No fruit on Jalapeno plant?

[Towlieee]

My Ja-lap-a-no plant hasn't had any fruit set yet.  It was extremely hot the last few weeks, mid 90's most days, and I'm container growing.  I just started to hand pollinate about a week ago using a new makeup brush, but still no fruit.  I just now measured the plant, its right aorund 25-26" tall, its growing like a weed and catching up to my baby bell peppers fast!  

I water regularly, it's in around 3.5-4 gallons of cheap potting soil that is fairly "loose" and aerated, I hit it with 10-15-10 liquid nutes fairly regularly, a month ago I thought I used too much nutes and too much water, but everything is exploding with growth, so I haven't changed much up!  I only get about 4-4.5 hours of direct sunlight, but also get an additional 10-11 hours of CFL lighting (4 23w 5,000k a and 1 43w 2700k).  I kick my lights on around 6am, stop them during direct sunlight, then run them again until around 10pm.

Maybe I'm just inpatient (of course I am, I check my plants 20 times a day lol)  But just unsure why the Jalapeno hasn't set fruit.  One of my baby bells is just now starting to turn red, I have 5 bells that will ripen soon, and at least 3 more that just recently stared since I started hand pollinating, although 2 of my newest bells look weird, look more jalapeno shaped lol......  I kinda did cross pollinate, but I was under the impression that it wouldn't matter the first go around?  
 
The height of my plant, the jalapeno ends at my hand, 25-26", the bells are behind it

 
Flowers on the Jalapeno, it has around 8-ish fully open flowers that I've been rubbing iwth a makeup brush every 2 days or so, and many more flowers that aren't open yet

 
My new weird looking baby bell peppers.  The rest of them look normal, but these ones look odd.  

 
 
 
 

 

[Chilidude]

The fault for not producing anything maybe the fertilizer you are using. My two bottles of fertilizer combined have only 6-2-6.

 

[Towlieee]

The fault for not producing anything maybe the fertilizer you are using. My two bottles of fertilizer combined have only 6-2-6.

I was thinking the middle number was more important for fruiting, whereas the first was responsible for folliage, and last for strength of stems.  I'm new to growing though, I just picked up some cheap fert that I mix in my water

 

[The_NorthEast_ChileMan]

I water regularly, it's in around 3.5-4 gallons of cheap potting soil that is fairly "loose" and aerated, I hit it with 10-15-10 liquid nutes fairly regularly, a month ago I thought I used too much nutes and too much water, but everything is exploding with growth, so I haven't changed much up!  I only get about 4-4.5 hours of direct sunlight, but also get an additional 10-11 hours of CFL lighting (4 23w 5,000k a and 1 43w 2700k).  I kick my lights on around 6am, stop them during direct sunlight, then run them again until around 10pm.
 
 

 
Way too much ferts of wrong type, read this.> http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/pepper/no-flowers-or-fruit-on-peppers.htm especially  Other Reasons for No Flowers or Fruit on Peppers section.

 

[BlackFatalii]

Your Jalapeno plant is flowering nicely, so it is trying. Jalapenos generally set pods pretty easily, and the pods ripen relatively quickly once they do. So I think you probably need to be a little bit patient, and the Jalapenos will come sooner or later. 
 

 2 of my newest bells look weird, look more jalapeno shaped lol......  I kinda did cross pollinate, but I was under the impression that it wouldn't matter the first go around?  
 
 

 
You are correct. If you pollinate a Bell pepper flower with Jalapeno pollen, it won't affect the pod, only the seeds inside. But if the Bell pepper seeds you planted were a) crossed with something else, or b) were not actually Bell pepper seeds to begin with, that could explain it. Also, c) sometimes the very first pods that a plant produces can look a bit weird. Nothing really you can do now but wait and see how they turn out. If you get your seeds from a reliable and trustworthy source, you will greatly reduce the chances of the first two issues happening.  

 

[Chilidude]

I was thinking the middle number was more important for fruiting, whereas the first was responsible for folliage, and last for strength of stems.  I'm new to growing though, I just picked up some cheap fert that I mix in my waterj

 
The 6-2-6 formula have been highly successful for producing flowers/pods for me so far. My new fertilizer contains: 6-5-13, so it should be a pretty good fertilizer for chili. Chili focused fertilizer should not contain too much Nitrogen (N), Usually the Phosphorus (P) number is not too high either  and the fertilizer should contain more Potassium (K), than Nitrogen (N).

 

[Canes1]

My wife grows these outside,all we use on them is 10-10-10 and she has 3 out of about 12 that do not have even flowers, but the ones that do have fruit are just loaded with pods..Can't explain it,they are right next to each other

 

[geeme]

Chile plants won't generally set pods (and often drop flowers) with temps in the mid 90's or over. That could be at play here. Also, please tell us why the lamps are there. If it's already hot and you are putting lamps on them, that might explain it. With high heat, pollen will be produced, but it may be sterile.
 
Regarding pollination, chile plants are self-pollinating. I also grow in pots - all that's needed is a bit of wind or, lacking that, thumping the pot from time to time. You might actually be removing too much pollen with your brush. 

 

[solid7]

Chile plants won't generally set pods (and often drop flowers) with temps in the mid 90's or over.

What??? What are you talking about??? LOL

I really can't believe how many times I see this repeated. My temps are above 90 for about 6 months out of the year. By your logic, I'd never have pods!

 

[Streamer]

With temps in the high 90's here in South Texas, my jalapenos have virtually quit flowering.  Too Damn Hot.
 
High Heat Matters
 
Come late September,,,they'll be back..

 

[Streamer]

And don't forget...temps are recorded and reported IN THE SHADE...put a thermometer in direct sun....125F-130 F during dog days.   Couple the heat with the fact that plants are in pots above ground....='s Hot As Hell 

 

[solid7]

So you're calling me a liar, then?

Maybe the the universe really does flow differently over there in the Republic of Texas. It's been 90+ here with no rain for the better part of a month, and I've got mad flowers on a few different varieties.

 

[Calamari Kid]

So you're calling me a liar, then?

Maybe the the universe really does flow differently over there in the Republic of Texas. It's been 90+ here with no rain for the better part of a month, and I've got mad flowers on a few different varieties.

 
Just a wild stab in the dark here... but am inclined to think that soil typs have a part to play in what ferts to feed the plants.
 
As far as using different grow/bloom fertilisers, I am totally sold: High N fertiliser for grow, high P-K values for flowering and fruiting.
 
At least you've got sun. Weather this side of the Atlantic has been pants.

 

[JDFan]

So you're calling me a liar, then?

Maybe the the universe really does flow differently over there in the Republic of Texas. It's been 90+ here with no rain for the better part of a month, and I've got mad flowers on a few different varieties.

 
Don't think he's calling you a liar but you're actually in the low 90's for highs and are getting into the 70's for lows so your plants are still having a break and the pollen is still fertile. -- Here we are in the mid 100's (ie. 103 to 110 for highs) and staying in the high 70's to low 80's for lows which causes the pollen to become mostly sterile for example here's one of my plants with 100's of buds and flowers that finally set 1 pod a few days ago -- the rest of the flowers either drop before blooming or within a day or so after due to the heat. So we usually either have to bring them inside for a week or so to get pods to set or wait till the weather breaks for a few days or later in the summer/fall.
 
As you can see the plant is healthy and doing fine but can't set pods due to the heat (and the other dozen or so plants are the same - the only one setting pods right now is the Bonnie's bell pepper hybrid that seems to thrive in the sun.) Perhaps your results are different due to the slightly lower temps and higher humidity but I'd have to agree with geeme and streamer on this one as from personal experience I can tell you they will refuse to set pods in the extreme heat. 
 

 

[solid7]

Don't think he's calling you a liar but you're actually in the low 90's for highs and are getting into the 70's for lows

Not getting into the 70's. We haven't had a night below 81 degrees in about 2 months. I live on a barrier island, and I'm always warmer than the mainland.

I've got pods. Lots and lots of pods. Red Brain Strain just bounced back from a deluge of rains that we had a couple months ago, that caused most of the leaves to fall off.

All of my Numex varieties are loving the heat. Red Savina is putting out pods nicely. In fact, the only thing not growing well right now, is chocolate Brain Strain, and I see that a few others are having issues with that particular variety, as well.

 

[JDFan]

Not getting into the 70's. We haven't had a night below 81 degrees in about 2 months. I live on a barrier island, and I'm always warmer than the mainland.

I've got pods. Lots and lots of pods. Red Brain Strain just bounced back from a deluge of rains that we had a couple months ago, that caused most of the leaves to fall off.

All of my Numex varieties are loving the heat. Red Savina is putting out pods nicely. In fact, the only thing not growing well right now, is chocolate Brain Strain, and I see that a few others are having issues with that particular variety, as well.

 
Was just going by the chart at accuweather for Melbourne Fl.
 

 

[Myxlplyk]

My wife grows these outside,all we use on them is 10-10-10 and she has 3 out of about 12 that do not have even flowers, but the ones that do have fruit are just loaded with pods..Can't explain it,they are right next to each other

 
Tomato Tone.

 

[Towlieee]

Chile plants won't generally set pods (and often drop flowers) with temps in the mid 90's or over. That could be at play here. Also, please tell us why the lamps are there. If it's already hot and you are putting lamps on them, that might explain it. With high heat, pollen will be produced, but it may be sterile.
 
Regarding pollination, chile plants are self-pollinating. I also grow in pots - all that's needed is a bit of wind or, lacking that, thumping the pot from time to time. You might actually be removing too much pollen with your brush. 

Well my lights don't tend to add too much heat, and yeah I read about them being self pollinating, I give my pepper plants a good shake almost daily, just recently started using a brush to try and hand pollinate them.

My Jalapeno is growing like a weed, so I feel that I'm doing somehting right, I guess I just need to give it time!  

 

[solid7]

I can tell you they will refuse to set pods in the extreme heat.

OK, but the statement was that the plants won't set fruit with temps in the 90's. I've seen it elsewhere on this forum that they won't set pods above 85. And yet, we're talking about plants that thrive in subtropical and near desert conditions. (are even native to those climates)

What you are calling "extreme heat" is not temps in the 90's. First it was temps in the 90's, then it was 95 in the shade, and next it will be ???

Just saying - it's nonsense to suggest that pepper plants won't set pods above 85 degrees, or in the 90's, or whatever. That might be true for a given condition. Say, you have your plants in small, black plastic pots, where the root zone is heating up. But that's a qualified statement.

PEPPER PLANTS CAN AND WILL SET PODS IN TEMPS ABOVE 85.

 

[JDFan]

Never said it couldn't happen just that it was much less likely ( As mentioned I currently have 1 pod that set out of a few hundred flowers so it can happen ! )
 
Here is a study that shows the effect of heat on pollen germination on pepper plants under greenhouse conditions ( http://docsdrive.com/pdfs/medwelljournals/rjbsci/2008/1159-1162.pdf ) which shows that the pollen germination % drops from around 65% @ 77 degrees to around 8% @ 100 degrees -- So no it does not drop to ZERO but the chances of successful pollination does drop substantially at those temps.