Spots on pepper

[StrangGuy]

Thanks for the replies. I will make the switch over to the Vigor/Bloom combination now, leaving out the Grow per the manufacture.
I am really curious on if I should pinch off these first few blooms. I have read a few good posts that talk about doing so, which seem to make sense. I have personally experienced (in soil) just letting the first few blooms grow and then tons of others fill up at the very tops of the plant where it is weak, just to end up falling off. While that first pepper or two is growing all other blooms just shed. Just curious if any of you have any feedback to the following posts or have tried anything like that to increase yield.

Veg & Fruit Cycle: Peppers - Hydroponics Forum - GardenWeb
In the crotch, or fork between your 2 stems, pinch off that flower. Likewise, going up each stem you pinch off the flower (if any) at the 1st node above the fork.
What you want is to stagger the first 2 peppers on each stem & allow the plant to definitively transition into a continuous (not flushes) fruiting cycle. The plant is made to "work" to replace the lost flowers & this helps condition that response. It is not a question of giving it more time for vegetative/root development to make a better plant; it is a tactical sacrifice that means more total productivity.
So, after pruning the 1st flower that develops above the fork, let the next higher flower grow & set fruit on the 2nd node of each of both main stems. Then, get rid of (prune) the flower at the 3rd node of each stem.

Hydroponic Gardening-Sweet Peppers
It is tempting to allow your sweet peppers to produce as much fruit as they will, but this can result in poor quality fruit and unhealthy plants. The first flower on each plant needs to be removed. This creates stronger fruit in successive blooms.

[GpsFrontier]

Although I can understand the reasoning about pinching off the first few flowers, I don't have any real knowledge as to if it is really beneficial in the long run. But I have found a few publications that may contain those (any many more) answers for you. Sorry about all the reading.

Bell pepper production in California
Production of Sweet Bell Peppers
Bell Peppers, University of Kentucky
Greenhouse-Grown Bell Pepper Production
Bell Pepper Production
Commercial Pepper Production Handbook

P.S. Commercial greenhouse producers usually use a variety that continues to grow like tomato plants, rather than a bush type that get to a certain size and stops growing. So I am not sure if the two types are comparable when it comes to plucking the first few flowers.

[StrangGuy]

Thanks GPS,
I am still reading all the content in the post. Thanks for bringing all the links together. What I have found is that the following has a nice post with picture (not included here) that helps to put pruning into perspective, at least for me.

http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/opp4523

As the day/ night temperature difference is established one week after transplanting (while maintaining the 24-hour average temperature target of 20 - 21°C), the plants will be directed to set flowers, with the first flower developing at the "fork'. The flower developing at the fork should be removed, with the first flower set and resulting fruit set targeted for the second node above the fork. After this flower sets, the flower at the third node is removed and the fourth node is left to develop. The flowers that follow at the fifth node and upwards are allowed to set freely. If the flower at the second node aborts, allow the third node to set a flower, if this flower sets, remove the flower at the fourth node and then allowing all subsequent flowers to set.

Still reading and will coment more later. Thanks again, StrangGuy

[joe.jr317]

Good resources to have. I think I'm becoming a pepper fanatic. I'm growing 3 different kinds right now, but am thinking about ordering some seeds of peppers I've never had. Unfortunately, when I planted some seeds earlier this year I completely forgot what variety I had just planted so I have called those my mystery peppers.

[GpsFrontier]

How are the peppers doing StrangGuy?

[StrangGuy]

Originally Posted by GpsFrontier

How are the peppers doing StrangGuy?

Hi GPS,
They are doing great. I have just posted a video over on YouTube to give an update. I added a few things as they are getting larger and requiring more water and nutrients.
Have a look. YouTube - Hydroponic Bell Peppers

Thanks,
StrangGuy

[GpsFrontier]

Thanks for the video StrangGuy,

Wow! They have grown sense the last pictures, they look healthy also. Although I'm at a loss to figure out or explain why some are larger than others, unless they were not planted at the same time. I really like your in-line carbon filter, and fresh water replenishment system. I don't know what size that reservoir is (looks like about 20 gallons), or how often you change the nutrients. But what ever it is seems to be working.

How tall are they now, the tallest ones look like they are about 3 feet (but I could be wrong). How many plants did you wind up with? Also, I'm wondering if you know how much water the plants are drinking daily. Wondering if I was close in my estimates, but with the water replenishment system you probably cant keep track (I assume). I also really like your trellis system (netting I understand). Can you reach the peppers in the middle of it all?

P.S. I think I asked you this before, but what are you going to do with all those peppers?