I have a question regarding the pollination of chilies; are they self-pollinators or do they really need bugs? Some say the wind takes care of it, some say to just leave them, some recommend using a finger/cotton bud/brush to tickle the flowers, etc.
Anyone with chili experience who could share his or her experience?
I have two one-year-old Carolina Reapers on my window sill that already started flowering again. Last summer/autumn they already flowered but the flowers just fell off a few days after they opened. I touched some with cotton buds, making buzzing noises like a bee, but not a single chili was grown... So I'm hoping this current flowering will yield me some spicy ones!
Currently the temperature still drops quite strongly at nights so I can't really keep them outside at this time of year because I fear it would shock the chili into droping its flowers again.
Thanks!
Karl