Help with Ghost Peppers

[Swedevil]

New to ghost peppers and jalapenos - not new to gardening. I recently got a jalapeno and ghost pepper plant. Put them in the same pot. The jalapeno plant seems to be doing well, but the ghost pepper plant looks like it was started dieing from the top - almost drying out wilting. Can anyone help with corrective actions?

 

[Meadowlark]

... Put them in the same pot.

In that size pot, I would only have one jalapeno and in another pot the ghost pepper. Overcrowding isn't good for peppers.

 

[Swedevil]

In that size pot, I would only have one jalapeno and in another pot the ghost pepper. Overcrowding isn't good for peppers.

Ok, I can move them, that's not a problem. I kept seeing that peppers liked being in posts with another pepper but that's an easy fix.

 

[Chuck]

Neither plant will grow or produce as it should while planted closely together. I would immediately transplant BOTH plants into a larger container, at minimum a 5 gallon. I can't tell from the picture but it appears the pot is about a 3 gallon size, not large enough for either pepper.

 

[Swedevil]

Neither plant will grow or produce as it should while planted closely together. I would immediately transplant BOTH plants into a larger container, at minimum a 5 gallon. I can't tell from the picture but it appears the pot is about a 3 gallon size, not large enough for either pepper.

It is a 5 gallon. I will transplant the ghost pepper this afternoon and that should allow more room.

 

[Chuck]

It is a 5 gallon. I will transplant the ghost pepper this afternoon and that should allow more room.

My ghost pepper plants grow to a larger size than the jalapenos. Mine normally grow to about 4 ft tall by 3.5 ft wide. I grow mine in a 10 gallon fabric pot

 

[Swedevil]

My ghost pepper plants grow to a larger size than the jalapenos. Mine normally grow to about 4 ft tall by 3.5 ft wide. I grow mine in a 10 gallon fabric pot

I didn't realize that. I was informed they would be good to grow together in a 5 gallon. It should be salvageable once I translate it. Thank you for that information.

 

[Chuck]

I didn't realize that. I was informed they would be good to grow together in a 5 gallon. It should be salvageable once I translate it. Thank you for that information.

The people you got the plants from are clueless. Jalapenos normally reach about 3ft x 2.5 ft. A 5 gallon is the absolute minimum for jalapenos. Later on in the season even with a 10 gallon pot it will become more and more difficult to maintain correct moisture content with both varieties. And even with a 10 gallon, becoming root bound is somewhat of a problem with the Ghost peppers. Out of curiosity what are you going to do with that many ghost peppers. I make and sell hot sauce with mine. I find them too hot to be edible and I love hot peppers with everything, but these new superhots are too hot for me.

 

[Swedevil]

The people you got the plants from are clueless. Jalapenos normally reach about 3ft x 2.5 ft. A 5 gallon is the absolute minimum for jalapenos. Later on in the season even with a 10 gallon pot it will become more and more difficult to maintain correct moisture content with both varieties. And even with a 10 gallon, becoming root bound is somewhat of a problem with the Ghost peppers. Out of curiosity what are you going to do with that many ghost peppers. I make and sell hot sauce with mine. I find them too hot to be edible and I love hot peppers with everything, but these new superhots are too hot for me.

I add them to salsa, and dry them to crush for use with seasoning. Like I said, I've never done ghost peppers so I wasn't sure how well one plant would produce.

 

[Chuck]

I add them to salsa, and dry them to crush for use with seasoning. Like I said, I've never done ghost peppers so I wasn't sure how well one plant would produce.

A word of advice. ANYTHING you do with ghost peppers or any of the superhots, DO IT OUTSIDE, not in the house. If you maintain fertilizing and watering at the correct levels you can easily expect 100 or more peppers off of a plant.

 

[Meadowlark]

I don't know about Ghosts, but for fun once I counted the number of jalapenos that one plant produced through spring to frost....over 300 peppers 

Can't imagine that many Ghosts...

 

[Meadowlark]

By the way @Swedevil , some of my best production on jalapenos happens in the fall before first frost. My jalapenos produce heavy in the spring and then slow down considerably during the heat of summer but are reborn in fall for some of the best production of the season.

I mention that to say don't give up on them when it gets super-hot cause they will rebound in fall.

 

[Swedevil]

By the way @Swedevil , some of my best production on jalapenos happens in the fall before first frost. My jalapenos produce heavy in the spring and then slow down considerably during the heat of summer but are reborn in fall for some of the best production of the season.

I mention that to say don't give up on them when it gets super-hot cause they will rebound in fall.

Good to know. I live in Louisiana, USA so the heat in the summer tends to effect lots of plants growing - and we don't ever really get a frost lol

 

[Meadowlark]

Good to know. I live in Louisiana, USA so the heat in the summer tends to effect lots of plants growing - and we don't ever really get a frost lol

You can actually go up to three years production on one jalapeno plant if no frosts. The production does fall off a good bit each year, but it is interesting how much they can produce.