Really, there's not ever an issue with too large of a pot. Larger potting areas are rather beneficial to plants. If it's just been repotted it may be focusing on rooting for a bit, which is normal. If nothing happens after about 2 more weeks or so I'd delve into more of the fertilization/conditions as a factor.

Also... Plants just take a bit of time when put into new homes as well.

Jay

jutsFL +1

Just be careful not to let the plant get too dry. I'm using the largest pots I've ever used this year. (15 gallons) I had to water a little more frequently when the plants were first potted, because the roots were too shallow to benefit from water lower in the pot. Watch for excessive wilting that doesn't improve after the sun goes down.

Tim

Yeah, no such thing as too big a container.
Might need a little more H2O.

Stoney

Well, actually, there is too big a container = the one that gives you a hernia moving it indoors for the winter...

Jes sayin'...

cynjrana,
How big is too big ? that is both for pot and the pepper you are growing?
I don't know how BIG Thai chili can get, but for most ANNUAL peppers (grown for one season) a 5 gal. containers should be big enough. In zone 7, I would estimate your growing season to be 4 to 5 months. Then even a smaller pot might do. But If I were growing in Florida and SoCal, (with over 8 mos. growing season) I may have used a bigger pot.

I look at it this way: Bigger pot uses more potting soil, more fertilizer and the pot itself costs more. I want to get a bigger bang for my buck. Most of my peppers are planted in 3 to 4 gal. containers. So far they have not been growing much. I have practically 3.5 months till the end of my season. I don't need bigger pots. JMO

This post was edited by seysonn on Thu, Jun 5, 14 at 7:42

Up here in the north, too big a pot can spell disaster....things would never dry out! So yes, putting a small plant in a big pot could prove problematic. I could never get away with planting out my pepper transplants into 15 gallon buckets, no way, no how. I stick with buckets in the 3-5 gallon range, but also have a few 7 gallon fabric pots for my overwintered peppers.

How big of pot did you plant it into?

-m

If your pot retains too much water, then the problem is the medium in the pot, not the size of the pot.

Dennis

I agree Dennis, I bet naturemitch could use 15 gal pots if his medium was 1/2 perlite or gravel. I'm up north and have to use a ton of the stuff.

Here's a link that is worth reading/understanding if you use containers:

copy and paste into a new page, and save clipping

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/contain/msg0622171013552.html

That's a really good series of threads. Every container gardener would do well to understand the issues with water retention in pots. That link is to version XIV - the current incarnation is XIX, active in the Container Gardening forum.

I tried 5:1:1 last year (in ATL) and although it was *very* wet for a while, all the pots - even the huge ones - were fine. I wasn't entirely thrilled with 5:1:1, though, because as a "soil" it is basically nutrient-poor and requires significantly more fertilizing than a dirt gardener is used to.

However, a gardener must respond to his environmental requirements. If I lived in a wet climate I would definitely prefer something like 5:1:1. N. Texas, however, more close resembles the Chihuahuan desert now...

Dennis

Yeah I gave up on the 5:1:1 when I re-potted this year. Too much trouble to keep 'em fed and watered in an ongoing drought.

I got lazy and went with MG Moisture Control and am very pleased with it. Rapid plant growth in the beginning with the high N in the MG, then started dressing with a high P for blossoms and pods. Plants are doing great.

Of course 6" of rain in the past month couldn't have hurt. In fact the MG MC is supposed to help in that regard too, so suppose it did.

Good read bragu! But you can grow amazing plants in just rocks and water no soil needed. It's called hydroponic and plants seem to love it .