[CH] Re: More thoughts on C. pubescens fruit setting
Steve (snearman@erols.com)
Tue, 25 Aug 1998 14:03:54 -0400
<<From: Cameron Begg <begg.4@osu.edu>
<<As usual, it has taken until mid- August here in the N. hemispere to set
fruit on my venerable rocoto. This is despite the fact that the first
flowers were smiling their purple beauty at the world over two months ago.
During that time I have been dutifully inserting my little paintbrush
whenever the opportunity presented itself, and until recently have been
rewarded only with a sad pile of crumpled flowers around the base of the
plant. Now there are suddenly about a dozen fruits set.>>
===
This is only the third year of growing rocoto/manzano so have not quite
figured them out just yet.
Here are a few things I do know. I live in Virginia and the weather/climate
is far from ideal.
They like cooler weather (70-80F), moist (not wet) soil and they need other
plants for pollination. They do not pollinate themselves. We have a lot of
little insect critters here in old VA to do the job. The hot days
(90-100+F) of July & August can put a plant down fast in direct sun. I
plant them in a location so they get shade from about 12 to 4. You may be
getting to much hot sun and not enough water. Temperature and abundance of
insects seams to be the main factors for pollination.
They are sloooow growers and it takes a long time for the fruit to ripen
once set. I start them mid Feb. They don't have the tendency to grow tall
and thin like some others, so are ideal for early starting. Like to
transplant to garden as early as possible. Late April early May after last
frost. My plants get about 2 to 2 1/2 foot tall and very bushy with
hundreds of those beautiful purple flowers. These plants keep there flowers
a long time and will only drop if to cold, very hot nights, dry or very wet
soil. I have had blossoms last 6-8 weeks before drooping if not pollinated.
Mine always have at least 50-75 flowers from first flush till frost.
To help set fruit I soak the plants and soil with an Epson salt mixture of
about 1/4 cup to 2 1/2 gallon of water in a sprinkler can. First time when
first flush of flowers and then twice more at 30 days and 60 days.
I water with Petters 20-20-20 for the first 2 months to promote foliage and
switch to Miracle-grow 15-30-15 till mid August to encourage flowers, fruit
and stalks. Just water after that.
Normally get ripe fruit 40 to 60 from each plant from mid Sept. till frost.
This year started harvest late August! They can take light frost if covered
at night to extend harvest of ripe fruit. Day before a hard freeze I pick
all fruit (ripe or green). Once frozen they spoil quick.
Steve
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| Steve Nearman |
| mailto:snearman@erols.com |
| P. O. Box 5140 |
| Falmouth, VA 22403 |
| Voice: 540-371-5566 |
| Fax: 540-899-8089 |
| "Kilroy was here" |
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