Currently growing a Longhorn in one of these 3 gallon pots.
by Apart-Strain8043
16 Comments
Temporary_Laugh9480
I’ve found the 5 gallon to hold more soil. I also found the 3 gallon the be smaller than the 5 gallon.
feldspars
Bigger pots = bigger plants. If that’s important to you, I suggest 5 gal.
Awkward_Company5271
5g gallon fabric pots are my preferred pots for most pepper and pepper sized plants.
BalltongueNoMore
The bigger the pot, the bigger the plant when it comes to Chinense and Baccatum varieties. Not so much when it comes to Annuums. In my experience, they cap out at a certain size, no matter how big the pot is. I’m sure you wouldn’t want to go below 3-4 gallons though, as it could become root bound before the plant has a chance to mature.
janisthorn2
In general, the more soil, the better the yield. There are exceptions–see all the lovely bonchi people post here!–but it’s a good rule of thumb.
I find that superhots work great in 3 gallon pots. You get a good enough yield to taste them and make sauce, but not so much that you’re overwhelmed by the harvest.
5 gallons are good for anything with small pods that you want a large harvest from: habaneros, scotch bonnets, jalapenos, shishitos, sugar rush, cayennes, etc.
Large sweet peppers or green chiles get put in my 7 gallon pots or raised beds. The larger the pepper pod the more soil it takes to make the plant happy, in my experience. They’ll grow in 5 gallons, too, but yield will be a lot higher in 7.
Ok_Heat5973
I tried 5 gal on my peppers when it came time to cut them down and reuse the compost. I found out the roots didn’t fill out the whole grow bag, so next time, 3 gal for sure
jimjamdaflimflam
5 gallon over 3 and if you are growing a lot you can use grow bags it will be cheaper.
KembaWakaFlocka
Highly recommend fabric grow bags, way cheaper and make overwatering very difficult. I grow in 3, 5, and 7 gallon bags. I save the 7 gallon bags for overwintered plants. 5 gallon plants will get almost always get bigger than 3 gallon plants, although genetics and conditions could have you see individual exceptions. 5 gallons require more water, but they won’t dry out as quickly as the 3 gallons will. If you live somewhere hot and your fabric pots are draining well, you will be watering a lot more often than the 5 gallons.
kerberos824
Five gallon is my minimum. And every time I plant in the ground I am absolutely staggered by how many more peppers I get than in pots. I ended up doing four plants in the ground last year, two poblano, two jalepeno, and they were so f’ing productive I couldn’t believe it. From July to November (Zone 5b) I was harvesting, and I bet off those four plants I got 500 peppers. I’d go out and fill entire paper grocery bags.
iveo83
I mainly use 7gal bootstrap farmer fabric pots for my peppers
Nightshadegarden405
Three gallon pots are perfect for small varieties. Five gallons are great for medium-sized peppers. Large peppers do better in the ground….That’s my experience…
I have a 20 gallon that I usually do three hot peppers in.. I would actually recommend skipping 5 gallon pots or buckets and go with the seven gallon ones instead.. They are cheap at cannabis grow store.
animehero11
I used 7 gallon smart pots and had pretty good yield. How will you water them, and what is your summer climate?
theegreenman
None of them actually hold the gallon amount listed. if you want to know why ask and I’ll tell you.
skelli_terps
I’ve had a lot of success with 3, 5, and at most 7 gallon pots. Admittedly I only use fabric pots and I only put ornamental and small pod peppers in the 3 gallons. Tons of trimming to keep it from going wild and weedy.
Expert-School-1565
“Bigger roots” bigger fruits”
royerinjersey
More roots, more fruits. Less watering with 5 gallon but will have better production than 3.
16 Comments
I’ve found the 5 gallon to hold more soil. I also found the 3 gallon the be smaller than the 5 gallon.
Bigger pots = bigger plants. If that’s important to you, I suggest 5 gal.
5g gallon fabric pots are my preferred pots for most pepper and pepper sized plants.
The bigger the pot, the bigger the plant when it comes to Chinense and Baccatum varieties. Not so much when it comes to Annuums. In my experience, they cap out at a certain size, no matter how big the pot is. I’m sure you wouldn’t want to go below 3-4 gallons though, as it could become root bound before the plant has a chance to mature.
In general, the more soil, the better the yield. There are exceptions–see all the lovely bonchi people post here!–but it’s a good rule of thumb.
I find that superhots work great in 3 gallon pots. You get a good enough yield to taste them and make sauce, but not so much that you’re overwhelmed by the harvest.
5 gallons are good for anything with small pods that you want a large harvest from: habaneros, scotch bonnets, jalapenos, shishitos, sugar rush, cayennes, etc.
Large sweet peppers or green chiles get put in my 7 gallon pots or raised beds. The larger the pepper pod the more soil it takes to make the plant happy, in my experience. They’ll grow in 5 gallons, too, but yield will be a lot higher in 7.
I tried 5 gal on my peppers when it came time to cut them down and reuse the compost. I found out the roots didn’t fill out the whole grow bag, so next time, 3 gal for sure
5 gallon over 3 and if you are growing a lot you can use grow bags it will be cheaper.
Highly recommend fabric grow bags, way cheaper and make overwatering very difficult. I grow in 3, 5, and 7 gallon bags. I save the 7 gallon bags for overwintered plants. 5 gallon plants will get almost always get bigger than 3 gallon plants, although genetics and conditions could have you see individual exceptions. 5 gallons require more water, but they won’t dry out as quickly as the 3 gallons will. If you live somewhere hot and your fabric pots are draining well, you will be watering a lot more often than the 5 gallons.
Five gallon is my minimum. And every time I plant in the ground I am absolutely staggered by how many more peppers I get than in pots. I ended up doing four plants in the ground last year, two poblano, two jalepeno, and they were so f’ing productive I couldn’t believe it. From July to November (Zone 5b) I was harvesting, and I bet off those four plants I got 500 peppers. I’d go out and fill entire paper grocery bags.
I mainly use 7gal bootstrap farmer fabric pots for my peppers
Three gallon pots are perfect for small varieties. Five gallons are great for medium-sized peppers. Large peppers do better in the ground….That’s my experience…
I have a 20 gallon that I usually do three hot peppers in.. I would actually recommend skipping 5 gallon pots or buckets and go with the seven gallon ones instead.. They are cheap at cannabis grow store.
I used 7 gallon smart pots and had pretty good yield. How will you water them, and what is your summer climate?
None of them actually hold the gallon amount listed. if you want to know why ask and I’ll tell you.
I’ve had a lot of success with 3, 5, and at most 7 gallon pots. Admittedly I only use fabric pots and I only put ornamental and small pod peppers in the 3 gallons. Tons of trimming to keep it from going wild and weedy.
“Bigger roots” bigger fruits”
More roots, more fruits. Less watering with 5 gallon but will have better production than 3.