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Some bottom rotting is developing on my peppers. I've seen similar stuff on tomatoes, but not yet on peppers. Is this blossom end rot, pepper edition?

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sanjihan
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  • This is a calcium deficiency caused by excess chemicals (nutrients) or deficient chemicals. What did you fertilize with? Are these grown in the garden or in pots? What has your temperatures been like? Calcium deficiency does not mean you don't have enough calcium. Just drastic temperature change is able to make calcium unavailable. – stormy Jun 25 '17 at 19:32
  • I don't think 'cleansing' will help at all. These peppers are totally edible btw. What have you added or not added, sanjihan? – stormy Jun 25 '17 at 19:34
  • I've fertilized with NPK: 6:7:8. Ca 7%, Mg 0.2%. These are grown in garden. We've had extreme heat, followed by lots of rain, followed by heat, followed by rain... Humidity is of the charts. – sanjihan Jun 25 '17 at 20:03
  • You've got all the numbers correct...what were the heat differentials? Sounds like hot cold hot cold. Nothing other than a completely controlled green house could stop this...I want you to watch for powdery mildew now. I'd start spraying the milk and water stuff. Boost your fans big time. Eat those peppers or dry them. Have any others done this? – stormy Jun 25 '17 at 21:48
  • Listen to this with your plants, grins! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L051v3NC0F4 – stormy Jun 25 '17 at 21:50
  • I do not recommend you 'cleanse' the soil - it is completely unnecessary, the treatment mentioned is ineffectual for any perceived fungal problems, and may actually kill beneficial organisms in the soil. – Bamboo Jun 26 '17 at 11:00

2 Answers2

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The biggest cause of blossom end rot is not, in fact, calcium shortage in the soil - it's erratic watering. If the plant can't take up enough water for its needs regularly, it also cannot take up the calcium it needs. The weather cycle you describe is perfect for blossom end rot, if you didn't supplement sufficiently well with water when it was very hot and dry.

If you always have this problem, year after year, then its worth doing a soil test to check the calcium levels and supplement calcium if the levels are low. More info here: How To Stop Blossom End Rot.

Ken Graham
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Bamboo
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Yes that is exactly what is occuring. I suggest you cleanse your soil with a little diluted dawn dish soap (antibacterial).

After this, crumple down or blend egg shells nice and finely. Lay them atop of the soil directly at the base of the plants. Add about a shot of milk to your soil as well, only once. Make sure your soil is not overly supple to water going straight through the soil and allowing it to dry too quickly and not staying saturated. When you add a ton of water to a plant constantly or after its been so dry, rot can occur.

Tomatoes are the worst when it comes down to water rot. But you have to make sure all the right strengthening nutrients are present.

I never have this issue, I make sure every single variant of pepper I have growing has egg shells. Whether they are in the soil or on top of it. Its old fashioned and is now commonly becoming apparent that it is sometimes quite needed. As for the milk, make sure it isn't a high quantity because of the sugar content. Thus a shot or 25ml will do.

brandon
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