Re: [CH] Non-fruiting habaneros
Calvin Donaghey (gdonaghey@bitstreet.com)
Thu, 03 Jun 1999 17:57:11 -0500
Ron-
A chile guru named Paul Bosland (New Mexico State U.) says chiles tend to
dump their flowers if daytime temps get over 95. I found this to be true
last summer, when we had day after day of 100+. Finally, against all
recommendations, I started a spray mist hose over my plants from noon to
about 2:00 almost every day of full sun and had immediate fruit set. It
was so hot that I didn't even waterlog the plants. I know this will
probably generate a heat wave of controversy with the horticultural folks,
but it worked for every plant but the Aji A. which have very large leaves.
They put on fruit but not as much as usual. As hot as it was, I had places
where the ground under some of my Hab plants was nearly a bed of aborted
blooms. I had to do something.
Calvin
Ron Hay wrote:
> Last summer was the first time I planted habaneros. Mind you, I can get
> almost anything to grow here in the San Fernando Valley; but the
> habaneros grew green and bushy, had tons of flowers......but no fruit
> until about September, and then they really went to town, becoming
> absolutely festooned by gorgeous orange fruit.
>
> Beats me, but it could be they are more day-length dependent than
> heat-dependent on setting fruit. El Grande knows, we had enough
> 100-degree plus days last summer, so it cannot have had anything to do
> with the heat. But they started fruiting in September and kept it up
> until late November. Any other ideas?
>
> Ron Hay,
> Van Nuys, CA