Sweet pepper plant problems?

Question

My pepper plants in the greenhouse are starting to grow fruits, but some of the stalks are turning black, shrivelling and falling off while the peppers are still tiny. Other fruits are fine and seem to be growing OK. Does anyone have any ideas as to what's wrong? Thanks

Answer 1

This could just be natural drop - fruits come from fertilsed flowers and if the fertilisation was incomplete in some way then the fruits won't form fully.
Another reason could simply be that the plants can't actually sustain that many fruits and it stops providing nourishment for some of them to enable it to fully support the rest (the most typical example of this is in apples - they drop excess, damaged & badly pollinated fruit in June - sort of natural selection)
I'd just cut the damaged parts out to ensure no infection can take hold & keep on watering & feeding the plants (onto the soil - not onto the leaves)

Answer 2

Two things come to mind: too much nitrogen or too hot/dry. Since you mention a greenhouse they probably get/retain enough water but peppers don't like to set fruit when tempertures rise above 85-90F(depending on the cultivar). Nitrogen encourages foliage growth and too much of it can cause blossoms and /or fruit to drop as the plant transitions back to growing leaves. (again, depending on the cultivar) As Hedge Witch mentioned the plant may have reached it's max load and can't sustain any more fruit. If that is the case it should stop flowering as well.

Answer 3

From what you've described, it sounds like your peppers have been infected with a soil-borne disease called "Phytophthora". It is associated with water-molds that attack and girdle the stems...eventually cutting off water and nutrients to the upper parts of the plants.

Phytophthora begins as water-soaked spots or dark brown lesions on the lower stems just above the soil. Sudden wilting of the foliage may occur due to the lack of upward movement of water and nutrients caused by root damage or girdling of the stem. Peppers may also appear as large, water-soaked lesions that shrivel and darken.

Unfortunately, there's very little you can do for your infected plants.

However, in the future, I would recommend that you place your plants on a slightly mounded hill so that the soil around the plants will drain more readily after irrigation. Discard the soil and make sure you use sterilized media to use for new plantings.

I happened to find one product that is very good at controlling most root-rots/water-molds and you might be able to find it at one of your local hardware/garden shops.....it is made by Monterey Garden Products and it is called "Aliette". I've supplied you with a website where you can purchase the product as well;

http://www.backyardstyle.com/shop/index.php?page=shop-browse-m-MONTEREY%20LAWN%20AND%20GARDEN

Hope this solves your problem. GOOD LUCK!

-Certified Professional Crop Consultant with over 30 years of experience and a Degree in Plant Science

Answer 4

Sounds like the plants may be getting too hot or you may be overwatering or the water you are watering them with may be too cold when it hits the leaves (try avoiding the water hitting the leaves when you water.

My best guess is that certain ones of the plants are getting to hot, especially if it's the parts of the plant closest to the edge of the green house.

Answer 5

It sounds like they are not getting enough sun or water.

Answer 6

bin it