Black spots on pepper stem

[Vagetarian]

Hi, my chilli peppers are dropping most of their fruits and flowers. I just noticed that a fruit that's about to drop has lots of tiny black spots on its stem which don't rub off. Is this any indication of why the fruits are dropping?



And a photo of the lot just in case, they mostly look pretty healthy to me...

[Vagetarian]

Anyone got any ideas? Most of my pepper plants are now setting fruit and dropping all but one or two of them. Perhaps it's simply all they're big enough to sustain? Maybe they should be in bigger pots, although they show no signs of filling out the current ones. I am also battling an aphid invasion which could have something to do with it, although they don't seem to be attacking the peppers much yet, basil is clearly much tastier. I'm starting to worry that I'm going to harvest a total of 12 peppers this year, 1 per plant.

[rustylady]

Your chillies need potting on into slightly larger pots. They have obviously run out of nutrients. The chillies are dropping because the plant doesn't have enough growth to sustain more fruit at the moment.

[jacob]

As rustylady says -- bigger pots immediately.

[Florence Fennel]

My chillis hardly seem to be moving, even though I've potted them on. No flowers yet either.

[Creemteez]

Are they warm enough, Flo? They like it hot and steamy - well, mine seem to...

[Vagetarian]

Florence, my peppers were sown at the end of March and even though I was a bit late they seem to be fairly advanced. My tomatoes that were planted at the same time are ahead of anyone else's I know of, although they started earlier than me. I'm very confident that this is because I've started them all off in my conservatory and only left my tomatoes out for the nights a month ago, the peppers are still coming in and out every day. Obviously more hassle but it really seems to have paid off for me.

rustylady and jacob, thanks for the replies. There are no signs of roots at the drainage holes, I only potted them on from 3" round pots recently into a lighter potting mix because they were a bit overwatered, they hadn't even rooted out those pots. The reason may be that the potting mix is now about 40% perlite, so 40% less nutrients. I have given them 2 light feedings since.

Do you still recommend I pot them up, or feed them a few more times and wait for roots?

[Florence Fennel]

Are they warm enough, Flo? They like it hot and steamy - well, mine seem to...

They're in the stayput with the door closed at night and it gets the sun all day. Hope they make a sudden spurt of growth soon!

[rustylady]

Florence, my peppers were sown at the end of March and even though I was a bit late they seem to be fairly advanced. My tomatoes that were planted at the same time are ahead of anyone else's I know of, although they started earlier than me. I'm very confident that this is because I've started them all off in my conservatory and only left my tomatoes out for the nights a month ago, the peppers are still coming in and out every day. Obviously more hassle but it really seems to have paid off for me.

rustylady and jacob, thanks for the replies. There are no signs of roots at the drainage holes, I only potted them on from 3" round pots recently into a lighter potting mix because they were a bit overwatered, they hadn't even rooted out those pots. The reason may be that the potting mix is now about 40% perlite, so 40% less nutrients. I have given them 2 light feedings since.

Do you still recommend I pot them up, or feed them a few more times and wait for roots?

OK, if you're waiting for roots I would suggest reduce the watering and only water from the bottom when they're quite dry. This should encourage the roots to go exploring

[Vagetarian]

Thank you rustylady. I don't have to wait for roots but it's easier to carry them in small pots, I'm also worried that in bigger pots they'd get over watered more badly. A few showers today and they're saturated, and even with 40% perlite I know it will be a while before they dry them out, probably be saturated repeatedly by rain before then.

I'm probably over thinking all of this... lol

[Two_Sheds]

You've got them outside? I haven't, and they're doing fine in the cold gh

[rustylady]

Thank you rustylady. I don't have to wait for roots but it's easier to carry them in small pots, I'm also worried that in bigger pots they'd get over watered more badly. A few showers today and they're saturated, and even with 40% perlite I know it will be a while before they dry them out, probably be saturated repeatedly by rain before then.

I'm probably over thinking all of this... lol

Please tell me you haven't got them outside in this weather, poor tiny little things. They would be better on your kitchen windowsill if you don't have a greenhouse.

[Germinater]

Deffo don't leave them out at the mo they like it hot and hummed ..mine are in the plastic green house and I only open the door if it's dealt sunny and hot other wise it kept closed and they love it .growing great and are now finally flowering in abundance ..yours maywell be flowering due to the stress of cold and are trying to fruit and seed as quickly as possible ..

[Vagetarian]

Please tell me you haven't got them outside in this weather, poor tiny little things. They would be better on your kitchen windowsill if you don't have a greenhouse.

I wouldn't dare leave them out overnight but I can't leave them in all day every day either. If it's going to be a warm day I have no choice but to put them outside as the conservatory has been up to 36 degrees this year already and it's not often that I'm here to leave the door open. I suppose I could put them on a windowsill but there is no where that gets the sun like the patio in my back garden, only the conservatory comes remotely close.

It was pretty warm yesterday, and my conservatory was over 30 when I got home at 5, only problem I could see outdoors was the rain. Perhaps I could cut some plastic or something and slip it over the tops of the pots to stop them getting drenched. Or do you think that even then, they would be at a big disadvantage?

I'm so glad you lot don't leave your peppers out, my neighbours think I'm insane for not just leaving them out there..

[Two_Sheds]

^ Can't you shade your conservatory? Or, erect a tent-like shade for the peppers inside the conservatory? Stand them in a tray of wet gravel to keep the humidity up