I guess the first question would be why transplanting so late? In this zone, I think it's best to transplant in late Mar/early April with your first crop by June. Then not much fruit set during mid-summer, but a nice fall crop until a freeze probably in Nov, or even later. So I grow for a spring and fall crop, same plant. I think the plants do better with some mid-afternoon shade to get through the summer months.

sorry I actually transplanted early april. but the peppers are only 5- 6 tall haven't seen no growth, first time doing peppers in this zone. I am 100% sure I wont get no crop out of this plants. trying to figure out why

Concur: There is a wide variance in peppers dependent on type and variety, Jalapenos start fairly early, hot peppers like haberneros take a long time to get going. Sweet non-bells are relatively quick, Bells which can the most difficult are somewhat in the middle as are Cayennes. All of them grow well in Georgia, South Carolina

I would think zone 8 would be ideal pepper growing climate as they love the heat normally associated with that zone.

Is it possible that you have been getting lots of more rain than normal? Much colder temps than normal? That would set them back since they don't like constantly wet or cold soil. How about nutrients? Have you fed them or maybe even over-fed them? Low nutrients or excess nutrients can both cause problems. Could they have possibly been stunted by cold exposure early on?

In other words it isn't that they are peppers or that it is zone 8, it is something in the growing conditions - weather, water, soil, sun exposure, or nutrients.

Dave

am growing red beauty and early jalapeno. we did get a few days randomly around frost temps. but everything else is growing great my tomatoes are almost 4ft tall and flowering and transplanted the same time

yes I have fed them once every 2 weeks with compost tea

<we did get a few days randomly around frost temps. but everything else is growing great my tomatoes are almost 4ft tall and flowering and transplanted the same time>

The difference in tolerance between tomatoes and peppers for cold exposure and cold soil temps is like night and day. No comparison as peppers are easily stunted by it, tomatoes aren't. That's the main reason why peppers are normally planted out much later than tomatoes are. They require 20 degree warmer air temps and at least 10 degree warmer soil temps.

So the odds are your peppers have been stunted by such cold exposure. If the weather cooperates and heats up fast they may recover but crop will likely be late and reduced.

I'd give them a kick-start of something stronger than compost tea. Good stuff but only effective if you have a really good and active soil food web in your soil. If you want to stay organic look into some of the fish emulsion/kelp blends. If synthetics are ok, a diluted 1/2 strength dose of MG All Purpose should do the trick.

Dave

thanks I will try and get some MG all purpose