Chilli plant query

[Twigs]

I find the process so stressful! You see lovely looking green chilli's and it's so upsetting when they rot or go bad!

My Romano pepper plant is doing really well.

I have another chilli pepper plant that struggled to flower at first but now has loads of odd shaped chilli's. It's like they all have different personalities!

I have had the same problem with several of my peppers struggling to flower.
But my Habanero’s always do good.

 

[Vicy]

Chilli issue number 4500......

I managed to start controlling the fruit fly population through sticky pads and cider vinegar.

However I've noticed today what look like a zillion little eggs all over the leaves.....

Any ideas? I'm going to have to love them outside as I'm having so many fly problems that end up creeping in from the conservatory to the house!


My Romano pepper plant these images are from have 3 very big green peppers on them. Shall I harvest before I put outside?

 

[Chuck]

Chilli issue number 4500......

I managed to start controlling the fruit fly population through sticky pads and cider vinegar.

However I've noticed today what look like a zillion little eggs all over the leaves.....

Any ideas? I'm going to have to love them outside as I'm having so many fly problems that end up creeping in from the conservatory to the house!


My Romano pepper plant these images are from have 3 very big green peppers on them. Shall I harvest before I put outside?

Those aren't eggs. It looks like oedema . The following link will explain. You can harvest the peppers if you want but they will be much tastier when they change colors.

Oedema / RHS Gardening

All plants can be affected by oedema a condition brought on by overwatering or high humidity. It can be particularly troublesome on cacti, camellias, eucalyptus, fuchsias, pelargonium, succulents and vines. However, there are steps you can take to avoid this issue.

www.rhs.org.uk

 

[Vicy]

Wow never heard of it. It makes sense now too. I find it difficult to gauge when the chilli's need water. I've tried reducing the amount of water and only do it once every 4 days or so, but this room has been humid.

If I open the windows more frequently that should help with ventilation, and in terms of watering I could start testing the soil, maybe they need even less water.....

 

[cntrlwagdnr]

Peppers are like tomatoes - and some other plants - that suffer from blossom end rot. We commonly have that problem with tomatoes, but not all of them. I wonder sometimes if it is the varieties or soil or probably a combination - and ours are all in raised beds or barrels. Never personally had the problem with all kinds of peppers (right next to them sometimes). For me garden lime works well (I use a pelleted version), but I have to keep it up, not just one treatment. I imagine bone meal would be a slower release, but then it wouldn't work as fast - double edged sword there. You really want a fast release, because as others have stated, it won't help fruit already set and growing, but will stop future fruit getting it. I also use Epsom salts, but that is for magnesium deficiency, typically yellowing or black blotches on the leaves, not the fruit. The double edged sword there is high nitrogen fertilizers - which we use a lot of on these plants of course - inhibit their ability to absorb magnesium. So I give my tomatoes and peppers (roses too) a dose of Epsom salts every couple of weeks. I wouldn't worry about the suface texture of your peppers. They can be anywhere from smooth and shiny to all kinds of bumps and wrinkles and warts, etc. Sometimes even supposed smooth varieties do it. They will be just as good to eat. Incidentally, you can cut off the blossom end rot if you need to and use the rest of the tomato or pepper, it won't hurt you. By the way green peppers will often ripen after picking if the are fairly mature - even in the fridge. I learned that after deliberately picking some green and not getting round to using them immediately!