Chilli pollination

floyd

I have 4 indoor chilli plants (Cheyenne F1) that are producing masses of flowers. Even though I have tried hand pollinating them with a small artists brush, the flowers are dropping off along with the stem rather than forming chillis.
Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I might be doing wrong? Should it be done at a certain time of day?

Lotus-eater

It should work, only use the brush very lightly.

I find the best thing to do, is to put the plants outside on a warm day, in a warm area and let the insects get on with it.

rabidbun

Could also be overwatering - do you let them dry out almost completely between waterings?

floyd

I did over water by mistake last week (OH had already done it and I didn't check the compost), as evidenced by the appearance of sciarid fly. I let the soil dry out completely this week and treated with Provado to try and get rid of the flies so I don't know whether it has given them too much interference in one hit.
I always water from the base only when the compost on top is dry, last week was a one off but I will keep an extra eye on it.

Many thanks for the suggestions

Sally_A

Evidently chillis are self pollinating, I never knew this until last year when someone on another forum who lives in Spain and sells chilli seeds was saying how she bags up the flowers in muslin type netting to keep the chillis from cross pollinating.

As they are falling off as whole flowers from the stalk, I wouldn't worry too much, perhaps the plant is just keeping an amount it knows it can support.

Lotus-eater

Self pollinating, still means they need to be pollinated, just that the same plant can pollinate itself.

You pollinate the chillies yourself using a brush and then cover them to stop insects mixing other pollen with the fruit you want to save.

floyd

Just to update, as I had 15 chilli seedlings that needed potting on to a windowsill position, I decided to follow Lotus-eaters advice and just chuck the more mature plants outside in a sunny spot. Result! Although they are a little windburned and tatty, each plant now has 3 fat chillies on it.

Thanks all for the advice

DaftyDuck

It may be that they are too hot inside. Above 25° they fail to set fruit as well, and at 30° they don't. Shoving them outside may have been a "cool" move!

floyd

Sounds quite possible too, thanks for the info!

bibbys0

Last year I had problems in my greenhouse so this is in a way linked.It concerned my runnerbeans and toms.The problems were loads of flowers and then eventually just the stalks.so i did some investigation and came to the conclusion no pollination was taking place.I then looked for a hand pollinator and was shocked at the price.I tried electric toothbrushs but was too rough.So i will explain how to make your own for less than £2 below is what you will need.

1 visit your local pound*and shop and purchase a nasel hair trimmer £1 if they dont have any buy the cheapest you can find.
2 cheap pack of cotton buds hollow tube type (99% are)

simply take the end off the trimmer so the end of the motor rod is there and cut the cotton bud in half longer if you wish (i found cutting it to about 2" was ideal), and then push the coton bud tube onto the rod leaving the cotton on the other end.

Insert the battery switch on and there you go your own little electric bee :T

then just lightly tickle around the flowers as they say practice makes perfect you will find your own technique.

Good thing about the cotton buds you will have about 500 replacement parts

Hope my little idea helps in pollination
regards
steve