Hello: Does anyone know what might be deficient in the soil to keep pepper plants small? They seem to be getting lots of sun. Also, I don't think it is a lack of nitrogen because the tomatoes right next to them are doing better than usual.
Any ideas?

Peppers are slow growers, but if you put them in early and had warm enough weather, they should be close to full size by now. What are your soil and growing conditions like? What zone are you in?

It has a lot to do with the soil. But peppers also love heat. Once it warms up, they should grow like crazy, providing the soil is healthy.

Did you have to wait later than usual to plant your peppers, due to cold? (I did!) If so, did they get rootbound, then start flowering in the pots? This is something that can stunt peppers (or any plants), and, while some recover almost immediately if you pinch all the buds off and loosen the roots when planting, others simply never start growing! I have two plants of one variety that did this now, and are only about 6" tall, with peppers all over them, while all the rest recovered and started growing as soon as planted, and many are over 3' tall! You just can't predict with these things sometimes!

Dave

Hello pepperhead. I planted them in the beginning of June around the time they got there first true leaves. They are around six to eight inches tall. They are just starting to get buds on them now. Meanwhile diferent types of tomato plants planted the same week are around five or six feet tall with very few tomatoes that just started developing within the last two weeks.

I'm on the New England coast, zone 6 I think, planted my peppers Memorial Day, they are just now getting fruit on them. Don't know if that helps, but maybe it will give you a reference point to work from. My tomatoes, planted at the same time, are about 7 feet tall and loaded with green tomatoes and flowers. I did start from purchased plants and not seeds though.

I see you're in zone 5 but I don't know what state you're in. Since I moved to Colorado I've always had problems with my pepper plants staying small and so has everyone else I've talked to here. The local garden center tells me even though our days are hot, hot, hot, our evenings are cool and that can stunt them. They recommend using the Wall-O-Waters to keep the temps more even. I'll be trying that next year.

I'm having the same problem with my sweet peppers, live in zone 6 Michigan. Wonder what's going on? My tomatoes are doing well though, growing strong with lots of flowers and green baby tomatoes too like Pepperhead. Hmmm.

I'm still guessing something is lacking in the soil. I might look in to having it tested for next year.

It may just be that the pepper plants needed to be started inside a few weeks earlier than they were? Tomato plants are much faster growers than peppers. Pepper plants also like night time temperatures over 50 degrees and they don't grow as well when the temperatures are cooler. Maybe start them earlier than your tomatoes and let them spend more time inside than the tomatoes too. Then put them out when they have a few more leaves than just one set, maybe two or three sets. On the other hand don't let them get pot bound if they get that big. Check the roots and move the pot size up if they start filling up the pot because being root bound will also stunt growth. Maybe use the wall o waters too until it is warmer at night. Just thinking off the top of my head here.

Ellen