The weather has been so nice the last few days so I planted these pepper seedlings today. There are 4 poblano's, 4 paprika's, 3 NuMex 6-4's, 3 Aji Dulce #2's and 2 NuMex Surprise. I still haven't started the birds eye seeds yet. I have some seedlings left in reserve and if I don't need to use them I will bring them to the swap.

I used the SFG planting pattern for the peppers I put in the ground today and it seems like it is going to get crowded. I have always planted peppers 3 plants to a 4' row section and these are one plant to the square foot. Have any of you planted them this close before?

Most planting plot diagrams I see suggest peppers @ 1 plant/sq.ft., I have always given them a little more space, but am trying the same as you this year. I designed my layout with the help of http://www.growveg.com/Default....

Dan - I plant 1/sq ft. I normally use tomato cages or rebar to tie them up and keep them in bounds,

I think the plants would survive OK in a one foot square space; I'm just not sure I could find the peppers in the jungle!

Thanks Ladies! I guess I'm good to go then. :o)

LOL Alma - last year I had branched breaking off they were so loaded with fruit...

Pepper plants do have very brittle branches. Branches with lots of fruit should be supported and when harvesting fruit it should be cut off rather than picked. I'm going to build some pepper cages this year similar to short tomato cages. That way I can attach pieces of sun screen to the cage with clothes pins to help protect the fruit from sunburn.

When I went out to the garden this morning some critter snatched 2 of my pepper seedlings. Good thing I have a few back ups for just such an occasion.

I hate it when that happens. Not many critters here, mostly bugs and birds. Birds like to dig things up.

All three of my Aji Dulce plants gave up the ghost. This is the second year in a row that has happened. :o(
I guess that I'm not supposed to grow those.

Now my pepper plant roster is....5 poblanos, 4 paprika, 2 NuMex Surprise and 1 NuMex 6-4.

Bummer! Why do you think they died?

I should have started them earlier and left them under the lights longer. They only had 2 sets of true leaves when I set them out to harden off. I'll start some more here in a couple of weeks

Dan, this should be a hardy pepper. Why not start a few seeds directly in the ground? The outcome couldn't get any worse.

I agree...that's why I put them out when I did. :o)

I have a few new pepper seeds that I want to get started. I just checked the weather forcast for the next 3 weeks and everday except one will be in the 80's. That's excellent growing weather!

Peppers are easy to over winter so I'm not to concerned with a late start.