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how to pollinate ?

L

lennyk

I am not happy with the pod results on some of my plants,
I am wondering if they are not pollinating even though everybody says that peppers are self pollinating.

Is there any technique for pollinating ?
Do I just take a something and poke the insides to shake it up ?
Also is there any optimum time to pollinate ?
 
lennyk said:
I am not happy with the pod results on some of my plants,
I am wondering if they are not pollinating even though everybody says that peppers are self pollinating.
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Why do you think they're not pollinating, because you're seeing blossom drop? There are always a lot more blossoms than fruits, and the most important element in fruit set is usually nighttime temperatures. You can also get reduced fruit set when the daytime temperatures are too high, but usually it's the night temperatures that are the problem.


Is there any technique for pollinating ?
Do I just take a something and poke the insides to shake it up ?
Also is there any optimum time to pollinate ?
Click to expand...

I would think a gentle shake shortly after it opens would do the trick, but I've not tried it, so I'm just guessing. I suppose you could get a small, soft brush; and gently brush all the open blossoms on a plant. You'd want to clean the brush carefully between varieties if you're trying to save seed.
 
With this being my first time growing anything indoors, i discovered that peppers are certainly not self pollinating indoors. To pollinate, just take your finger tip and brush accross the center and around the center of the flowers. No need to be really gentle. Just dont be crazy. Best to do this when they are flat open. I tried shaking and it didnt yield results. To repeat Pam words, wash hands or atleast use a different finger between different plants if you are going to use the seed.
 
chiles will self pollinate whether indoors, in a greenhouse or outside. bugs, wind, soft brushes and fingers will help but are not necessary.
 
I will say they will absolutely not self pollinate indoors. Atleast for my varieties. Naga, crazy thai, and ring of fire, and mini habs. I get nearly 50percent more on plants i use my polllinating method on vs not touching them.
 
Yes they do. But they will not produce well indoors without atleast shaking them. I found with 5 types of plants indoors, 16 of one type, the ones hand pollinated have over twice the pods vs not. Say what you want, but simple research will reveal this same info.

From the comprehensive analysis by the NMSU Chile Pepper Institute:

"CPI noted that in their trials, Bhut Jolokia never produced fruits without artificial pollination in the greenhouse, and little pollen was produced (which means their flowers might need a little help with a fine brush indoors). Also, the seed count per pod was low compared to the other C. chinense cultivars."

So please lay off on this whole- peppers are self pollunating thing.
 
I am beginning to agree with this, because I had my plants in the open garden where there are a lot of bees and insects, but moved some across to the other side of the house to get away from the birds, this side of the house has no bees etc. these plants have much less pods
 
Slinter said:
So please lay off on this whole- peppers are self pollunating thing.
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Ha! Make me!

Just 'cause your prissy peppers are too prudishly prim to petal their own pistols doesn't mean ours aren't auto-plucking wildly.
 
So you are saying the NMSU Chile Pepper Institute has "prissy peppers"? And I wasnt even talking to you, you big meanie head.
 
Slinter said:
So you are saying the NMSU Chile Pepper Institute has "prissy peppers"?
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Prissy and wussified!

First sign of humidity and their leaves get all spotty. My hatch pepper even leaned over and sobbed. Had to tomato cage the wimp.


And I wasnt even talking to you, you big meanie head.
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Meanie heads do not wait to be invited into conversations. Meanie heads brutally push our...ahem, their way right into the middle of things, because, well, because they're meanie heads.
 
Slinter said:
Yes they do. But they will not produce well indoors without atleast shaking them. I found with 5 types of plants indoors, 16 of one type, the ones hand pollinated have over twice the pods vs not. Say what you want, but simple research will reveal this same info.

From the comprehensive analysis by the NMSU Chile Pepper Institute:

"CPI noted that in their trials, Bhut Jolokia never produced fruits without artificial pollination in the greenhouse, and little pollen was produced (which means their flowers might need a little help with a fine brush indoors). Also, the seed count per pod was low compared to the other C. chinense cultivars."

So please lay off on this whole- peppers are self pollunating thing.
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relax Slinter, no need to get ornery. if you have better success indoors from brush-pollinating then do it.
 
Slinter said:
How am I the one who needs to relax?
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Tone is often difficult to interpret from text, and your "lay off" comment may have come across a bit more forcefully than you realized. I read it as more smug than peeved, which is why I responded playfully in turn.
 
chilliman64 said:
I wait for the day when forums will record sound bytes instead of written text - maybe both
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Oh, yuk, no!

I love the written word, delight in weaving words into stories and jokes. It's the other side of my loathing for smilies, they're for the lazy and semi-literate. I think the struggle to express myself with the same 26 letters that Shakespeare used is a worthy struggle.
 
chilliman64 said:
I wait for the day when forums will record sound bytes instead of written text - maybe both
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I think the word from the mouth is going to be worse, at least when we type we must think a little. A deranged rant is still slightly poetic, a diatribe just leaves a stain.

I think if the audio forum does appear, and i'm speaking for myself here, it must coincide with the alcohol breath-testing keyboard.
 
bentalphanerd said:
...I think if the audio forum does appear, and i'm speaking for myself here, it must coincide with the alcohol breath-testing keyboard.
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great idea, and maybe an IQ test and personality profile as well - gotta keep out the undesirables you know! :rolleyes:
 
Slinter said:
Yes they do. But they will not produce well indoors without atleast shaking them.
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i have to agree as well mine started producing much better when i helped. think of it this way, just cause there are male and female parts there thats kinda boring but give them a good shake or brushing and make them parts move and touch and your gonna have a happier pepper. and happier peppers should produce more.:lol:
 
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