Habanero Flower Drop

[chilehead70301]

I've read alot of posts on this site regarding flower drop. The weather here in S Louisiana has been in the mid to upper 90's during the day and approx 75 at night. I've been bringing in my habanero every other day hoping that would help in flower set. However, all of the flowers dropped, approx 20-30. My plant is healthy looking and approx 3' tall.

Would bringing in the plant cause flower drop due to the change in temps? I did a through check and didn't see any bugs. I alternate watering with chile focus and plain water with an occasional mist of chile focus and epsom salt.

 

[AjarnV]

I've read alot of posts on this site regarding flower drop. The weather here in S Louisiana has been in the mid to upper 90's during the day and approx 75 at night. I've been bringing in my habanero every other day hoping that would help in flower set. However, all of the flowers dropped, approx 20-30. My plant is healthy looking and approx 3' tall.

Would bringing in the plant cause flower drop due to the change in temps? I did a through check and didn't see any bugs. I alternate watering with chile focus and plain water with an occasional mist of chile focus and epsom salt.

Sounds like a lota love going on; maybe too much? Temps over 92f and especially 95 - 98+ will cause flower drop. I don't see any point to bringing the plant in at night if insects aren't a problem. I would think water is the most important thing for now. Cheers.

 

[JustinNC]

I've been getting flower drop too. Healthy looking plants but just dropping flowers. Yesterday was the first time daytime temps have dropped below 90F in four weeks. Night time temps rarely got below 80F. Got a couple cool days with temps in low 80s and night time temps low 70s down to mid 60s. Hopefully these couple days will let them set new fruit.

 

[chileaddict]

That happened to me last year. When I researched the net to see what to do, I saw suggestions on crushing up eggshells and mixing it in the soil. I did that and soon after the blooms stopped falling and many pods formed. The plants put out many habaneros and life was good. I had not discovered THP yet and did not know about the cooked eggshell and vingear solution (which I now have in the first week). I didn't know didley squat about growing habaneros, but I will say that the crushed eggshells worked for me.

 

[AjarnV]

That happened to me last year. When I researched the net to see what to do, I saw suggestions on crushing up eggshells and mixing it in the soil. I did that and soon after the blooms stopped falling and many pods formed. The plants put out many habaneros and life was good. I had not discovered THP yet and did not know about the cooked eggshell and vingear solution (which I now have in the first week). I didn't know didley squat about growing habaneros, but I will say that the crushed eggshells worked for me.

Yeah, but are slow to give up calcium. Use a coffee grinder to powder them and they work a whole lot quicker. Cheers.

 

[franzb69]

we use a mortar and pestle to grind up the egg shells. an old school trick filipinos have been doing for a good long while now, egg shells. =D

 

[luispereira]

Hi , I also have some haba flower droppings, my temp is 87Fº (too high?)... but the really reason I posted this reply is to ask the quantity of eggshell does someone put on a, let's say...3 year haba?

 

[chilehead70301]

I actually used crushed egg shells and bone meal but it didn't help. The main reason I brought the plant in is the weather. At times, very windy and alot of rain. The plant is under my front porch but when the wind and rain get heavy it makes my hab droop. so i've been keeping them in. i put them back out yesterday and the temps will hover around 85 today due to cloud cover. hopefully, more flowers will begin to form and start producing pods.

BTW, i will give the coffee grinder a try with the egg shells.

 

[AjarnV]

Hi , I also have some haba flower droppings, my temp is 87Fº (too high?)... but the really reason I posted this reply is to ask the quantity of eggshell does someone put on a, let's say...3 year haba?

A tablespoon of milled eggshells is a place to start. Work it into the soil around the plant and then water it in.

 

[willard3]

Flower drop probable causes:

1. Day temp too high >95F
2. Night temp too low <65F
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.

 

[AjarnV]

Flower drop probable causes:

1. Day temp too high >95F
2. Night temp too low <65F
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.

Yeah, that's what I think. Cheers.

 

[Bleash]

My plants hate the weekends because I'm always checking on them and measuring and weighting them and looking for flowers and pods and pest and everything!
They are thankfull I'm out of the house 10-12 hours a day during work days.

So yeah...Too much grower attention can stress them. I checked personally on this one.

Bleash

 

[scarpetti]

Conspiracy Theory: It's BP's oil that's being evaporated into either the clouds or just the air. Then it either rains oil or slowly dissipates the oil through the humidity of your hot, humid weather conditions from your part of the country. I can go on and on and make up more stuff but it's getting late. You should actually call BP's money restitution 1-800 number to see if you can get reimbursed for your flower drop problem. I'm joking, but you should do it anyways, just to mess with them. Right now BP needs to be held accountable for everything that goes wrong with anything!

But anyways, I usually get a huge flower drop issue with my orange Habs early on. I think a lot of mine has to do with the SF Bay Area fog we get here in the early summer. Then August comes, the fog kind of goes away and I get a very substantial crop. Except for last year!!!!!!!! Watch out for the over watering....

 

[scarpetti]

My plants hate the weekends because I'm always checking on them and measuring and weighting them and looking for flowers and pods and pest and everything!
They are thankfull I'm out of the house 10-12 hours a day during work days.

So yeah...Too much grower attention can stress them. I checked personally on this one.

Bleash

WEEKENDS?! I envy you. Try being unemployed for 1 1/2 years with 60 chili plants in your back yard. My (everyday) consists of sending out resumés and watching the chili plants grow.............. I've even named each leaf

 

[chilehead70301]

I may have to file a loss of pepper claim with BP as the flower drop may be directly related to the oil smell in the air. Those bas$@#$#. BP has caused me to miss out on some good habanero peppers.

Too much grower attention. I could see how that may affect the plants. However, my habanero and tabasco are probably the two plants that get the least attention. i think it's the heat. it's been in the upper 90's during the day for the last few weeks and the wind has been pretty bad. It has also been raining everyday for the last week, but my plants have been under my patio and out of the rain for the most part. The habanero started flowering fairly early in it's growth and i had been picking them off. it seemed like the more I picked off, the more flowers bloomed. Hopefully it will start to flower again soon.

Here's a picture.

 

[AjarnV]

WEEKENDS?! I envy you. Try being unemployed for 1 1/2 years with 60 chili plants in your back yard. My (everyday) consists of sending out resumés and watching the chili plants grow.............. I've even named each leaf

That is hilarious; but I do sympathize your lack of a job.
I'm retired; so I can relate to knowing EVERY detail of ones plants.

 

[charlesNYC]

WEEKENDS?! I envy you. Try being unemployed for 1 1/2 years with 60 chili plants in your back yard. My (everyday) consists of sending out resumés and watching the chili plants grow.............. I've even named each leaf

i know exactly what you mean.
stupid economic downturn :-\