Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi Everyone!!

Ok, so I am about to start planting Jamaican SB, which is a hot pepper in the same family as Habs...the recommended in-row spacing is 90cm, but that is in soil.

I know that in AP the plants develop smaller root systems due to steady input of both water and high levels of oxygen, anyone have any personal experience with flirting with the recommended planting density of hot peppers? I was thinking if the root system is much smaller than I may be able to shorten the spacing down to about 61cm...any thoughts?

There is a saying in AP, "if you can see the gravel, then you don't have enough plants". With that in mind, plant your seedlings close enough that when the plants are mature not much gravel will be seen.

Or at least that's what I'll be doing when I get my system up!!

Yea plant them as close as you like, just give them a bit of room to flourish.

haha that sounds like good advice!! thank you trini


Thank you guys, I will be experimenting with the spacing over the course of the next couple of weeks, ill let you know how it goes!

In my experience I found planting them a reasonable distance apart worked for me. The root system may be small but the tops have been much bigger than in dirt. So to fill the gaps I have planted lettuces and other low growing crops.

The wider spacing’s allowed me to better use the beds as they tend to get tall after a while and made interplanting easier. Also pest control was easier with the wider spacing and intercropping.

Just what has worked for me.

I think the secret is to try different things and then go with what works best for your situation and plant mix etc.

Happy growing

Oh boy thats a good question I would say about 4 plants per 1m square of growbeds, I went 5 or so and I can see in a bit of time I may need to remove a plant to allow more space for the rest of them

Heres a short video i made last week for another forum all super hots

CLICK TO PLAY

Thanks Marc, you grow peppers also? Yea thats the thing its hard when I haven't found too many people with the SB pepper in their system, im not sure how big the canopy grows so tough to determine spacing


so pretty much around 61 cm spacing more or less? thats a nice setup Wildfire, how long did it take for that one to start fruiting?

yea otherwise the plants just don't have much room and they do grow pretty big, it took about 2-3 months before I was getting pods it'll probably be another 2-3weeks before I see any ripe ones I plan on taking them out when winter comes and put them in a cheap greenhouse in pots because last winter all my chilli plants I had didn't seem to like the cold water and died