Pineapple Rocoto

Sizzle Lips

Sizzle Lips

eXtreme
This is my first time growing this particular pepper....I have two plants and they look beautiful....full of purple blossoms but no signs of any peppers.
The plant is not dropping any flowers...is lush ,green and very healthy looking.....why no signs of peppers......does it need some bees. :) :)
 
 
I tried to grow these. I am typically very successful in germinating seeds, but none of mine germinated. Maybe I got a bad batch. Other than those I had over 90% success with my other seeds. 
 
Sizzle Lips said:
This is my first time growing this particular pepper....I have two plants and they look beautiful....full of purple blossoms but no signs of any peppers.
The plant is not dropping any flowers...is lush ,green and very healthy looking.....why no signs of peppers......does it need some bees. :) :)
 
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Try overlapping the branches of the two rocoto plants if they are in pots and mobile. That usually works well to set pods with the Pubescens plants I grow.
 
Rocotos take a long time. I've had them sit with pretty flowers for months before setting fruit in the late summer. People say rocotos do much better in subsequent years if you can overwinter. I stopped growing them.
 
I was just out giving the plants a nice evening drink.....now that the sun is down....and upon closer inspection I do see two pea sized pods on the plant........this makes me a happy camper.
 
hottoddy said:
Rocotos take a long time. I've had them sit with pretty flowers for months before setting fruit in the late summer. People say rocotos do much better in subsequent years if you can overwinter. I stopped growing them.
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That really depends on the cultivar you are growing. I have rocoto plants I started from seed early this year that are already getting loaded with pods. I recommended overlapping branches, because that has worked for me. Last Summer I had these amazing blackish bumblebees that were always hanging out around all of my rocoto plants pollinating them. Hopefully they come back this year!
 
the only success i have had with rocoto is in hydroponics and that was red rocoto.
 
i currently have 2 plants, i am guessing 4-6 years old, i can't remember if they are red or orange. all winter and summer they produce flowers that drop with no fruit.
 
i keep them around because i love the smell of their leaves when brushed...... and because i like long term plants.
 
if you are looking for fast producing plants, the rocoto is not for you.
 
good luck.
 
I have four different healthy rocotos but still no pods. We have been in the 90's-low 100's the past few weeks though. I've given them mostly shade with this hot weather. The largest plant had several flowers but has not produce any pods.
 
Burning Colon said:
the only success i have had with rocoto is in hydroponics and that was red rocoto.
 
i currently have 2 plants, i am guessing 4-6 years old, i can't remember if they are red or orange. all winter and summer they produce flowers that drop with no fruit.
 
i keep them around because i love the smell of their leaves when brushed...... and because i like long term plants.
 
if you are looking for fast producing plants, the rocoto is not for you.
 
good luck.
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Wow, if I had Pubescens plants that were 4 years old and not producing, I would probably kick them to the curb. Luckily, I have never had that, but I grow new Pubescens varieties every year, then OW what produces well in my zone. This rocoto was started from seed in February, and is very productive. I have never tried growing rocoto pineapple like OP, but I would overlap the branches if I had two of them right now.
 

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Thegreenchilemonster said:
That really depends on the cultivar you are growing. I have rocoto plants I started from seed early this year that are already getting loaded with pods. I recommended overlapping branches, because that has worked for me. Last Summer I had these amazing blackish bumblebees that were always hanging out around all of my rocoto plants pollinating them. Hopefully they come back this year!
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Your are right,depends very much on the cultivar.
I have plants started in march with pods and 2 plants from last year that not even flowered.
 
The only ones I'm growing are a Pineapple & a yellow one someone brought me back from Guatemala. Like yours, the Pineapple is a great looking plant with lots of blossoms but no pods yet. Too hot, I think. We've had an unseasonably hot June- 96-101 more days than not. Last year, I had the same luck with the 5 Rocoto plants I grew. One finally put out a decent amount of pods very late in the season. ...maybe due to time required, maybe because it needed to cool off.
 
As mentioned, pubescens aren't easy and they take a while (especially down here near the equator). Of all the varieties I've grown, the Pineapple Rocoto is still my favorite for flavor, and seems to do better than most in hotter weather.
 
Wicked Mike said:
As mentioned, pubescens aren't easy and they take a while (especially down here near the equator). Of all the varieties I've grown, the Pineapple Rocoto is still my favorite for flavor, and seems to do better than most in hotter weather.
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Well that variety will be on my grow list next year for sure. 
 
Roccotos need 2 things:
 
a moderate climate, and a lower temperature at night. They originate in the andes mountains in south america, where it is gets really cold at night.
 
Plant them in a "not-too-suny" location, and far away from the house, or anything that could hold the temperature higher at night.
 
They also need always a good watering and many,many fertilizer. Its nearly impossible to overfertilize a mature roccoto.
 
 
At the moment it isnt so hot here, so i didnt tested it, but some people told me a trick for more fruits:
 
spray roccotos with "ice-cold" water at the evening to cool them down.
 
Thanks for all the great replies people...one plant is in a 90 litre pail that gets sun 3/4 of the day and the other is in a 5 gallon bucket that gets full sun all day...both seem to be equal in size....I have started feeding them with Grow Big every second watering...hope to start seeing more pods....I have about 3 good months of growing season left......I may bring the 5 gallon inside to overwinter it this year.
 
Zackorz said:
Roccotos need 2 things:
 
a moderate climate, and a lower temperature at night. They originate in the andes mountains in south america, where it is gets really cold at night.
 
Plant them in a "not-too-suny" location, and far away from the house, or anything that could hold the temperature higher at night.
 
They also need always a good watering and many,many fertilizer. Its nearly impossible to overfertilize a mature roccoto.
 
 
At the moment it isnt so hot here, so i didnt tested it, but some people told me a trick for more fruits:
 
spray roccotos with "ice-cold" water at the evening to cool them down.
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There's another trick often used for growing colder-climate plants in hotter climates. Set them up with a subirrigation tray and a box fan. The evaporation is supposed to help.
 
Well finally after months of babysitting my two Pineapple Rocotos which are loaded with pods .....I was getting worried I would run out of time....but they are all starting to shoe some color....should be able to start harvesting some in a week.....i really want to try them in a sauce.....never grew them before....what is the heat level like in these peppers.
 
Sizzle Lips said:
Well finally after months of babysitting my two Pineapple Rocotos which are loaded with pods .....I was getting worried I would run out of time....but they are all starting to shoe some color....should be able to start harvesting some in a week.....i really want to try them in a sauce.....never grew them before....what is the heat level like in these peppers.
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Awesome man, congrats! I'm interested to know how the flavor is as well. I'm thi king of growing them next year. Let us know how the tasting is!
 
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