Hey all, was recently gifted a Carolina Reaper plant. I have never grown Peppers before so this is all new to me. I've been googling as much as I can, but I am finding a lot of conflicting information on its care. I have it potted and water it according to the instructions. But it seems to still be struggling. I live in southern Oregon where our heat skyrockets and fire season suffocates the air. So I'm growing primarily indoors near a window. I have tried twice now to set the plant outside to get full direct sunlight (like I've been told it needs/likes) and to encourage bees to help polinate the flowers. However, both times I have, the leaves and flowers began to droop and curl. Temperature currently was 75°F-79°F. Which I've been told is ideal. The plant comes back to its perky self when I bring it inside….but is there any other information I'm missing as to why it seems to hate sunlight? And how I can encourage polination being fully indoors? Thank you for any helpful information!
by miarahK95
1 Comment
Need to get the plant used to direct sunlight. Set it outside for a few hours a day for a little while and after a week or so of doing that, you should be able to leave it outside all the time. Peppers like full sunlight (8+ hours a day) and temps of 70-85 degrees. Make sure you’re watering enough but not over watering. You can stick a finger about 2 inches into the soil, if it feels damp, no need to water more. Too much water can cause root rot and other issues. Since your plant is in a container, it will likely need nutrients. Nutrients higher in nitrogen will help the plant grow more foliage, which will ultimately lead to higher yields. When the plant is flowering and producing fruit, it will require more phosphorus and potassium. There are many options for nutrients, I’d recommend researching that. A very helpful resource for you will be peppergeek’s youtube channel and website. Good luck, hope this helps!