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Chocolate habanero HID/HPS-blossom drop

S

scottp

Hello,

I'm growing a chocolate habanero indoor under a 250watt HPS-15hr on 9hr off. I transferred the plant indoor back in Oct., and it has been under the HID since. The plant is seemingly robust; however, I'm noticing that the blossoms drop profusely and it was doing the same thing outdoor. Currently there are apprx. 50+ blooms (flowering) and only 4 peppers. The blossoms end up dropping. I use Fox Farm 'Ocean Forest' soil, HydroOrganics Rainbow Mix Bloom fert 1-9-2 and, for added boost, Humboldt Nutrient Ginormous Bloom enhancer 0-18-16. The peppers that develop are impressive; I just cannot seem to get a handle on the blossom drop. Is there a deficiency somewhere? Thanks.
 
Maybe you are over feeding. How often you giving this fert?

The bloom ferts NPK says that it does a lot for flower production but nothing for pod growth. You might be best giving the Humboldt stuff in very weak doses once a fortnight. Cut back on the fert and see what happens.

Do you have a picture?

Chris
 
I don't think you really need so much bloom nutrients since chiles grow and flower in the same stage unlike some other plants. Both your fertilizers are high in phosphorous which to me looks like overkill for chiles. Personally I prettty much use a well balanced fertilizer throughout the whole life of the chile plant and have great results. Also you could have your lights on longer, many people use 18 on 6 off although I think 20 on was proven even more productive in one study.
 
Thanks so much for your respones; however, I do not grasp what 11 entails. Too much attention? How do you demarcate when is too much?
Scott
 
Thanks for your response. No, I haven't any pictures, as of yet. I have been fertilizing every third watering.
 
Thanks, I've considered increasing the light; however, the plant has done well (growth and vigor) with this light cycle, perhaps the extra 3-5hrs are needed. I 'tickle' the blooms to hopefully ensure pollination. As far as ferts go, I just wanted to 'turn on', so to speak, the plant to produce flowers/fruit and minimize growth so it doesn't end up like a big shrub. The flower production has been numerous.
 
scottp said:
Thanks so much for your respones; however, I do not grasp what 11 entails. Too much attention? How do you demarcate when is too much?
Scott
Click to expand...

New chile growers pay way too much attention to their new babies and begin to change stuff believing that they are helping. This leads to other questions and actions as if there were an infallible set of rules for successful chile growing. There isn't.

Chile plants are extremely hardy.
 
i dont trust inside growing for good harvest nothing will be as good as real dirt sun air = natural growing conditions cuz the plant will take what it needs from the srounding environmet not what you give it . from my point of view is growing inside will not be as efficient as good as outside
 
You can't force a plant to grow any other way than it would under natural circumstances. By giving it a food with an extremely high phosphorus content you are not going to make it flower more if the plant isn't ready to do it. I think you should cut back on the fertilizer until the plant lets you know that it needs something then give it only what it needs. Try giving it a balanced plant food once a week at around 1/2 strength and see how it does.


Alan
 
PepperLover said:
i dont trust inside growing for good harvest nothing will be as good as real dirt sun air = natural growing conditions cuz the plant will take what it needs from the srounding environmet not what you give it . from my point of view is growing inside will not be as efficient as good as outside
Click to expand...

I generally agree that outdoor is ideal, that kind of goes without saying. I don't live in zone that accords perennial outdoor growing; so, rather than let the plant(s) die, I'm forced to transfer them indoor. Indoor growing can (again, this is representational not isomorphic) create a controlled enviornment to precipate sem-optimum growth. This depends on the quality of equipment, grow space, etc. As far as "real dirt", I live in a zone that is clay and virtually infertile. I use 100% organic soil, as real as real gets, period. My experience has been that people who want to grow indoor think they can get a cheap "grow light" and everything's dandy. Not so. I tried to mimick the fall light cycle via an HPS (not all HPS' are created equally, btw. Flourescents are either.). Thanks for your comments.
 
Thanks for your response. The only "changes", so to speak, is that I transferred the plant indoor under an HPS that mimicks the fall light cycle triggering bloom and fruit production. That's it. But I think I ascertain what it is your saying, nevertheless. I'm not looking hard and fast necessary and sufficient conditions on demarcations so as to say "ah ha, that's it.", I was just trying to gauge my own actions based on the criteria submitted for my reference which, btw, has been most helpful and I really appreciate it. As you can probably tell, this is my first plant and I was so stoked to see peppers. Thanks again.
Scott

The Federal Reserve: Looting the U.S. since 1913.
 
Thanks for your advice. I am inclined to disagree with you on force flowering. What's really going on is flipping on switches within the plant to go into flowering mode. This is a slow, gradual climb in nature, but, it is not just about a high P content and calling it a day. It's far more robust, intricate and specified. Not all bloom ferts are created equally and not all are broad in spectrum. But I do see what your saying, generally. And I take your advice charitably, thanks.
Scott
 
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