I have always found peppers in containers perform more consistently for me than peppers in the ground. Seems there are a lot of people who have had similar experiences.

My theory is that because peppers do well in warm soils that aren't too wet growing them in the ground is less consistent due to the effect of weather.

In other words I don't know that your seed saving is necessarily the reason for the inconsistent performance of bells for you.

I would just keep using some soil from the woods. As far as fertilizing, I would use a balanced fertilizer that is not too high in nitrogen like 10,10,10. If you use a fertilizer mix that is higher in nitrogen than the rest of the compounds then make sure you switch to a balanced one before your fruits set on the plant. A balanced fertilizer will increase your yield and cut down on problems caused by too much vegetative growth.

Here is a link that might be useful: Enter To Win $50.00 Of Free Seeds!

I grow lots of peppers in containers. A pepper plant and a 5-gallon container are perfectly suited for each other. BUT: in the open ground, a plant will grow much bigger, with much bigger fruits so that's where you might want to put your Bells. That's where you can get good stuffin'-sized peppers, more than you can get from a container.

Ligardener, what part of the world do you live in? I live in the north (Wisconsin) and find bells are reliably better in containers (including size/yield) than they are in the ground.

I am wondering if there is a geographical component to this.

Peppers are tricky little devils! I saved some great seeds 4 years ago, but any seed I've saved from their offspring just haven't cut the mustard. I thought last year's looked pretty good, but they're not germinating particularly well this spring, so I may have to try 2004 again if they're still viable. Weather and soil conditions play a large role I think... about all we can do is keep trying every year and hope for the best. FWIW, I tried commercial seed vs my 2004 seeds for a couple of years, and mine was clearly better. Now, if I can just consistently grow a crop like 2004 I'll be laughing!

Cheers,

Tim

A woman I knew who grew peppers before I ever tried, said that peppers often grow better in containers in full sun than in the ground because the sun has an effect not only on the plant/leaves itself (photosynthesis, etc), but it also heats up the container so the roots stay warmer. She used wooden half-barrels and mulched with straw.

I've never seen it written, but it kind of sounds reasonable.

Sue

Justaguy: I live in the northeast, zone 7. It seems to me only logical to expect that in the open ground a plant has a lot more room to spread its roots and reach greater mass. My containers are only 5 gallons, and when I empty them at the end of the season, they are bound up with tight roots. That couldn't make for happy plants. Heck, even a head of lettuce will be a fraction of the size in a 5-gallon container than in the ground. I know because I tried it. On the other hand, as belgianpup states, her friend has great luck with wooden half-barrels. Now, that could make a difference. That's a lot of soil.

Justaguy: I live in the northeast, zone 7. It seems to me only logical to expect that in the open ground a plant has a lot more room to spread its roots and reach greater mass.

Well, if you will allow me, I would like to blow your brain ;-)

A plant in the ground can only expand it's roots beyond that of a container if the ground is OK with it. A hard, compact soil can confine roots much more than a container with a coarse growing media. The mass of the above ground portion of the plant is only related to below ground growth to a point. One can grow a 2'x2' pepper plant in a coffee can. I know because I have done it. Root growth is not the deciding factor in above ground growth. My containers are only 5 gallons, and when I empty them at the end of the season, they are bound up with tight roots.

If you are saying you are growing pepper plants in 5 gallon buckets (or other containers of the same soil volume) and the roots fill it entirely then you have a radically different experience than I do. In most cases the roots of plants that I grow would fit nicely in a 6"x6" container and these are plants that appear to have more fruit mass than plant mass at their peak. (perhaps 50/50).

One distinction I think necessary to make is that I am in zone 5, border of zone 4. My ground soil is cold. More than any other factor this is why I think my container peppers do better than in ground peppers. If my ground soil had the heat it might be different.

My zone may also explain why you have a 5 gallon container filled with roots and I have a 1 gallon container not quite filled with roots.

Justaguy2, where are you? I am also in a zone 5, in the Salt Lake area. However, I have great luck growing my peppers in the ground.......I have raised beds and our temps get in the mid 90's consistently in the summer. That might be the difference for me.

I am in Wisconsin. Temps can get into the 90s in the summer, even topping 100F on occasion, but the typical weather is more like 80s for summers peak.

I do think soil temps are a big factor. It isn't that ground grown peppers don't do well, it is just that container grown do better.

Thanks for all the advice. Never thought about container growing to be honest. Maybe Ill try both this year to see what is best for me.(and the advise on fertilizing) Ive heard rumor that when companys produce these store bought seeds they can alter them so they do not continue to grow from year to year. Anyone else know any truth to this?? -Was a first time user of this site with this posting. Due to good responses and advise, will continue. Thank you. Happy growing!

Chilly, if you are buying hybrid pepper seeds you should not expect to grow similar plants from seed you save. You will get plants with a variety of traits from the parents of the initial hybrid. That's how hybrids work, nothing sinister on the part of the seed companies.

If you are growing non-hybrids (OP/open pollinated)you can expect similar plants from saved seed only if the flowers are not cross pollinated with other varieties of peppers. If they are crossed you will have some surprises.

Unused purchased seeds can be saved from year to year, also. Keep them dry and cool. I keep mine in a screw top canning jar in the refrigerator. Pepper seed keeps well for a few years this way. Tomato seed stored like this is doing well for me after 10 years of storage.

after reading this post im not sure whether to put my peppers in the ground or in containers. What do they turn out like in the ground in my zone 6, eastern PA, compared to in containers?

Put a couple of matches at the bottom of each planting hole and cover with a little soil. Then plant the peppers. The matches provide sulfur and phosphorus.