Late to the party. Sorry. 5 gallon buckets minimum for peppers in Houston. Bagged so called soil from HD and L's isn't dirt, it is sawdust in varying stages of shred. Don't use potting soil for containers down here either, humidity and moisture retention isn't plant friendly. Curled leaves is 'normally' insects nibbling before leaves are leaves and won't be an issue for the fruits. Those leaves look horrible. Miracle Gro is mostly epsom salts, I like GardenTone, but treat soil with before transplant and LOOK at the leaves. Peppers don't like N nitrogen and dark green leaves is nitrogen. You CAN use a bloom booster (Scotts or MG) if bloom set is failing- 2 weeks apart. I know I have made a note 'to self' my peppers go in soil 24" deep if I want them to avoid our heat.
I am researching our bagged soil resources for my raised beds, have a mix of a bunch of bagged soils starting to finally age properly. Cannot grow in ground at all in my fine silt sand- nematodes destroy what the moles don't.
