No synthetic fertilizers; just some good old Kow every once in a while. We've had a strange summer up here in Atlanta; tons of rain early and nothing for the last 6 weeks. This plant really started taking off after the heavy rains were done. We've eaten about a dozen peppers off this and as you can see are now letting the peppers ripen to red. Need to find a very large sheet to cover this guy up when frost comes around. The jalapeno and habanera neighbors are happy campers also. Karen & Maury - Acworth, GA