Q: Dear Dave,
Do you recommend staking up chile plants? My plants seem to grow awfully tall, but perhaps I have used too much Miracle Gro? But I noticed from your "Heat Up Your Life" videos that most pepper plants seem to go unstaked. I live north of NYC, lower Hudson Valley, Zone 6.
Best,
David Rogers
Chappaqua, NY
A: Hello David:
Yes, stake up chile plants if they are leggy, growing too tall, or flopping over. Some varieties, such as C. baccatum, naturally grow very tall. Others grow tall because of over fertilizing with nitrogen or in low light conditions.