Pollinating chili peper plants
 

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

Re: Pollinating chili peper plants
 

These is too many variables not knowing your location. The plant being on a window sill indicates the pot is not big enough, get it in a 5 gal pot. Better, transplant to outside and get it one or two buddies. This plant gets about 5 ft tall as an average; and as tall as 8 ft. I believe the plant is self pollinating, but cross pollen from other like plants still helps. ... Once the plant gets happy, it will set fruit.

For growing info, See How to Grow the Carolina Reaper plant and pepper

Re: Pollinating chili peper plants
 

Thanks for the reply! ;)
Because I sowed them quite late during the year last year, plus the fact that they have been bunched up in a smaller pot for most of the time, they haven't grown that big yet. They are now 1 foot 'shrubs' with a large amount of foliage and new growth resulting from transplanting them to individual large pots and restarting with a generous fertilizer schedule after winter. That and their warm south facing location must be the reason they're also starting to bloom, so I assume they are quite happy now for the time being. I figure they can at least double in size before I would even need to reconsider larger pots.
Should I keep giving them general-purpose fertilizer while they are blooming, or cut back on that for now?

Re: Pollinating chili peper plants
 

I used to have a Serrano on my windowsill years ago and was successful using just my finger.

Re: Pollinating chili peper plants
 

That depends on how much you've already applied; how much fertilizer is in the potting soil; and the type of fertilizer you have. Peppers don't need a lot of fertilizer or a lot of nitrogen. Commercial potting soil with fertilizer is good for 3 or 4 months may be a little longer. ... Over fertilizing is worst than under fertilizing! If the leaves are a nice green, then don't give more fertilizer; if slightly yellow, then fertilize.

For your situation and container growing Foliar spraying fertilizer may be the best. Use water soluble type fertilizer (aka: Miracle grow) applied once a week. Just follow the direction on the package for container plants. Use a type formulated for 'tomatoes'.

Re: Pollinating chili peper plants
 

The leaves look very healthy at the moment, and are lush and have a darker shade of green to them, so I will leave the fertilizer out for a while. I used a universal one which consised of dissolving 7ml NPK concentrate in a liter of rain water. As for a foliar spray I only have nitrozyme which I did not yet dared to spray on as I didn't want the plant's energy to go to the leaves too much... if that makes sense :)

Thanks for the helpful replies. I will leave the plants as they are and pollinate some of the flowers with my finger and leave the others just be. I'll keep you posted!

Re: Pollinating chili peper plants
 

Where did you get your seeds? I got mine from the guy that created it. I've got the reaper and the chocolate reaper.

Re: Pollinating chili peper plants
 

A buddy and I got them from Puckerbutt too. I also have the Pequin Redondo Rojo and Gigante de Calabria from them. Both are easy growers it turns out!
Do you actually use reapers in the kitchen, or are they destined for messing around with friends and daring bets? :D

Re: Pollinating chili peper plants
 

Actually, I want to use it to spray around my property to take care of the cat problem. A lot of cats from neighbours around take my property for a litter box and my trees for scratching posts! No more!

Re: Pollinating chili peper plants
 

Haha, great idea! I'll remember that one :D

Re: Pollinating chili peper plants
 

Hi AdotKarl, chili peppers are self pollinating (each flower contains both male and female parts). However, they sometimes need a little help with getting the pollen to fall into the ovary of the flower (especially if the area humid). A gentle shaking of the plant can help the pollen fall into the ovary. Most likely, your problem is over fertilization and/or container size. Too much nitrogen in your fertilizer is detrimental to fruit production. Also, chili's need a lot of sun to produce properly.

Re: Pollinating chili peper plants
 

Thanks, bananatech! I'll gently shake them every now and then and if summer arrives I'll move them outside in front of a south facing wall that seems to reflect the sun's heat very well. That way the soft winds can do the shaking. Only two flowers so far, but many small buds on their way ;)

Re: Pollinating chili peper plants
 

You're welcome. I've included a Youtube video that provides information on pepper pollinating and flower drop. The video demonstrates the shaking method. Hopefully, this will be helpful.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5u5UoZIoaWY

I find that peppers/chili's need a fairly open/loose/ medium to grow in. They also need calcium and magnesium. I usually grow mine in Fox Farm's Ocean Forest potting soil. This brand contains Oyster Shell which provides additional calcium for the plant and provides an acidic environment that peppers like. You can also use Bone meal to provide calcium and Epsom salt to provide magnesium. During the height of Summer a spray of 1 tbsp. Epsom salt mixed with 32oz of water (agitate before spraying) can be misted on the tops and bottoms of leaves. Just mist the leaves, you don't want to spray so much that the solution drips off the leaves. Magnesium strengthens the cell walls and prevents blossom end rot on the peppers (yes similar to blossom end rot on tomatoes). Alternately you can just scratch in a tbsp. or two into the plant soil or mix and pour as a root drench.

As mentioned by a previous poster, a tomato type fertilizer should be used for peppers. Peppers and Tomatoes are in the same family, so growing methods are nearly identical.

I also find that if a plant looks sick using a diluted liquid fish emulsion fertilizer will usually perk it up.

Good luck with your Chilis!

Re: Pollinating chili peper plants
 

Thank you for all the information!
As I live in Europe, the exact brands will likely not be found here, but I will definitely look up some comparable alternatives for future endeavours ;)
I might experiment with epsom salt and crushed egg shell mixtures on my other chilies first and see how they like this boost in Ca and Mg. The fertilization of the reapers will be put on hold until the current flowers either start fruiting, or in the worst case drop off again, so I can respectively not change or change tactics when the next flowers start to blossom.

Re: Pollinating chili peper plants
 

The flowers are dropping off again. I shook the plants several times a day, softly blew on the flowers, used my finger to tickle some of them,... all to no avail. Frustratingly we also had/have a cold period here with the temperature dropping below freezing point sometimes at night, so too cold for peppers to be put outside and let nature do the work.

Now I will be hoping for a second flowering this summer, which will hopefully a very hot one, whith lots of bees in the garden ;) I will get back to fertilizing and focus on the growth of the plants so that they will be stronger and perhaps better prepared to bear fruits later!

Re: Pollinating chili peper plants
 

Sorry to hear about your flower drop. Your flower drop could also be caused by insufficient light. It really can be frustrating when the temperature will not cooperate and you're anxiously awaiting the first sign of production! Hang in there. If you've previously fertilized the plants, and you have not changed the containers, you might actually want to hold off on fertilization until you see flowers. Peppers actually don't need too much fertilizer(specifically nitrogen), it can cause more green growth at the expense of fruit. If you notice any browning leaf edges on the leaves after fertilization, you know that you're over fertilizing. If you notice crinkly or bubbly leaves, the plant needs calcium and phosphorous (Cal-Mag or bone meal). A fertilization schedule of twice a week with a liquid fertilizer (I like a fish emulsion and seaweed combination) or every 4-6 weeks with a granular fertilizer is sufficient. When you do get flowers again, after they have opened; reduce the fertilizer to half the recommended amount given by the manufacturer. Once you have fruit, you can reduce to 1/4 the recommended amount. Also remember to keep the plants on the dry side. Over watering is not good for Chili's. If the soil is still moist 2 inches down, don't water!

Re: Pollinating chili peper plants
 

The older leaves on the plants are now turning a more yellowish shade of green, and the new leaves are a deep healthy green but could be described as being "bubbly", so I assume some new feltilizer won't harm. As I've just watered them (too?) well, I might opt for a foliar fertilizer like Nitrozyme which is supposedly made out of seaweed. Would that be a good start?

Also, I'll upload some pictures in daylight tomorrow ;)

Re: Pollinating chili peper plants
 

Here we go!
[IMG] [/IMG]


The paler leaves are the eldest and most have been dropping off along with the flowers over the last few days.

When I first started using fertilizer after the winter, the stem was sprouting a lot of small leaves too, but currently none seem to be wanting to grow into anything more substantial.

[IMG][/IMG]

The camera lens of my phone is scratched, hence the permantly hazy effect on my picures nowadays. I hope it's clear enough...

Re: Pollinating chili peper plants
 

Hi AdotKarl. Your plants in general do not look too bad to me. I'm not familiar with the Nitrozyme product, so I can't offer any specific advice on that one. Just remember to apply a less concentrated mix then recommended, since peppers don't need a lot of fertilizer. Your slow down in growth could be related to the fact that you just repotted the plant. The plant is probably getting used to the new environment and focusing on putting out new roots, since it has more room. I've provided a few more videos for you on pepper leaf issues (pictures are always better than words).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4KkRqGmNcc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=po0QsPy5Gxc
This one shows the bubbly leaves I mentioned in the previous post.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwpYuP1as-M

Re: Pollinating chili peper plants
 

Thanks for making me once again a bit wiser when it comes to chilis! ;)
When the weather turns sunnier, the plants might have a better time here.
I will keep a close eye on then to see how they evolve!

Re: Pollinating chili peper plants
 

You're welcome. Good luck!