pods on sweet peppers

[jase]

I am new to growing sweet peppers,and my plants are about 12inches high.I have noticed 2-3 small pods on the top of the plants,was wondering what they are.

cheers

[Two_Sheds]

baby peppers?
have you had flowers yet?

[Raindancer411]

That is the flowers developing

[Alison]

Does sound like baby flowers, they should open in the next few days and then you'll have baby peppers. Well done, you must be doing it right!

[Alice]

Sounds like a flower cluster forming. That's what you want them to do. You'll have flowers soon Jase then your baby peppers will be there. Well done.

[jase]

Ah thats great news.

So it be small flowers forming which die off then the peppers ?

[HotStuff]

Jase, these pics are actually a Chilli rather than a sweet pepper, but should look fairly similar.

Presumably you've currently got something like this?



That will open to become this



And then, assuming the flower gets polinated, the petals will drop off and this will happen

[cupcake]

Great photos!

[jase]

Jase, these pics are actually a Chilli rather than a sweet pepper, but should look fairly similar.

almost identical,the first pic is where my plants are at .You say assuming the flowers get pollunated is this not problem free ?.

Aye great photos,what camera are you using ?.

jase.

[Alison]

Peppers etc are self pollinating (regardless of what some people will tell you) and usually manage OK by themselves. However if they're too hot / cold, wet / dry or whatever then sometimes the flower just drops off. If you want to feel like you're helping then you can fiddle with it (don't even need a paint brush, just wiggling your finger gently in an open flower will do) but there isn't really a need. May be as well to give it a weak tomato feed though to encourage more to come.

[HotStuff]

Some peppers require insect pollination to form fruit. If you're growing indoors where insects are unlikely to get to them you may see the plants flower but never set fruit.

Pollen is produced on the stamen in the flower. You can use a small artists paintbrush, feather or even your finger if you're careful to pick up some pollen and move it to the other flowers.

Camera is just my little Canon IXUS compact, using the macro mode.

[HotStuff]

Peppers etc are self pollinating (regardless of what some people will tell you) and usually manage OK by themselves. However if they're too hot / cold, wet / dry or whatever then sometimes the flower just drops off. If you want to feel like you're helping then you can fiddle with it (don't even need a paint brush, just wiggling your finger gently in an open flower will do) but there isn't really a need. May be as well to give it a weak tomato feed though to encourage more to come.

Wow, so I've been doing all that stuff for nowt? Does that apply to Chillies or just sweet peppers?

[Alison]

Works for both of mine, have fruit on all mine (that are of fruiting size!) in both the greenhouse and the conservatory.

PS - don't blame me though if you stop doing what's working for you and your plants sulk at the lack of attention!

[HotStuff]

Don't worry, even if I stop fiddling with their stamens I'll still talk to them every day

[jase]

Well my peppers are outside,so hoping they get a good seeing to by the local insects.