Help my Pepperoncinis!

[Ladyhawke1]

Yesterday I did not have to water because it was rainy out and I just happened to notice my wonderful pepperoncini. It has been going great and has full blown peppers on it that are still green. I also noticed is was producing an enormous amount of white flowers that I was sure would turned into peppers too. Then yesterday, I noticed that the buds and stems from all the flowers had turned yellow and if you touch them they fall off. Some of the leaves at the bottom of the plant have turned yellow. Is this too much water?

This is a newly planted raised bed with plenty of plant fertilizer and I would think would not need anything more for months.

I water a little bit everyday and everything else seems ok. My other peppers (Garden Salsa, Small Poblanos, and Anaheim) all seem to be doing well. My tomatoes and tomatillos are doing great. So what is with the Pepproncinis?

 

[lesa]

I can't imagine that you would need to water everyday... I don't know where you are located, but my peppers do fine with at least 3-4 days with no water.

 

[Ladyhawke1]

I can't imagine that you would need to water everyday... I don't know where you are located, but my peppers do fine with at least 3-4 days with no water.

I am in Suddern California on the coast...sort of between Santa Barbara and Los Angeles.

 

[digitS']

I haven't noticed any real difference between my pepperoncinis and the other peppers so far, Ladyhawk. (Interestingly, I have Garden Salsa and Anaheims, too .) They are all turning darker green finally and starting to grow - I've even got tiny fruit on the Super Chili!

They do seem to like it on the drier side - perhaps, especially the smaller peppers. Even during the heat of summer, they can wilt a little bit and bounce right back. Sun scald is an issue with the larger peppers so it's a little touchy and probably no plant wants to wilt.

Steve

 

[Ladyhawke1]

I think I found the answer. I checked out the "Common Diseases in the Miracle-Gro Complete Guide to Vegetables, Fruits & Herbs.

As follows:

It is called " Blossom drop" - it happens to beans, peppers, and tomatoes.

Cause: Enviromental. Occurs when nights are below 58 F degrees or days above 85 F. Blossoms drop without forming fruits. Use row covers to raise night temperatures."

WE had a "drop" in temperature a few days ago for a few days running. I had to turn the heat on in the house and I was already bundled up. There are still flowers and buds on the plant so it has not given up.

I am so very new at this gardening and when to pick the fruits and veggies has become such an "art". With peppers each is such an indiviual thing...they turn from green to red or NOT. I try to find out as much as I can. I guess that is why gardeners/farmers needs "years" of experience. I hope I get that long to learn it all. :tools :rose

 

[digitS']

. . . " Blossom drop" . . . Occurs when nights are below 58 F degrees or days above 85 F. . .

Wow! We haven't had a night that warm (nor a day that warm)!

I suppose this is true . . . ~ sigh ~ .

It didn't quite reach 70 yesterday, despite a day of sunshine . . . supposed to be only 66 tomorrow with clouds and rain . . .

My garden soil seems to be about right for peppers but they struggle here thru the spring because of the coolness. This was an especially cool June and, yep, I lost some melon plants . . .

Steve

 

[Ladyhawke1]

digitS' wrote: ....."yep, I lost some melon plants . . ."




I would give my right arm to grow to fruit and actually "eat" a melon from my garden. Last year I kept one ( Hales' Best) too long in the pot before I put it in the raised bed. I was building at that time.

This year I started mine from seeds. They are about a foot tall and look like heck. The leaves are dry and pale green. If they survive they will be staked or trellised. They have blossoms, but it still looks like these plants (2 - Hearts of Gold ) are struggling. :bee

 

[digitS']

Gosh, Ladyhawke, we must be on the same wavelength or something! Pepperoncini, Garden Salsa, Hearts of Gold . . .

I bought Hearts of Gold melon seed this year but too late to plant them. I haven't eaten one of those melons in 30 or 40 years!

I hadn't even seen the seed for sale locally until this year. They were grown commercially around here years ago and I decided, after some melon successes, that I would see how they do in my garden. Heck, it may even be the same ground where they grew, way back when.

Well, I'll have to wait until next year to try. But, I've got my full cast of characters out there: Passport (galia melon), Fastbreak (canteloupe), and a charentais. This year, I'm trying Edonis rather than Honey Girl . . . but, I mean, they look the same in the photographs . . . but some died.

The Honey Girl charentais was my first success about 7 or 8 years ago. However, a couple of years ago, during a particularly cool and cloudy June -- they all died . . .

The only melon that survived and did reasonably well that year was Passport. I don't jump up and down when it ripens like I would with Honey Girl but it is better than okay! It is still a vine-ripened fruit and it really means a lot to me!

Still, I'm curious about Hearts of Gold. I remember that they didn't keep worth a darn in the kitchen after I bought them but, that might be okay for a garden variety. Maybe better than okay!

Those Honey Girls are real tricky, too. A lot of people try a charentais and won't grow them again. I just bet I know why -- you have to pick them at just the right moment!! Too early, and they have no sweetness. Too late, and they have already begun to deteriorate.

I have been known to get right down on the ground so that I can smell the melons. My nose knows! Yep, if that melon smells like something I might want to eat, I take it in the kitchen . . . or eat it right out there under the wild plum tree!

I know that living real close to the CA coast is a bit different than living elsewhere in California. Maybe some of these early-ripening melons would give you a better chance.

Steve

 

[Ladyhawke1]

Gosh, Ladyhawke, we must be on the same wavelength or something! Pepperoncini, Garden Salsa, Hearts of Gold . . .

I bought Hearts of Gold melon seed this year but too late to plant them. I haven't eaten one of those melons in 30 or 40 years!

I hadn't even seen the seed for sale locally until this year. They were grown commercially around here years ago and I decided, after some melon successes, that I would see how they do in my garden. Heck, it may even be the same ground where they grew, way back when.

Well, I'll have to wait until next year to try. But, I've got my full cast of characters out there: Passport (galia melon), Fastbreak (canteloupe), and a charentais. This year, I'm trying Edonis rather than Honey Girl . . . but, I mean, they look the same in the photographs . . . but some died.

The Honey Girl charentais was my first success about 7 or 8 years ago. However, a couple of years ago, during a particularly cool and cloudy June -- they all died . . .

The only melon that survived and did reasonably well that year was Passport. I don't jump up and down when it ripens like I would with Honey Girl but it is better than okay! It is still a vine-ripened fruit and it really means a lot to me!

Still, I'm curious about Hearts of Gold. I remember that they didn't keep worth a darn in the kitchen after I bought them but, that might be okay for a garden variety. Maybe better than okay!

Those Honey Girls are real tricky, too. A lot of people try a charentais and won't grow them again. I just bet I know why -- you have to pick them at just the right moment!! Too early, and they have no sweetness. Too late, and they have already begun to deteriorate.

I have been known to get right down on the ground so that I can smell the melons. My nose knows! Yep, if that melon smells like something I might want to eat, I take it in the kitchen . . . or eat it right out there under the wild plum tree!

I know that living real close to the CA coast is a bit different than living elsewhere in California. Maybe some of these early-ripening melons would give you a better chance.

Steve

digitS' said:

I have been known to get right down on the ground so that I can smell the melons. My nose knows! Yep, if that melon smells like something I might want to eat, I take it in the kitchen . . . or eat it right out there under the wild plum tree!


Hey! This works for me. However, when I have reached for a ripe strawberry to pop in my mouth, a roly poly bug grabs it from me.