Will My Peppers Ripen Before Frost Hits?
Asked by GardenGnome101
Hey everyone! I'm gardening in southeast Michigan (zone 6a), and I've noticed that my tomatoes and peppers have been slow this season. But good news! My mini and lunchbox bell pepper plants are finally blooming and showing buds. Since it's already August 25th, I'm starting to worry about whether those peppers will fully develop before our first frost in mid-October. Given that this growing season has been a bit unusual, is there anything I can do to speed things up? Would pinching off some of the flowers help?
Answers
I’ve found that mini peppers tend to take their sweet time just like some of my hotter varieties. I'm in Chicago, and I decided not to grow them this year since I’ll be out of town when they’re usually ready. So I wouldn't stress too much just yet!
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I’m also dealing with the same struggle. I started pinching off new blossoms today just to help them focus on the existing ones. I really hope we get a nice autumn this year since it feels like spring got skipped!
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I’m in the same boat here in 6a! A lot of my sweet peppers are finally picking up, probably because the cooler temps gave them a boost. But the real cold is almost here! I plan to just let them grow until frost and see what I can get. Fingers crossed for both of us!
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I cover my pepper plants with row cover fabric when it gets cooler at night. I live in PA mountains (also 6a), and it can get pretty chilly even in August. This method has kept my plants alive much longer in past years. I just lay the fabric over the plants and use some rocks or landscape staples to hold it down. As long as the daytime is sunny, those peppers will keep growing through September!
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Good news is, you can enjoy peppers at pretty much any stage of growth! So even if they don't reach that perfect size, they'll still be tasty!
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