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Help Please, All Flowers Dropping Off!!

S

Squidracing

Hi All - I've been a voyeur for the last year and have learned a tremendous amount by reading through and following threads, but now is the time for me to tap the collective brainpower of this great site.  I have 3 of each - Ghost, Butch T and Reapers (my reapers are puny little runts, but that's a different story), with the Ghost and Butch T's each having 100+/- flowers blossoming as we speak.  
 
The problem I'm facing is that my flowers have been blooming over the last two weeks but I don't see ANY pods setting!  It appears that the petals either fall off and then the remaining part dries up and falls off, or the whole thing simply dries up and falls off.  I'm sooooo stressed!!
 
 
I'm located in Walnut Creek, CA which is a grow zone 9.  Our temps have been ranging between 90/60 day/overnight.
 
I've seen some people on youtube assist in the pollination process by manually intervening but I haven't taken that step.
 
I'd like to have my flowers complete their transition and be awash in pods :P
 
Thanks in advance for your thoughts!!
 
-Matt
 
Here is the standard list that gets posted when this question comes up:
 
1. Day temp too high >95F
2. Night temp too low <65F or too high >85F
3. Too much nitrogen fertilizer
4. Too much water
5. Low light levels (reduces fertility).
6. Very low humidity (reduces fertility)
7. Poor air circulation (air circulation contributes to pollination).
8. Lack of pollinating insects.
9. Size of pot
10. Too much mineral in feedwater.
11. Too much grower attention/anxiety. 
 
And welcome to the forum!
 
We like to call that Willard's infamous list :) ^^^^^^^^
 
Sometimes it just takes a pepper plant a while to figure the whole reproduction thing . Most of my plants drop flowers for the first couple weeks . Then without any changes in environment or feeding they figure it out on there own .  :fireball:
 
Thanks for the quick replies!
 
Quick follow up question (not to shift the direction of this thread) - from what I've read, the pollination takes place as the flower opens up and that insects aren't required for successful pollination.  Is this the common opinion of those on this board?
 
I'm hoping my plants figure it out on their own (and quick!) too!!
 
Thanks again,
Matt
 
No need to worry. Your flowers are most likely dropping off due to that drastic 30 degree temp fluctuation between the day. Everything will balance out soon. Keep us posted. Good Luck!
 
I'd love to hear from anyone willing to share - what percentage of flowers turning into pods do you consider average?
 
Thanks for the words of support, I'll be sure to update this as time goes on.
 
Squidracing said:
Thanks for the quick replies!
 
Quick follow up question (not to shift the direction of this thread) - from what I've read, the pollination takes place as the flower opens up and that insects aren't required for successful pollination.  Is this the common opinion of those on this board?
 
I'm hoping my plants figure it out on their own (and quick!) too!!
 
Thanks again,
Matt
Click to expand...
 
I disagree with this, because from what I have seen the flowers don't actually produce pollen until they are fully open.
i.e. if you touch a flower that is in the process of opening, or has just opened..you wont see any pollen fall off it..
 
If you wait a day after the flower is opened and give it a tap..you will probably see pollen. Some flowers on my plants take a few days from when they start to open until they actually make pollen.
 
edit; insects specifically are not required for pollination. Peppers plants can pollinate themselves,  however, wind/breeze, insects, or even giving the plants or flowers a tap or nudge can help the pollen move where it needs to inside the flower.
 
cheers 
 
I had the same situation with my hab.. flowers started popping up like crazy and then just fell off. I noticed when i tapped the flowers no pollen was coming out. Upon further inspection, the little pods containing the pollen werent opening. I gave it some time, tapping the newly opened flowers everyday and finally one day a flower dropped pollen when i tapped it. A week later the plant was FULL of pods. I assume my plant just wasnt quite ready
 
If you have a pistil and pollen, they will pod up.
If you are missing either, they won't.
 
Right now I have flowers popping, so I am flushing my hydro (water only, no nutes) for a week or so.
 
If it works, I'll let you know.
 
Update - my 3 Butch T's and 3 Ghost each put out around 100 flowers each. The results......5 Butch T pods and 1 ghost pod. While my 3 runt Reapers out out 3 flowers each, no pods.

WTF?????!!!!?!?!??!?

Next year I'll be buying pods as this isn't worth my time and effort.

I am crazy frustrated.
 
don't give up, if you got plants to flowering your almost there. It will be something simple thats amiss that you can correct next time.
are you growing indoors or outside?
 
All growers, whether professional farmers or backyard gardeners, are subject to the vagaries of nature - that's just the way it is. No matter how skilled a grower you become, sometimes conditions coalesce such that you don't have a decent grow. It happens. But don't give up, or you'll also be missing the rewards that come from persistence - you'll learn more and, in time, will have a bounty to share. 
 
nzchili said:
don't give up, if you got plants to flowering your almost there. It will be something simple thats amiss that you can correct next time.
are you growing indoors or outside?
Click to expand...
Hi - I'm growing outside in the beautiful California sun  :drooling:
willard3 said:
Patience is a virtue in chile growing
Click to expand...
 
I'm patient when I know there's a payoff in the end.  After this experience, I'll take the route that I know will ensure the results I desire - local store that sells super hots. 
geeme said:
All growers, whether professional farmers or backyard gardeners, are subject to the vagaries of nature - that's just the way it is. No matter how skilled a grower you become, sometimes conditions coalesce such that you don't have a decent grow. It happens. But don't give up, or you'll also be missing the rewards that come from persistence - you'll learn more and, in time, will have a bounty to share. 
Click to expand...
 
I hear you, but I think I'm going to build out a couple of planters for my young family to raise some veggies that I know will produce great yields and provide a great experience for my kids  :P
 
Who knows, i may leave room for a couple of Butch T's.......... ;)
 
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