Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
alternative cause may be over-fertilization with a high-Nitrogen fertilizer. This will cause
a plant to produce a lush, bushy plant at the expense of fruit production. As no fruits are
being produced, the plant can devote all its energies to the leaves to give a very healthy
looking plant.
My plant isn't growing well, with blossoms dropping and no peppers formed
In this scenario it is likely that the climate is too cold for pepper growth. To over-
come this, plant cold-tolerant varieties, or use indoor growing e.g. glasshouse, conservat-
ory, to increase the temperature for your plants.
My plant doesn't produce many flowers and fruits
Often if you allow a pepper plant to bloom and develop fruit early on, the plant can
stunt and remain relatively small for its life (and produce a resulting small crop of peppers).
To overcome this, carefully pick off the first set of flowers when the plants are small. This
encourages the plant to continue growing (as opposed to using its energy to develop the
fruit). Do not choose seedlings already in bloom, or if so, pluck the blooms before planting.
My plant makes flowers but no fruit is produced
For fruit to form, fertilization of the flower must occur. This fertilization is typically
carried out by insects, such as bees, which are attracted to the flower. If you are growing
your plants indoors, such as in a greenhouse, then you may not get the correct insects in
contact with your plants, and as such the flowers will never form fruit. You can rectify
this by planting attractant flowers close to your peppers. Alternatively, plant your peppers
when the weather has warmed and insects are more active. You can increase pollination by
lightly tapping the plants to distribute the pollen. A more labor-intensive way is to take a
moistened Q-tip or cotton bud and rub along the stamen of the flower and transfer to other
flower centers. Take care of course not to cross fertilize the different varieties - use a sep-
arate Q-tip for each variety.
My peppers have dry, sunken black areas at their base
This is likely to be a case of blossom-end rot, often caused by drought or uneven
watering. It is caused by a calcium deficiency in the pepper fruit. Regular watering and
mulching can help to prevent this disease.
The peppers produced are flat and small, with few seeds inside
Again this is a sign of incomplete pollination, or poor pollination. This can be over-
come by following the pollination advice above.
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