Fiesta chili

[rodofgod76]

We've got a quite large Fiesta chili plant on the sons' bedroom windowsill. The rest are in the gh and aren't quite so big as this one, but it's coming into flower and they're all dropping off and aren't setting any fruit. Despite misting it with water and a gentle tap everyday. Do they need other plants for pollination? Or are they self fertile?

[Mchanen]

I'm not cetain but i think you may need to pollinate it yourself- with a wet brush going from flower to flower?!

[rodofgod76]

I'm not cetain but i think you may need to pollinate it yourself- with a wet brush going from flower to flower?!

I'll give that a go! Thanks!!

[ecoprincess]

so is that why some of the flowers drop off my chilli plants - because they haven't been pollinated?

[Rabidbun]

There's much debate as to whether chillies do better with a hand with the pollination or can just get on with it themselves (as they are self pollinating) - the tap should be enough judging by how I neglect my plants, though poking it with a paintbrush won't hurt (well, unless you miss and get yer eye... ).

How much water does it get? Chillies like it on the dry side, so too much water could cause blossom drop. You might also find that the plant just isn't ready to fruit yet and that the next batch of flowers will pollinate just fine (though you'll probably still get the odd flower not setting fruit).

[cupcake]

I just leave mine to get on with it, never had a bad crop yet.