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Flower drop in isolation bags

dustonj2008

dustonj2008

I am attempting to isolate with 4x6 tulle bags. I've noticed a very high percentage of flower drop in the bags compared to non-isolated branches. Does anyone have any tips on using isolation bags? Any ideas what could be causing this? I don't know if it's related but we have been getting a ton of ran in Ohio.
 
I use the exact same material for my bags. Every day I give the plants (or branches covered in bags) a little shake to help with pollination since no insects are getting to the flowers to do the job.
 
Is it early on in the flowering? Plants usually drop a lot before they actually set fruit. And yes, shake the branches a bit.
 
Cruzzfish - The plants in question have set several other pods successfully. I'll be sure to give all the branches a good shake often moving forward.
 
One other thing to remember is the bags will cause slightly higher temps inside the closed off area so the plant might need a bit more shade to avoid the flower drop, if temps are near the point where heat would cause flower drop ( since there is less airflow through the bag and more heat retained inside )
 
JDFan - that makes a lot of sense actually. Come to think of it the isolation bags that have been successful were all lower on the plants. I'll be sure to move all the bags down and see if that helps. 
 
What JDfan said is what I have observed one state south.  I grow seed stock in boxes made from bridal cloth over a 2 x 4 frame, but now and then something in the field turns up special.  I tag those and bag them later on in the season because when first started doing it got lots of flower drop and figured it was the heat build up.  Thing is, I have not seen much of that in the peppers I grow for seed stock.  Thinking maybe the frame is large enough that air can still circulate enough.  Also wondering what color bags you are using.  I use white bridal cloth in part because it reflects the sunlight / heat more.

It is dirt cheap and easy to build a frame that you can put over individual plants.
 
 
ajdrew - Here's the bags I am using. They're white as well. I have a feeling that you guys are on to something with air flow and heat build up. I'll make some changes to try to address that and post a follow up to this thread in a week or so.
 
I think those will work when it gets a bit cooler but frames are so much easier if you have someone to help you lift them.  I tried pvc pipe first, but the wind would toss them around and sometimes kill plants.  Two by four frames work fine but need another person to help lift them and set them down gently so not to hurt the plant.  i drilled a hole in some of the bases and shove a tent stake in the hole to keep them down just in case.
 
I use red tulle. I do isolation in 5 gallon buckets. 3 bamboo poles put in the bucket make a triangle(more would work of course), I get my tulle and sew up a bag. I buy a bolt, fold over, sew together. I have several made and ready ranging from 3-5 feet. One that will take all the growth expected. I tie around the top of the bucket to hold it down and keep bugs out. I could go farther with bud marking and such, but that was not the question. I attribute the flower loss to lack of bugs but I also try to swiftly tap/kick the bucket daily to help the pollen drop. I have used tapping to get corn from a single corn stalk in the past so that came to mind for the buckets. If you cover right after planting you can get a lot of isolated pods.
 
At around the 83 degree mark you need to tap that plant Chris. Get the pollen moving. Come on man you can't let that plant be an old spinster, she can get herself off without some buzzing bees.
 
Justaguy said:
At around the 83 degree mark you need to tap that plant Chris. Get the pollen moving. Come on man you can't let that plant be an old spinster, she can get herself off without some buzzing bees.
Click to expand...
I have tried for about a month now with no luck and it is the best of the 4 plants of the kind....just a tad annoying!
 
Read in another thread that some folk prefer to glue the flower shut.  Hard to believe shaking / airflow could be all that important.  So all I can imagine making the difference between frame and bags is that bags get warmer.
 
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