Ohh the Peppers

This Arizona weather is taking its toll on my poor peppers. They were looking pretty good at the beginning of the month.

Then it started to get into 100-115 degree weather and I started experiencing Blossom End Rot. So I cut the peppers off the plant. =(

Blossom-end rot usually appears on the first fruit cluster of a plant due to the combination of rapid plant growth and water stress. Even a temporary water stress during early fruit growth can cause blossom-end rot because the fruits are the last to receive adequate calcium.

Also, lack of calcium can be the problem where the plant's root uptake of certain nutrients is inadequate. Where as another cause of blossom-end rot is over-fertilization, especially with nitrogen, which stimulates vegetative growth.

They say that when the weather gets above 90+ that blossoms will no longer produce any fruit, and that the blossoms just fall off. Yup... experienced the same problem.

Fortunately if you’re an Arizonian, all is not lost, as long as you can keep the plant alive all summer there is hope for fruit production once the temperatures cool, say in September. Sigh... so in the meantime I will just have to patient for summer and keep those babies alive.

Till next log...
Michelle