help with bell peppers

[giraffeski]

I have got a bell pepper plant on my big sunny windowsill and it is doing really well, but i have noticed that round the joins where new stems come out of the main stem, there are some weird dark patches. I have googled and can't find anything about it so wondered if anyone had any advice? does anyone know what they are, are they normal or what?
HELP!

[giraffeski]

[Sprout]

I've got some on my chilli plant. I think they're normal (otherwise I'm in the doo-doo too!)

[giraffeski]

oh thank goodness! i thought it had some horrid disease!

[giraffeski]

By the way, do i need to do anything when the flowers open, because they are inside? if i need to pollinate them with a cotton bud, what does that involve? i am a bit of a novice!

[fbgrifter]

look here giraffeski:

http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/yabbse/index.php/topic,10901.0.html

[giraffeski]

thank you!

[john_miller]

To forestall a future question. The fruits could develop dark patches too. Part of breeding modern F₁ hybrids involved getting rid of the purpling but if you are growing an older type (such as New Ace) or an OP (such as California Wonder) then you may have extensive purpling on the fruit.

[MagpieDi]

I'm growing C. Wonder for the first time, so many thanks for the info John.