2018 Pepper Season Week Nine Update

As you’ll see in the following photos, the plants have just about outgrown their current home. As luck would have it, I’ve scheduled them to start spending some time outside starting a week from now. The hardening off process should take the plants to the start of May, at which point they will go into their Summer homes.

Compared to the plant progress about this time last year, I can’t be happier with my decision to invest in a somewhat proper lighting set-up for the plants’ first couple of months. Almost all of the plants — thanks to these new lights, as well as some strategically timed topping — are forming solid trunks, progressing into stockier and stronger plants. I’m hoping all of this preparation puts them in a good spot for May.

So, enough of my jabbering. Onto the plants!

All of the habanero variants are looking great and most are about the same size. As you can see, it’s getting crowded.

One of the plants that I am particularly excited about is the Pequin in the upper right of the below photo. It’s the only one that I had germinate and it’s looking great, having recently started putting on some girth.

The purple jalapeño plant in the middle of the below photo, was one of the first that I topped a few weeks ago and it has responded quite well.

Another variety that has reacted to topping positively are my Datils as seen below.

More plants!

Topping can certainly tug at the heartstrings, but it’s worth it for the plants health and wellbeing in the long run.