This Week's Focus in the Greenhouse
Week 25 has been a week of getting plants settled and staying ahead of small issues before they become big ones. The team transplanted the remaining grower plants into grow bags, set up trellising in the Isolation Rooms, changed the fertilizer in the isolation room tanks, caught some early mold, got the hoop houses fertilized, and cleaned the greenhouse top to bottom ahead of a visit from our parent company's service team.
No dramatic moments this week, just the steady, detail-oriented work that keeps a pepper crop on track.
Seed Stock Production
Grower Plants Into Grow Bags
The remaining grower plants have been transplanted into grow bags filled with ProMix. Getting plants into their final containers is a big milestone, from here it's about dialing in the watering and fertilizer schedule and letting them grow.
A fun moment from this week: a couple of the plants already had peppers growing on them at transplant time. The variety is Thunder Mountain Longhorn, a striking, elongated pepper and we couldn't resist arranging them to spell out P.Joe's. Sometimes the greenhouse gives you a little gift.
Thunder Mountain Longhorn peppers fresh off the plant, spelling out P.Joe's. You know you're a pepper head when you use them to spell out a word.
Trellis Setup in the Isolation Rooms
We hung string in the Isolation Rooms this week to set up trellising for the plants as they get taller. Trellising keeps plants upright, improves airflow around the canopy, and helps support heavy pod loads later in the season. Getting the string up now means we won't be scrambling to add support once the plants are already stretching.
Isolation Room 1 with pepper plants in the Dutch Bucket system, trellis string hung and setup to support the plants.
Fertilizer Tank Change in the Isolation Rooms
The fertilizer tanks in the Isolation Rooms were swapped out this week. Keeping the nutrient solution fresh and dialed in is critical for consistent plant development, especially in the isolation rooms where we're managing specific varieties closely.
Catching Mold Early
We noticed some mold developing on the peat moss in the Isolation Rooms this week. After evaluating the situation, we traced it back to watering frequency, the medium was staying too wet between cycles. We pulled back on watering and the issue has already started to clear up.
This is worth talking about because it's easy to miss and easy to misdiagnose. Mold on growing media is almost always a moisture management issue, not a contamination problem. If you're seeing something similar in your home grow, check your watering frequency before reaching for a treatment. Less water, more airflow, and give it a few days.
Hoop House Fertilization
The plants in the hoop houses got their fertilizer application this week. We skipped it last week, temperatures were too high and applying fertilizer in extreme heat can stress roots and cause burn. Timing fertilizer applications around temperature is something every grower should keep in mind during summer months. When in doubt, wait for cooler conditions.
Inside one of the hoop houses after this week's fertilizer application, plants are thriving and the season is moving right along.
Greenhouse Cleanup and a Visit
The greenhouse got a thorough cleaning and reorganization this week ahead of a visit from our parent company's corporate team. It's always a good excuse to tighten things up and the space is looking great. The season is running well and it showed.
Looking Ahead
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- Monitor grow bag plants as they settle into their new containers
- Continue trellising as plants in the Isolation Rooms gain height
- Track mold situation in Isolation Rooms and adjust watering as needed
- Continue hoop house monitoring post-fertilization
ProMix up close, the growing medium we're using in the grow bags this season. Transplanted grower plants settling into their new home in the background.
What This Means for Home Growers
If you're growing peppers at home and running into similar issues, here's what to prioritize:
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- Mold on your growing media? Pull back on watering frequency first. Mold thrives in consistently wet conditions, let the medium dry out slightly between waterings and improve airflow around the base of your plants.
- Fertilizing in summer heat? Wait for cooler parts of the day, early morning is best. Fertilizing during peak heat increases the risk of root burn, especially in containers and grow bags.
- Trellising your plants? Don't wait until they need it. Get your support system in place early so plants grow into it naturally rather than being staked after the fact.
- Need something else: Check out our full library of Growing Guides in Grow with Joe
Keep Up with the Greenhouse
Missed last week? Week 24
Want to see how the season started? Start at Week 1
Stay spicy. Until next week, keep growing.
🌶️ The Pepper Joe's Growing Team