Jalapeño pepper plant indoors

Hi, I'm a new forum member and am fairly new to keeping plants. I received my first indoor plant as a birthday present in January and shortly afterwards moved into my own apartment. Since then I've aquired about twenty indoor plants from garden centers and ebay, mostly foliage plants. I also planted some vegetables out on the patio this year -- tomatillos, tomatoes and a pepper plant.

The pepper plant grew very well and produced a number of large jalapeños. A couple of weeks ago I acknowledged that the leaves of the plant had been badly damaged by pests. I was reluctant to spray it because there were still bees visiting the patio, and temperatures have been getting quite cold on some nights, so I decided to bring the plant indoors for as long as it continued growing.

The conditions indoors are quite different to outside. The temperature is a fairly constant 25C (80F) with air humidity of between 60% and 80%. All of the heat comes from the dry cleaners on the floor below, so I haven't had to use any heating in the apartment yet. I keep the plant about 10ft from a south facing window where it receives direct sunlight in the morning.

A few days after I brought it inside, I noticed that some of the peppers were turning red. I've been removing them as this happens and freezing them. I haven't needed to water the plant since it came inside as the soil is quite moist. There has been some new growth at the top of the stems, but it's been very slow. Today I noticed that many of the plant's leaves are turning brown. This must have started in the past day. Should this be happening, or is it being affected by living indoors? Is there any hope of continuing to grow peppers?

I've attached a picture for reference.

Thanks.

 

Right off the top of my head, I'm thinking conditions may be too wet. You say the soil is still quite moist after a couple of weeks...is there good drainage in the planter?

These peppers do best with dry heat and sunshine, of course they need water periodically, but not much. It may be a combination of wet soil (in a small container) with moderately high humidity and not enough sunshine causing your problem. Last year we had a very wet july, rained every other day and all my peppers stunted and started turning brown with rot. They improved drastically with the end of the rains and the return of the sun and heat.

What are your outside temperatures right now? if it's not frosting or freezing outside and it's still fairly warm during the day, perhaps it would like to return outside? They arefairly hardy plants. All my peppers produce good up into november until the killing frosts set in.

looking forward to seeing some others opinions.

 

Hi monkeydog.

The soil is very compact so it may not drain well. It seems that roots are holding it together tightly, even at the surface, although the container is of a moderate size. The leaf degradation has halted again for the time being.

According to the forecast, the temperatures outside are about 15C/60F during the day and 6C/40F at night currently. There might not be a great deal of sunlight, however.

Are pepper plants ever carried over into the next year?

 

Hey Rede84, I don't know how long a jalapeno will live indoors. All my peppers only last until middle of november when it starts freezing, they do quite well up until then though. Commercially grown jalapenos are a one season plant as well, so I don't believe one would make it through to the next growing season.

From your description of the soil, I'd say your plant needs a bigger pot. Your plant may not be totally root bound, but it's probably close. The roots should not be holding the soil together in a compact fashion, and if roots are very close to the surface then they probably don't have the soil depth that they need.

Keep in mind that a mature jalapeno will be about 3 feet tall and almost as wide with 20-30 peppers. It's a stout plant with fairly deep root system. I would definately get a larger pot, maybe twice the size of your current. Make sure you have drain holes in the bottom. I would put an inch or two of gravel in the bottom and then transplant with a good garden soil, water it good onceand then make sure it gets as much light as possible.

Your outside temps now probably won't be conducive to good growth, and may shock the plant after being indoors. Now I can't say how much longer your plant has this season, so you may decide to let it go until spring and then start some new ones.

keep us informed on how it goes with your pepper!

 

Hey guys!
I'm new on here too.
I've been growing peppers (and tomatoes) indoors for 5 years now! They produce all year round, in my sunny south facing windows! While there is snow on the ground, even in winter, my windows are filled with juicy red tomatoes, and brightly coloured peppers! I grow everything from seed. Peppers are so easy to grow. I had a jalapeno plant indoors once too, and it produced like crazy!
Rede84 - I wondered what you did about the pest problem you said that was taking place before you brought the jalapeno plant indoors? This could be cause for your brown leaf problem too. Check the undersides of the leaves for spider mites. Don't go to too much trouble, just start another seed! I start all my peppers from seed - soooo easy. The seedlings grow quite vigorously, if given good light. Don't mess around with plants that aren't performing well - gardening should be fun - not a hassle.

 

Hey Rede84'
By the way - pepper plants are perennial, indoors. I have both hot and sweet pepper plants inside, that are over 2 years old!!!! They keep producing and producing. I cut them back a bit in the Spring, and fertilize them regularily. Another trick for peppers - try adding a few matches to your pepper pots - they love the sulphur! Just poke down into the soil. Keep your peppers warm indoors, over the colder months, because cold drafts and open windows can make the flowers fall off before the pepper sets! I shower my pepper plants once a week, to keep any spider mites, whitefly, and aphids, away. When growing food indoors, pests are very attracted. "Gypsy" is an excellent sweet pepper to grow inside in the winter - it produces like crazy, and doesn't mind cool drafts, or a cool room.

 

Thanks for the info Container Gardener. Good to know that the peppers will make it through the winter indoors. What do you reckon the total life span would be indoors in optimum conditions?

Couple more questions...Do you set the plants outside in the spring and summer, or do they stay inside all year? Also, what about polination of the inside plants...do you have to do any artificial polination, especially during the winter?

 

No, peppers don't really need pollination (although ideal), as they will set fruit even without it - I just tap the blossoms, to release pollen everywhere on the plant. I don't put my indoor pepper plants outside in the warmer weather, because I don't want to bring pests indoors when it has to come back in. Better to keep the indoor plants always inside, and grow outdoor plants separately. I don't know exactly how long they will live for inside, but being that they are a perennial, they should live on indefinitely! Don't forget to save the seeds from inside of your little peppers, dry them on a plate for 2 weeks - this way you'll always have lots of seeds to start more plants, and experiment. Give your pepper plants lots of sunshine, and they should thrive! Feel free to ask more questions, and I'll try to answer them for you. Peppers are very easy to grow - there's not a lot to them. Enjoy.

 

Monkeydog: As a tropical gardener, I can tell you that one pepper plant will last at least 5 years in constant conditions; no reason to expect that it wouldn't behave the same way indoors.... My oldest pepper, a Dragon Tears chili, is 8 years old and still going strong. It's formed a tree-style shrub.

 

Hi lorax!
You're sooo lucky to have that kind of climate! Here, peppers are only perennial outdoors, if they're brought in for winter protection - otherwise they die, and they don't come back next season. Inside, they go on and on and on! I just plant new seedlings every year, for outside.

 

Lorax, boy I'd love to see that pepper plant! That's just amazing to me...8 years! I wish I had room to put a couple of them in the house. I grow 10-12 pablamo peppers every year and usually one or two other varieties. I'm always sad to see them go come winter. They are always still vibrant and healthy up into november with both fruit and flowers up until they freeze to death.
Thank you Lorax and Container for the info on life spans, I never would have imagined they'd last that long! (would love to see a pic of that dragon tears if you had one!)

 

Sorry, I don't have a picture of the plant!

 

How do you insert a picture, anyway? I'm new to all of this!

 

How to Attach Images

 

Hello!

Not Jalapeno - but the first two shots are of my "Firecracker" chili pepper plant - bragged to be one of the hottest in the world! The last pic is of my "Aurora" plant, which is the same as "Dragon's tears" - like the eight year old one that lorax has! These pictures were taken a week ago, so this is what they currently look like! (November 16th, 2008). "Dragon Tears", or "Aurora" is my favorite chili pepper - I think lorax's too!

 

Hey Hollyberry Lady
Im new here and just started growing Jalapeno plants indoors a few months ago. And i was wondering if you could send me some firecracker and aurora seeds please?

 

Hello eagleheart:

Yes, I will send you some of the seeds that you requested! Do you have anything to trade, by chance? I will still send the seeds anyway, but it's always nice when two people can share, as well.

 

Thanks, your location says Canada I live in the US are we allowed to mail seeds over the border?
What would you like?

 

Hey eagleheart:

Well what have ya got? Any poppy seeds? I like flower seeds. Send me a private message if you want - I can't seem to send you one because of your settings.........

 

Hello eagleheart:

Yes, seeds are okay to mail across the border. What kind of seeds do you have?.........

 

Hey Hollyberry Lady

How do I send you a private message? I cant figure it out....

 

Hello Eagleheart!

You click on The Hollyberry Lady beside my post, and it will give you an option window - one of which is to send me a private message!

 

Hey Hollyberry Lady

It doesnt say send you a private message. Am i suppose to add you as a contact or a friend first?

 

Hello eagleheart:

I am as new as you are, so to be honest, I don't really know! Yes, try adding me as a friend, then go into my profile - you should be able to send me a private message in there. I did send you an email though.

 

Eagleheart, you are kidding about the PM, right? Well, if not, take your curser to Holleyberry's name in her comment field, click her name, and select private message.
Sorry, this was a bit funny. Good luck in the exchange :_)