chilli flowers dropping off

Last post 08-10-2012 5:11 PM by Rosemarie. 6 replies.

• 02/08/2012 05:43 PM
  roseka Location: United Kingdom Joined on: 23 Jun 2012 Posts: 6	Reply | Contact My chilli plant is in a growbag in a sunny porch (which is in effect a greenhouse). I've always had lots before but this year there are only 2 fruits, as most of the flowers stalks keep withering and dropping off after flowering. This same thing happened when I tried to grow aubergines once, but other than that I usually do well - any ideas? thanks Kate

• 02/08/2012 07:51 PM	In reply to
  Julie Location: London Joined on: 28 Apr 2009 Posts: 410	Reply | Contact I have exactly the same thing happening to me. This is the first time I'm growing chillis. I was going to research if they need pollinating (haven't gotten around to it yet). I assume if you've grown them before you haven't had to hand pollinate? I just put mine outside today in case they need insect pollination.

• 03/08/2012 07:30 AM

  In reply to

  madmuncher Location: Nottinghamshire Joined on: 20 Mar 2010 Posts: 140

  Reply | Contact Usually too much moisture around the roots is the common reason for flower drop..and then the temperature high and drop between day and night. Flower drop has been this years most complained thing in chilli circles..everybody has had it in one extent or other and its mostly to blame with the weather. We haven't had much warmth what chillies need and to have good pollination they will need some mount air flow too, but we have to keep our GH's shut for lack of warmth. Usually chillies and peppers should not need hand pollination..just gentle nudge of plants when walking by should be enough to release pollen in flowers but when times are desperate you can help them setting. You just need cotton bud (scuffed on end to make it 'hairy') or little make up /water colour brush and tickle the flowers transferring pollen from one to other. If the peppers and chillies are just for eating purposes..cross pollination doesn't have any effect to the fruit itself..they will come true. But seed saving is another story..if you save your seeds from cross pollinated fruits..you don't know what comes out of those seeds, certainly not what the parent plants were like. Seed saving purposes for true to type seeds,  you need to use flowers that are kept 'clean' by bagging them up in tissue just before they are to open (and keep the 'bagged up until petals wither) and you can help setting with 'tickling' but you need to use fresh 'tickling device' for each variety of chilli. I just keep the bag on, gently shake the flower (in bag) during the flowering so that it self pollinate itself, I mark the flower with piece of cotton tied around stalk so that I know later date that it has 'true to type' seeds inside.

• 04/08/2012 07:27 AM

  In reply to

  headfullofbees Location: Cheadle Hulme Joined on: 13 Feb 2006 Posts: 316

  Reply | Contact Chillies, like tomatoes, have perfect flowers and contain all that is needed to fruit, however the pollen does seem to need a bit more encouragement to do its trick. I give my chillies a right good shake every day when they're in flower. Don't be too precious with them; I open the fingers of my hand as if I was going to "hand comb" my hair, push it gently but firmly into the heart of the bush horizontally for support, then give it a damned good shake. This will not only pollinate the flowers, it will also encourage the ones which aren't going to make it to drop off. Last Tuesday I picked 120 chenzos off one bush which has never been outside my holiday caravan and thus has never seen a pollinating insect, nor any other pollinating tricks.

• 03/09/2012 10:37 AM	In reply to
  Julie Location: London Joined on: 28 Apr 2009 Posts: 410	Reply | Contact As soon as I moved the chilli plants outside the chillis started to develop. I guess it was the movement of carrying them outside that helped the pollination. Every plant now has chillis on it!

• 06/10/2012 04:36 PM	In reply to
  simone Location: United Kingdom Joined on: 10 Jul 2012 Posts: 9	Reply | Contact I have a load of chillies too so many I do not know what to do with them; any suggestions? they are small yellow and I guess will turn red eventually and extremely hot. Any recipes for pickles or some sort of preserve please would be most welcome.

• 08/10/2012 05:11 PM	In reply to
  Rosemarie Location: Cyprus Joined on: 05 Sep 2012 Posts: 5	Reply | Contact  Chillies freeze very well. I have kept them whole or chopped for over a year in zipper bags. Also you could chop them whizz them up with a little water then pop then in an ice cube tray and use when you cook curry.Take care when doing this as they have strong fumes.