u/Humble_Increase_1408 — reddlx

I'm new to actually paying attention to soil chemistry rather than reacting to my plants' signals, and this is probably why I've had less than stellar results with fruiting vegetables in the past. I'm getting serious now about my peppers and tomatoes so I'd like some advice.

I've read that I should add a spoonful of crushed egg shells or bone meal when I transplant peppers into the ground, but I'm wondering if this is a universal truth or soil-dependent. My soil test said my calcium is sufficient for vegetables, which suggests there is room for amendment, but I also know that magnesium uptake can be affected by calcium levels and my soil test said I'm already a little low in magnesium (and potassium). Phosphorus levels are naturally high here.

Should I skip the bone/eggshells and just focus on magnesium & potassium? Add both?

Side note: I'm picking up some composted horse manure (herbicide free) tomorrow. I realize I should have applied it over the winter, but I have enlarged the garden since what I planned last fall. Please let me know if it's a bad idea to add it within a week of transplanting, or if it's likely to have much impact on the Ca/Mg/K levels.

I'm pretty new to pepper plants and to the Pacific Northwest (summers frequently mild and short). This year's ambitious project is to grow as many hot peppers as I can on a tight budget, because last year's fermented Sriracha took about a gallon of chiles and hubby ate it all in a month.

I have been doing my homework and I have 4 different varieties growing in double solo cups, but I think I'm short on garden space. I just picked up a bunch of free plastic pots from Craigslist, several gallon-sized and one about the same depth but wider.

I know people have been successful with 5-gallon buckets, some swear they get spicier that way since the soil heats up more often in the pot than our PNW soils can. I also know that ghost peppers tend to be a bit more squat-growing by nature. What do you all think about growing my ghost peppers in the gallon pots? Big enough to get enough nutrients? If so I could fill the garden spots with the jalapeño, habanero, Hungarian carrot, etc