Grow Your Own Magazine

If you are thinking of pollenating by hand then how do you know what are male and what are female flowers??? Is it just pot luck ?? Ive read thinks about cotton buds etc ...Is there any best way to do this??

Nay help greatfully received !!! Picture to follow !!!!

I grow about 60 plants of mixed chillies and sweet peppers each year and have never ever hand pollinated or needed too. Even the odd one nurtured on a sunny windowsill has produced plenty of fruit left to its own devices.

If you do do it, use a small artists brush or a cotton bud and just go from flower to flower. You will pick up pollen from one flower and transfer it to the female parts of another as you do it.

Enjoy yourself!

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Kindest regards, David.

http://pigletsplots.blogspot.com/
updated - Sunday 19th at 2100hrs

I put some greenpepper and what was called a chilli plant out in the garden in the hot weather. I think the insects must have pollinated them cos have lots of fruit now.

I wouldn't bother trying to pollinate by hand.
Mine are doing great, indoors and out.
j

Ohh this is good news. I have been panicking with my one plant as it is on a window sill and has flowers, but no chillis yet. A couple of the flowers have fallen off though. :O

Hi Blossom! Ive got a couple of chilli plants in my greenhouse - yep, lots of flowers but when they drop off the chillis start to grow! At last count I had around 5 or 6 - but there are loads of flowers, so Im hoping for a bumper crop! I make sure mine are watered on a regular basis and feed them with tomato feed once a week. My pepper plants are doing well as well. dexterdog

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Appreciate the little things in life because one day you will realise they are the big things

I can't see these ones growing, the stalk that holds them fell off too.

Do they take long to start rowing once they have been flowers?

Mmmm not sure. There was a little bud behind the flowers that started to grow.....hopefully someone else will be able to answer your question. dexterdog

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Appreciate the little things in life because one day you will realise they are the big things

Yes they climb into a canoe and row for all they are worth very soon after they have been flowers!! (Sorry I couldn't resist!)

Tee Hee! dexterdog

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Appreciate the little things in life because one day you will realise they are the big things

LOL oups

I have tiny chillis growing yay.

congratulations Blossom!
You'll find they grow quite quickly now they've got started.

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smiling is infectious....

http://www.thehudsonallotment.blogspot.com/ updated 28th May 2008

Can you eat the leaves? No flowers or fruit, just lots of leaves.