after noting a very favorable 10 day weather forecast.
You will note the 50% shade cloth in the June photo. When temps exceed 90 degrees, bell peppers exposed to the sun tend to develop soft spots. Covering them with shade cloth during the hot summer months solves this problem. I now use 30% shade cloth. I initially used Super Hoops from Gardeners Supply and clothes pins to hold the shade cloth in place.
In later years, I added three 4 foot fence posts (1 foot below ground cemented in & 3 feet above ground) on both long sides of the 12 foot beds. I attached 5 foot high 2/4s to each fence post with screws & connected the sides & tops. I then draped the 30% shade cloth over the structure. The resulting 5 foot high overhang gives the peppers more room to grow than the Super Hoops. The silver triangular vegetable supports were later replaced by Pepper Cages from Gardeners Supply (see 12-19-13 pic). These cages surround the entire pepper plant and are a little taller than the silver triangular supports pictured here.
You will note the same Green Bell Peppers planted in April were still producing peppers in December. This doesn't happen every year. In Houston, we can get frost in late November or December.
You will note the 50% shade cloth in the June photo. When temps exceed 90 degrees, bell peppers exposed to the sun tend to develop soft spots. Covering them with shade cloth during the hot summer months solves this problem. I now use 30% shade cloth. I initially used Super Hoops from Gardeners Supply and clothes pins to hold the shade cloth in place.
In later years, I added three 4 foot fence posts (1 foot below ground cemented in & 3 feet above ground) on both long sides of the 12 foot beds. I attached 5 foot high 2/4s to each fence post with screws & connected the sides & tops. I then draped the 30% shade cloth over the structure. The resulting 5 foot high overhang gives the peppers more room to grow than the Super Hoops. The silver triangular vegetable supports were later replaced by Pepper Cages from Gardeners Supply (see 12-19-13 pic). These cages surround the entire pepper plant and are a little taller than the silver triangular supports pictured here.
You will note the same Green Bell Peppers planted in April were still producing peppers in December. This doesn't happen every year. In Houston, we can get frost in late November or December.
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