Your 2026 Garden

[jxp]

I usually start with 2 seeds per cell. This way, if one seed cell doesn't have germination or later dies or I like the look of both young plants in one cell better than either in the other, I can fix that.

 

[Rillowen]

Saaaame haha

Last year I ended up woth 120 pepper sprouts, but thanks to various problems only 5 made it to adulthood.

 

[WhatsUpDuck]

Did you fertilize them? Our first crop of peppers were the same way. We had so many, but by the time it was all said and done we only had maybe 8? I wonder if I should have added something to the soil. This year is our 3rd garden.

 

[FernwoodHollow]

Last year I ended up woth 120 pepper sprouts, but thanks to various problems only 5 made it to adulthood.

Oh no!!!! Hopefully that doesnt happen to you again!

 

[Rillowen]

Did you fertilize them? Our first crop of peppers were the same way. We had so many, but by the time it was all said and done we only had maybe 8? I wonder if I should have added something to the soil. This year is our 3rd garden.

There were multiple problems. First, like a complete doof, I planted them in a big line of partially decomposed wood mulch, with a tiny pile of compost around each. by the time I realized that wood mulch locks up nitrogen most were gone. The ones I did grow got lots of liquid nitrogen (fish emulsion and urine mostly) and suddenly took off.
Secondly apparently chickens find pepper seedling irresistible.. they ate about 30% of the losses, with wild birds also acounting for some of the loses, I literally watched an "insectovore" mocking bird land in front of me, pull up a paper sprout by the roots and fly away with it. also, I found towards the end of the season I had packrats, and they apparently also love pepper sprouts. Idk how much of the pepper sprouts they ate, but I know for sure they ate my canteloups, tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers. I found the tops grazed off my lentil sprouts too.