Flowers Keep Falling Off. Any Advice?

G

GDDesu

Hi all! I'm new to this forum and was wondering if anyone could take a look at plants to see if they can spot anything wrong - I'm having an issue with my plants dropping flowers. This is a copy of a post I made on Reddit's "Hot Peppers" forum.
 
I submitted a link a few weeks ago asking for help on falling flowers on all 5 of my plants (Serrano, Chocolate Habanero, and Anaheim) and was given some good advice. Not too long after, new flowers emerged and I thought maybe this time I'd be in business. However, my serrano plants have already begun dropping their newest flowers yet again! I'm starting to get nervous because it's already August and I've yet to get one pod!
I figured this time I would provide some pics so people could assess how the plants look overall and maybe offer some ideas that will help me get the next flowers to produce fruit. To me, the plants look relatively healthy and are continuing to get larger - the Serranos especially. I could be wrong, but I'm starting to think more and more the flower drops are nutrient related.
Here's a gallery of the plants http://imgur.com/a/ixvAS
General info:
1) I used to water when the plants wilted, but was recently told it's wiser to water once the soil feels dry during this stage. Now when I get home from work I put my finger into the soil and feel how dry it is and water it from there.
2) Soil is organic miracle grow potting soil for the Anaheim and organic gardening soil for the Habanero and Serranos (I know gardening soil is supposed to be not as good for water drainage, but actually the plants in the gardening soil are the largest). I think one of them is half and half. Both of the soils were supposed to 'feed up to 2 months' so I now just recently fertilized for the first time. (I transplanted them into the pots in May).
3) I started using Epsom salt on the plants a few weeks ago after seeing growers praise it on YouTube. Pepper Joe seems to approve as well. I have a spray bottle of 2 tbs epsom salt diluted with water that I spray on the leaves every other week.
5) The Fertilizer is Kellogg's Organic Fertilizer (4-6-3) that's supposed to be meant for "Tomatoes, Vegetables, and Herbs"...Peppers are mentioned on the back, so I assume it's safe and it's supposed to feed up to two months. Here's a link of the fert http://www.arbico-organics.com/product/kellogg-organic-fertilizer-4-6-3/1232006 I simply added 1/4 cup of the fert to the top of the soil, mixed it in with a chopstick, and gave a nice watering (this was about a week ago)
6) Plants are sitting on a north facing balcony and get direct sunlight from around 7-12. After that it's all indirect. Temperatures are relatively high in Central California and have been since June (90's to 110s). Humidity is usually around 20-40%.
I'm wondering if I should add more to the plants in terms of feeding besides what the Epsom Salt and the current fertilizer. I've noticed that some growers are feeding their plants on an almost weekly basis with a variety of fertilizers. I was able to get some advice from another grower through a coworker of my dad's and he recommended a fertilizer meant for tomatoes and using a light mount of bone meal. I'd like to try this, but am afraid that I'd over do it with the nutrients and kill the plant. Pepper Joe seems to have high praises for feeding pepper plants once every other week with fish emulsion. I was interested into looking into that, but again, I'm concerned that it would be too much for the plants since I fertilized them just a week ago with the Kellog stuff.
One thing I'd like to mention is that I did try hand pollinating with the first flowers, but no luck. Literally EVERY flower on all of my plants dropped.
So...What do you guys think? More nutrients? Better pollination technique needed? Not enough water? Or leave them be? Sorry if this post is a bit all over the place. If there's any clarification anyone might need, just let me know!
 
flowers will fall off when the temp is about 90f. thats probably the main culprit.

humidity, air circulation and fert balance also play a huge role.
 
a quick forum search reveals your answers
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.

mine are dropping at the moment because its too damn hot night and day
 
You're the second person to indicate maybe it's just the heat. I guess I'll have to be patient and just let the plant keep doing its thing. Hopefully it sorts itself out!
 
+1 on the temps,  This is the slow time here in the swamp, daytime ambient temps are 95-100 not allot of pepper production going on till we hit October.  Don't get me wrong I still have plants producing but not at the spring/fall rate.
 
Spray bottle is 32 fl oz (1/4 gallon).I've seen several websites recommend 2 tbs Epsom mixed with a "normal sized" spray bottle.
 
I'm betting temps too. My buckets won't set when its 95+ out. They are shaded and doing great but its been in the 80s And low 90s almost all summer. Try some good shade in the peak of the day and everything else you said looks great! Keep it up and welcome!
 
PepperDaddler said:
Willard List Posted. :party:
Click to expand...
hard not to eh? that list is the only reason i'm chilling out and just trying to keep my plants watered enough until the first typhoon starts cooling down the weather
 
I too am having the same problem as the OP.
 
After reading the replies I think the reason my chillies are dropping flowers is due to the very high temperatures that we are having in Spain this year. The temperatures are heading well into the 90s each day.
 
The image attachement posted by thegreenman (above) is an excellent explanation. Thank you for posting it :)
 
GDDesu said:
Spray bottle is 32 fl oz (1/4 gallon).I've seen several websites recommend 2 tbs Epsom mixed with a "normal sized" spray bottle.
Click to expand...
I also took the advice of 2 tbsp in a 32 oz spray bottle and killed three of my plants as well as burning several leaves on others. I have since been told that I should have been using 1 or 2 tbsp max per gallon. I'm very surprised that your plants are doing so well. It seems from the photos they are all wet so maybe your flushing most of it off with rain or some other way. I also live in Ca. I'm in Riverside County where it is more like desert heat. So too much salt crystal on the leaves is like a magnify glass. I had one Ghost Plant loaded with pods that dropped them all one week after being sprayed with that much salt. Good luck
 
I would say its the temps as well.  Here in Philly temps have been super high and the rain abundent.  Lots of yellow leaves and flower drop.  This time last year I already pulled 2-3 rounds of ripe pods off my plants.  Still waiting for my first ripe pod this year.  Not happy
 
SL3 said:
I also took the advice of 2 tbsp in a 32 oz spray bottle and killed three of my plants as well as burning several leaves on others. I have since been told that I should have been using 1 or 2 tbsp max per gallon. I'm very surprised that your plants are doing so well. It seems from the photos they are all wet so maybe your flushing most of it off with rain or some other way. I also live in Ca. I'm in Riverside County where it is more like desert heat. So too much salt crystal on the leaves is like a magnify glass. I had one Ghost Plant loaded with pods that dropped them all one week after being sprayed with that much salt. Good luck
Click to expand...
 
Agreed, 1 to 2 tablespoons per gallon is a good ratio.  If you want to give them more, like any other fertilizer it is better to do so more often rather than a higher dose / ratio.
 
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