Peppers Dropping Flowers

[bunnycat]

I've got 4 lovely little sweet pepper plants. They look strong and healthy, although they took ages to germinate, and are about 8 inches tall.

They've all got buds on them, but the first flowers that have opened on 2 of them have dropped off after about a week.

I thought they might be outgrowing thier pots, but didn't have time to pot them on until today. They're now in 18.5 cm pots, so I'm hoping that will sort them out.

Any ideas as to what else might be causing the problem, so I can keep an eye on them?
I've never grown them before, but I'd like to get just one pepper from them if I can.

[bunnycat]

[saddad]

Probably a stupid question bunnycat but have you had a close look? Many peppers can set tiny fruit and look like they have just thrown the flowers. Or you could have dry set like in Toms where the fruit don't develop.
???

[jennym]

Grew sweet peppers for the first time last year, so am no expert but can offer the following:
Mine were grown in a tall cold frame - when the flowers came they didn't set fruit at first, I opened the lid fully and then fruit began to set.
They grew to about 1 to 1.2m tall, and had about a dozen peppers on each.
I grew them in pots at least 30cm diameter, may have been bigger.
The pots weren't allowed to get dry - the soil was a mix of half bought compost 1/4 clay soil and 1/4 good rich rotted horse manure.
The variety was Gypsy.

[bunnycat]

Probably a stupid question bunnycat but have you had a close look? Many peppers can set tiny fruit and look like they have just thrown the flowers. Or you could have dry set like in Toms where the fruit don't develop.
???

I did have a close look, and they definately just dropped the flowers :(

The entire flower including the stalk just wilted and dropped off........



Thanks for your thoughts on the subject as well, jennym.  If they fail this year, I'll have another go next year and see if I can do any better.

[tim]

One reason flowers drop is a sudden chill.

The most likely, in your case, I think, is that they have outpaced the available nutrient and/or moisture. To my mind, they're trying to set flowers far too early, feeling that they're on their way out. Ours are just starting to flower at 14".

It won't solve this problem, but next time it might be helpful to pot them on into 10" or so pots. They can make a lot of growth.

[bunnycat]

Thanks Tim.

I'll give them another go next year and do things differently, if it looks as though it may be too late for me to salvage this year's plants.

[kitty]

To my mind, they're trying to set flowers far too early, feeling that they're on their way out. Ours are just starting to flower at 14".

o thank goodness!where would i be without you tim!
i read the first posts and thought-harumph!i havent even got a weeny flower on any of mine!-they are 8"too-couple more weeks!
kitty ;D

[saddad]

Don't ditch them Bunnycat, they can often struggle on and set some fruit, if you aren't out to maximise yield they are worth cosseting a bit to get some crop!
;D

[chickenfeet]

Hi Bunnycat,

I had a chili plant that did thid last year in the house. I gave up on it in the end. I have since read somewhere that it may have something to do with pollination. Some people rub there finger or a small paintbrush gently inside the flowers when they open to insure they pollinate and set fruit. Worth a go if you get more flowers I suppose.

Dale

[sally_cinnamon]

I've also read that chillies and peppers do "practise" runs with the flowers before they set fruit.  Dont know if thats true, but my chilli plant dropped it flowers for a bout two weeks and now there are lovely little chillies growing on it!  So don't give up, they will come... ;)

[amphibian]

Peppers also drop flowers if there is too much nitrogen present. Overfeeding is a likely cause of this.

I wouldn't worry about it though, peppers are fast to produce more flowers.

[umshamrock]

mine have been dropping flowers too but i also have fruit on the plants.... so there's hope :)

[bunnycat]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts on the matter.

They do have quite a few more buds on them, so I'll keep a close eye on them and see what happens.

Doesn't matter if I only get a couple of small peppers, as I'm the only one who eats them ::)