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Will High Heat Cause Flowers to Drop?

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

Hi Everyone,

I have a lot of pepper plants. I've slowly been adding fertilizer and their leaves are now very dark green and there is new growth everywhere--they seem really happy.

However, in the last month or so, I'm getting almost no new peppers. I get a ton of flowers and most of them drop. I'm not seeing any pests. The plants get watered regularly and I never see them droop from under/over watering. However, the temperatures here are about 101-105 a day. The plants wilt in the afternoon. Many of the plants have been growing crinkled leaves for a long time (probably because of the heat and this started before any consistent fertilizing).

Can high heat cause a lot of flowers to drop?

Featured Answer

willardb3

8 years ago

Flower drop probable causes:

1. Day temp too high >95F

2. Night temp too low <65F or too high >85F

3. Too much nitrogen fertilizer

4. Too much water

5. Low light levels (reduces fertility).

6. Very low humidity (reduces fertility)

7. Poor air circulation (air circulation contributes to pollination).

8. Lack of pollinating insects.

9. Size of pot

10. Too much mineral in feedwater.

11. Too much grower attention/anxiety.

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Comments (9)

siouxzin
8 years ago
Yes, Mine started dropping once temps got above 90 for a few days. Now that it is cooler (mid 80's) the flowers are not dropping.
woohooman San Diego CA zone 10a
8 years ago
Yes. extended periods over 95F and plants will shut down. Also, too much nitrogen may give you nice green leafy plants, but flower production will suffer.

Regulate the soil temps and your plants will truck right through these tough conditions.

1. heavy mulch

2. shade cloth

Kevin
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I think all that you are saying is true but something more may be happening too. Marianne, I really see what you have pointed out, that when there is a full flush of peppers growing the plant finds ways of not adding more peppers one way or another. But if you remove some of those peppers the plant quickly sets some more fruit. These flowers maybe dropping at least for that reason, but observing for a few more days, it seems that the plants are hurting in some way. This maybe common knowledge amongst you who know your pepper plants....I am making another post about what I see. woohooman, its really not that hot now, 80s for the last 6-7 days and the plants are mulched and well watered. So its over watering or something else. Or too much nitrogen or too little calcium? Disease? I would like to solve this problem. Thank you. K.
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Pumpkin (zone 10A)
8 years ago
Absolutely. Don't expect your plants to start setting until the highs are under 95 for a few days.

In the mean time, take good care of them and keep them growing. When it cools down, you should have a plant big enough for a substantial crop!
centexan254 zone 8 Temple, Tx
8 years ago
High heat will do a lot of things. If flowers don't drop the pods tend to stunt badly. Also they can go from green to rotting in a day.

If it is for a short time heat wave shade cloth cqn help as I have heard. Me I just skip liquid ferts until temps go under highs of 90 for at least a week to prevent burning roots.
newmexmike
Original Author
8 years ago
Hi everyone, I really appreciate the answers. Thank you for your help!
grubby_AZ Tucson Z9
8 years ago
I have one bhut that's a monster of foliage without one single pod newer than the last two months or so anywhere on it. Five feet wide, full sun, growing like a weed, teeny tiny flowers, no interest in setting fruit at all. I took hedge clippers to it and two days later it was sprouting new greenery everywhere, so health is OK. Still setting no fruit. It'll happen, just not yet. Here we generally get the big end-of-summer weather break about mid September; then I'll worry.
Pumpkin (zone 10A)
8 years ago
#11 is hilarious. Likely cause of much plant damage.

I'm really skeptical of #6. Humidity in my neck of the woods gets down to 3 or 4% and I've never noticed blossom drop during those times. Normally it is just too hot or too cold if blossoms drop.
lala_e
8 years ago
Great checklist Willard. I agree with Marianne about Nr 6 though.

I'm growing peppers in a suburbanised savanna / semi-arid region in interior South Africa. Humidity is very low here but peppers (annumms, chinense & baccatums) all do great, even in winter when our humidity is at its lowest.

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