Peppers aren't producing!

[wjbombo]

Greetings fellow gardners!

I am trying my hand at growing a variety of peppers and only one has produced any fruit (and only one fruit at that!).

They are all flowering but it seems they are not pollenating or something. I got them from a friend and only have one plant of each species (5 in all) Do I need more than one of each species to cross-pollenate?
Other than that they are growing very well and show no signs of distress, infection or parasites.

Anyone have any ideas here?

Thank you in advance for reading my post.

Peace,

Will

[The Helpful Gardener]

While the cross pollinating thing will help, it only helps if there are pollinators (more and more an issue daily ).

Try the Beneficial Insect thread in the Organic FOrum for some ideas there...

HG

[opabinia51]

In actuallity, most of not all pepper plants are the same species. What you have are different culitvars or varieties. It took a long time for my banana peppers to produce fruit as well. Though, they eventually did. There is some sort of virus that has spread through the honey bee population in North America this year. That may be your problem.

Incidentally, I should think that if your peppers were cross pollinate, theonly problem that you would come up with is if you used the seeds to grow pepper plants next year. What would happen is you would get peppers that have either the same traits as one of the parents, a mix between the traits of the parents or most likely, some dominant traits and maybe a few recessive traits.

Look up on Google: Peppers Companion plants

That will give you a list of plants that you can plant with peppers that will be beneficial to the pepper plants. Also, plant some flowers like Cosmos and so on to attract beneficial insects and pollinators

[The Helpful Gardener]

Yes, the virus has caused some mortality among the bee population, but it is a virus that has been around for a long time with not much effect. The real culprits are two varieties of mites that outright killing hives or are weakening them to the point that once fairly harmless viruses are now deadly. Either way it is awful tough on food crops across the U.S.; be thankful your living does not depend on pollinaed plants...

Scott

[opabinia51]

That's interesting, I hadn't heard of the mite problem. All the more reason to promote pollinators such as Mason Bees that are actually a solitary bee that does not actually live in a hive. There are a lot of other great pollinators out there as well. And while nature balances itself out with these mites, it is best to encourage all the other great pollinators out there.

Though, it is now to late to encourage mason bees for this year. However, it is the perfect time to start drilling holes in wood blocks and stapling plastic awnings over the top of the holes for when the Bees start to come out Next February to April.

And don't discount Lepidopterans (butterflies and moths) as pollinators, they are great. I really enjoy watching various species of Lepidopterans fluttering around my garden and pollinating my sqaush, potatoes, tomatoes, and yes; peppers.

[The Helpful Gardener]

Yeah, Opa, talk to a beekeeper or two and you will get an earfull on the mite thing (one that is a blood parasite that weakens them badly, leaving them susceptible to things like that virus; the other actually infests their airway to the point of suffocation) Keepers treat for the mites and that's why kept hives survive, and why I haven't seen a single honeybee yet in my garden (see them around work, so someone within a mile or two must be keeping them).

I have little problem with lack of pollinators because of my perennial border, stocked with good things to eat for lots of flying critters ( I am loving the hawk moths this year...)

Turns out that carbaryl (Sevin Dust) is EXTREMELY toxic to honeybees to boot!


Scott