Yep. Definitely addicting. You may have had(or not) enough plants... you just probably started too late for them to get going full tilt. ONE hab-like plant will put out tons of pods in a season.

Next season, do what most of us do --- start them indoors under lights in Jan/feb so they're ready to go outside in Apr/may. By the time frost hits you, you'll have peppers coming out of your ears.

Kevin

Do as Kevin suggests, get them started early. For us notherners it's the Jan time frame for Super hots, then Feb for what I call reg hots/mediums and March for my sweets.

I use Nov and Dec trying to wittle my list down to 35 varieties. Get's harder every year, there's the favorites that need to have each year, then the ones that did real good so want to do them again, then of course the new ones to try.

Enjoy Sandy

have you considered over wintering? I have one rule in life, don't give up on anything important to you, ever. you sound as if you've already admitted defeat. don't do that.

Judo:

"Overwintering" is different in FL than it is everywhere else in the States. You don't just take a plant inside, place it in a window, and the plant keeps producing peppers. Overwintering a pepper plant involves putting it in a dormant state so when spring comes around again, you have a head start.

Google "how to overwinter a pepper plant" and you'll get the gist of what it entails.

Kevin

I know. in FL a windowsill is often unnecessary. here, overwintering a plant means covering it the 5-6 days per year (if at all) that it goes below freezing. but if he were to overwinter them, next year he'd get an earlier start, and not run into this problem.

it's my first year growing peppers too. I look at the whole thing, successes and failures alike, as a learning experience. next year I'll get it right.

@ gfinnil ... don't forget to save some seeds.

@ judo ... in zone 5 , overwintering means babying that plant over 6 months. Easier to said than done. I would rather start from seeds in FEB 2014. (or earlier ??), to be planted mid may, or later(in zone 5). A lot of peppers have DTM of 75 or shorter.

Gardening In Florida and California is like cheating in the final exam. LOL