[Steveharford]

I put mine (potted) on a raised shelf across the back above the toms for that reason. Did very well last year

[3759allen]

i'd doubt heat was the issue, i've not been in many greenhouses or tunnels that are hotter than mine got.

i was worried a few times that there was too much heat for everything, but seemed ok if i kept on top of the watering.

maybe i just had an unlucky season for them last year i shall add more fertiliser this year and see if i can do better.

[Snoop]

Could your problem be lack of heat? My experience is that peppers need it hotter than either tomatoes or cucumbers to give a good crop. I make sure that my peppers are planted in the hottest part of the polytunnel (where there is the most sun) and it does seem to make a difference.

This is news to me. Here the locals reckon that peppers do badly at the height of summer and then come on song in September when it cools down a bit. My experience last year would suggest they are right. This year I'm growing mine in a cooler spot with some shade in the late afternoon.

When I had a greenhouse, my chillies thrived in it, but my sweet peppers did not do quite as well.

[Headgardener22]

My comment was about chilli peppers, I don't grow sweet peppers so I hadn't realised my comment could be confusing. 

[Snoop]

Hi Headgardener22, have a look at this link:

http://www.seaspringplants.co.uk/gardeners-info/growingchillies

They talk about using a string suspended from the ceiling of your greenhouse as a support for the plant by winding the string round the central stem or trunk. Is this what you were thinking about?

If it is, you can't run 2 pepper plants up one string because you need one string per trunk. In any case, you need to give the plants a bit of space as you will want them to get quite bushy in order to maximise your harvest.

Sounds like you might be in the same position as me: more plants than you really have room for!

[3759allen]

i have now divided the plants and potted up.

so maybe the problem i had was too much heat for sweet peppers? a lot of the fruit seemed to rot from the inside out, any idea why this would be?

i do have enough room, but may have to change the layout a little. and make sure i leave enough space to get to the cucs and toms that run closest to the polythene (lesson learnt from last year)

[Snoop]

Have a look on the Web for images of "blossom end rot" on sweet peppers to see if this matches your symptoms.

I've had repeated problems with this. If I've understood all the info I've read, the cause seems to be irregular watering that allows the soil to dry out, which in turn makes it difficult for the plant to transport calcium. Plants in a very hot greenhouse might suffer from drying soil. The solution is to keep soil moist. In my case, I can't do this as the ground dries out even when I water morning and evening. Last year, I added calcium in the form of wood ash (also a good source of potassium) and a small amount of ground hoof (can't get BFB here). I did not lose a single pepper or tomato to blossom end rot. I didn't do a controlled experiment, so perhaps it was coincidence. Even so, I've added ash and hoof again this year.

[gobs]

Could your problem be lack of heat? My experience is that peppers need it hotter than either tomatoes or cucumbers to give a good crop. I make sure that my peppers are planted in the hottest part of the polytunnel (where there is the most sun) and it does seem to make a difference.

This is news to me. Here the locals reckon that peppers do badly at the height of summer and then come on song in September when it cools down a bit. My experience last year would suggest they are right. This year I'm growing mine in a cooler spot with some shade in the late afternoon.

When I had a greenhouse, my chillies thrived in it, but my sweet peppers did not do quite as well.

But then, your temperatures and ours are a mile apart.

[gobs]

i have now divided the plants and potted up.

so maybe the problem i had was too much heat for sweet peppers? a lot of the fruit seemed to rot from the inside out, any idea why this would be?

i do have enough room, but may have to change the layout a little. and make sure i leave enough space to get to the cucs and toms that run closest to the polythene (lesson learnt from last year)

There could be other things causing this but one is a moth. Rare in gh though.

[sunshineband]

Headgardener has a very good point re the warmth required. Unless you are growing a variety such as King of The North, which has been developed for outdoor growing in this country, then they do need a decent amount of heat to flourish.

You might well have a better crop with fewer plants that are well grown in their intended bushy shape, 3579allen, rather than trying to make more of them grow in a way they are not really intended to follow, to try to fit into a space, imho

[Snoop]

But then, your temperatures and ours are a mile apart.

I grow my peppers and chillies outdoors. Even though it's hot here in the daytime, I wouldn't mind betting a UK greenhouse is hotter.

[gobs]

But then, your temperatures and ours are a mile apart.

I grow my peppers and chillies outdoors. Even though it's hot here in the daytime, I wouldn't mind betting a UK greenhouse is hotter.

Yes. Today for example, I was sitting in the gh in 2 long sleeve, high neck jumpers and a winter coat and it was sunny, too.

The thing with peppers is that they won't set fruit if they are cold nor if they are hot. Somewhere between 15/18 to 24 Celsius night and up to low 30-ies day temperatures.

However, they shall do just about nought if the soil temperatures are below this 15/18 range and at this latitude the soil does rarely get warm.

[Headgardener22]

But then, your temperatures and ours are a mile apart.

I grow my peppers and chillies outdoors. Even though it's hot here in the daytime, I wouldn't mind betting a UK greenhouse is hotter.

Yes. Today for example, I was sitting in the gh in 2 long sleeve, high neck jumpers and a winter coat and it was sunny, too.

The thing with peppers is that they won't set fruit if they are cold nor if they are hot. Somewhere between 15/18 to 24 Celsius night and up to low 30-ies day temperatures.

However, they shall do just about nought if the soil temperatures are below this 15/18 range and at this latitude the soil does rarely get warm.

Gobs, Shows what a difference we've got across the UK, the temperature in my polytunnel on Saturday reached 40c with the door open. Shirtsleaved time. A significant problem I have in the PT at this time of year is the fact that the temperature can vary a lot. Later in the year (unfortunately) it gets shaded by the trees, keeps the temperature to manageable levels but reduces actual sunlight. Can't have everything.

[snow white]

I grow mine up a string.  One plant per string.  I just wind string around the leading growth to support it in the poly tunnel.  I don't use canes in the pt as I am clumsy and would probably poke holes in it!  It is bushy and you get more branches, but I find if the main one is supported the rest stays in place.  Also the pepper is a perennial plant, so you can over winter them in the house on a light window ledge.  This gives them a good start as our summers are not long enough to get a good crop unless you heat the greenhouse/poly tunnel to extend the season.  They take an age to mature, then the cold weather starts again.  I hate waste as well, but two per string will not produce good results.

[Snoop]

The thing with peppers is that they won't set fruit if they are cold nor if they are hot. Somewhere between 15/18 to 24 Celsius night and up to low 30-ies day temperatures.

However, they shall do just about nought if the soil temperatures are below this 15/18 range and at this latitude the soil does rarely get warm.

Hmm. Maybe a solution would be to cut off the bottom of a five-litre water bottle (they call them garrafas here - I have no idea what they're called in proper English) and widen the neck, jam it into the soil and let the plant grow up through the hole. That way, you could essentially create a greenhouse that would heat the soil only. It would be relatively easy to place a cloth or something over the plastic to provide shade for the soil when it got really hot.

Heath Robinson - my middle name!