Flowers dropping off

[thamnophis]

I have a plant cherry bomb blooming but a high precentage of flowers fall off after blooming. The flower and stem both fall off together. The cherry bombs are growing along side anchos which are doing fine.

Is this an indication of too much fertilizer? Nitrogen?

Thanks -

Joe

[Sauli Särkkä]

Depends on what you're giving as to the amount of nitrogen. Soil or hydro? What fertilizers and at what concentration? What's the pH, if applicable? Temps? Lighting?



-Sale

[thamnophis]

They are growing in potting soil and get fertilized with an all-purpose 10-15-10 liquid fertilizer. Instructions say to apply 7 drops per quart of water every time you water the plants. The plants grew from seeds I planted over two months ago and have been growing in a big south window in my office - pretty regular temps around 70F - 22C.

I thought I had read that flower drop-off may be caused by over-dosing with fertilizer?

[Nuthead]

It sure do sound like quite heavy fertilizing. Usually give them else than water only once every 2 or 3 weeks. And as you propobly allready know what works with one individual might not work with another one!  :?:
Try to reduce the amount of fertilizers, especially nitrogen... hopefully that will help.

[Sauli Särkkä]

With flowering one can drop the nitrogen to almost zero, while keeping potassium and phosphorus levels higher. I'd recommend a fertilizer, meant for flowering plants grown in soil.



-Sale

[thamnophis]

Thanks both. I'll switch the fertilizer and do so with my other peppers as they start to flower.

Joe