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Capsicums
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Author:  oldute [ Fri Feb 05, 2010 11:03 am ]
Post subject:  Capsicums
OK. I'm after your capsicum growing tips.

I've tried them in pots with expensive potting mix.
Watered religously at 6.30am then about 5pm every day.
Fertilised with Thrive once a week.
Fruit stays small and gets soft spots on them.

I've tried them in the dirt garden.
Watered religuosly.
Fruit stays small. Hot sun wrecks them so tried under shade mesh.
Still small fruit.

Tried in aquponics only recently.
One has a fruit on it which grew to the size of a plum and has been at that size for 2 weeks now.

Whats the secret????
Went to the local farmers markets and the capsicums there were giants.
Anybody had success in perth climate?
Author:  chillidude [ Fri Feb 05, 2010 11:07 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Capsicums
Yeah Oldute, had plenty of success - trouble is I didn't do any special so I'm not sure I have any advice given the number of options you have tried.

Are you buying seedlings, or starting from seed ?

What was the shade mesh, 50%, 70%, 90% blockout ? They need a good amount of sunlight, so if you used 90%, they may not have got enough. You do need something though as full Perth summer sun will knock them about.
Author:  oldute [ Fri Feb 05, 2010 11:17 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Capsicums
seedlings from bunnings. 50% shade mesh.
the plants in the pots were larger than the dirt garden ones and looked very healthy but same small fruit.
I'll have to try growing from seed next.
Author:  chillidude [ Fri Feb 05, 2010 11:38 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Capsicums
OK, I'm at a bit of a loss then.

There are small or mini varieties (sometimes called piccolo) - that's about the only other thing I can come up with, other than buying them from a nursery, trying a different brand/supplier.
Author:  pistolknight [ Fri Feb 05, 2010 11:46 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Capsicums
oldute for some reason I have had a few problems with certain veggies this year, the ones that aren't working are the same in dirt and AP, chilli's and capsicum are the main 2, chilli's in the topsy turvy are fine but not many of them, so maybe just the season
Author:  chillidude [ Fri Feb 05, 2010 12:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Capsicums
That's the other option I guess - I haven't had much growing, besides fruit trees, as my AP system was supposed to be finished by now :bat:
Author:  oldute [ Fri Feb 05, 2010 12:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Capsicums
I hope you'll have it ready for trout season.
I think maybe what makes it so hard here is the temperature variations and the wind.
Havent really had a good year with the vegies, corn last year was fantastic, this year small and not much. Last year heaps of pumpkins, this year I've had 3 vines in for at least 3 months and now they are looking at the end of their life and they didnt have one female flower on them.
Always something new to try though next time.
Author:  chillidude [ Fri Feb 05, 2010 12:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Capsicums
Yeah, it's definitely all over the shop this season. Some of my citrus definitely appear confused as to when to flower and fruit and the avocado has suddenly started putting on new growth in the last 2 weeks, not sure what that's all about :dunno:
Author:  Granny Smith [ Fri Feb 05, 2010 2:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Capsicums
CD, I treat capsicums (capsica?) the same as tomatoes with good results, but I'm south of Perth.

WRT pumpkins, I believe temperatures control female and male flowers and since this has been the hottest, driest, ... etc maybe that has something to do with it.
Author:  pistolknight [ Fri Feb 05, 2010 2:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Capsicums
seems universal in WA anyhow, my pumpkins hardly had a female flower and the ones that did aborted or flowers wouldn't open, this again is in Dirt and AP with 3 different varieties, I have a rock melon in ap and same but actually have 2 melons set, females just drop off, plenty of bee's, Citrus trees are loaded, apples no flowers and 1 apple off 2 tree's, plums, apricots, peach, nowhere near the fruit and also lack of flowers, Tomatoes were excellent in AP but soil not so good, again lack of flowers, strange season in deed Will Robinson
Author:  oldute [ Fri Feb 05, 2010 2:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Capsicums
Nocky, good to hear I'm not the only one. Thought I might have had some sterile pumpkin seeds.
I planted about 6 rockmelon seeds, only one grew but it has 2 good sized fruit on it.
I am waiting patiently for the stem to harden so I can pick them. They have been large enough for about 3 weeks now.
Author:  Himzo [ Fri Feb 19, 2010 11:51 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Capsicums
oldute wrote:
seedlings from bunnings. 50% shade mesh.
the plants in the pots were larger than the dirt garden ones and looked very healthy but same small fruit.
I'll have to try growing from seed next.


I got mine from Bunnings as seedlings as well. I have five in pots with very healthy plants but as you say the fruit is small for what is meant to be a big bell pepper. This is the same result that I have had for two years now and regardless of the feed and watering the fruit is still small, so I suspect that it's the particular hybrid that they produce. (BTW by small I mean roughly half the size of a bell pepper in the shops)
My parents on the other hand have some real monster fruit growing in a small section of their front yard. These are grown from seed in trays before planting out in a bed that faces North and has a galv fence sitting behind it and no shade.. :dunno:

H.
Author:  oldute [ Fri Feb 19, 2010 12:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Capsicums
Yeh,
3 years I've been trying to grow them with no success.
More determined than ever for next year but not with seedlings.
Our ones in pots have super healthy plants but shitty fruit. :(
Author:  pistolknight [ Fri Feb 19, 2010 12:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Capsicums
I am getting a few heirloom seeds when in perth, BYAP shop has a good range, I reckon most plants you by from super stores are modified in some way, the older varieties maybe don't have a shelf life as long as modern ones but the sure as hell taste better, you should try some, if your not in WA then a few Ebay shops have plenty of Heirlooms but some won't post certain states
Author:  The Hopefulls [ Fri Feb 19, 2010 2:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Capsicums
Hi everyone, not only do we grow capsicums in the ground, we have them in the aquaponics and in buckets (sort of like hydroponics).

The capsicums in the ground are watered, fertilzed monthly and have a different taste to the aquaponics. The aquaponic bushes are stronger in structure and the fruit is larger, however they dont seem to last in the fridge as long.
The capsicums in the buckets are in a perlite mix, with a hole in the bucket about 1/3 - 1/3 the way up the bucket (drainage hole), we fill the bucket with water (fertilizer mix once a month) until i flows out the drain hole. These capsicum plants are in semi shade, so the capsicum itself is a little smaller but a lot sweeter.

Havent thought to keep the seeds for next year. The capsicums in the vege garden are on their second year, the ones in the buckets are on their third year (think they will need replacing this year).

this year because it has been so dry and with water restrictions we have had difficulties with ants (aphids). The seeds originally came from Diggers as part of their heirloom range.
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