Chilli plant emergency

[The Gardener]

I accidentaly broke a small section of my chilli plant , it's flowering with two open flowers and about 20 or so flowers waiting to open. Miraculously, it's surviving in a small cup of water. It's about the size of an average cutting but is it to late to treat it as such at this late stage?

The other thing I was thinking, has anyone ever successfully performed plant microsurgery, is there a way to perhaps graft the cutting back on? Plant fibres can't be that complex.

It's doing ok in the water and the flowers remain open.

Thanks for any ideas/similar experiences.

The Gardener

[kirsty b]

If you dip it in some rooting hormone and pot it, it may root. Don't know though as have never tried.
When I fell on my toms last year and broke the stems my OH taped them up using gaffer tape and they still fruited loads.
Good luck with whatever you do and let us know how you get on.

[shirlthegirl43]

I would pinch off the flowers to save it putting its energy into those and stick it into a pot of moist compost. You can overwinter chili plants and if it lives, even if it doesn't produce much this year, you will get loads off it next year. Worth a try anyway in my book. Good luck with it.

[The Gardener]

Cheers Shirl, that's a good idea i'll perhaps try that. I'd like to leave the flowers on? I'll see how it goes. Pics of the damage coming soon.

[shirlthegirl43]

I can understand you wanting to keep the flowers on, but then it will put energy into making flowers and fruit and none into growing roots. If you let it have a good try at the roots first, it will have plenty chance to make more flowers after.

[Flummery]

I agree with Shirl - it needs to root before it can give you fruits. It's more like a cut flower at the moment. I think it will continue to produce flowers later in the season flower and you might get a late crop this year or failing that, you'll beat us all to it next year if you bring the plant indoors over the winter. Good luck with it.

[milliebecks]

I like the idea of overwintering some chillies. I have two small scotch bonnets that look a bit too far behind to produce much this year, but might do well next.
Should I cut them back at the end of the growing season (and if so, how hard?) or should I just leave them to it?

[shirlthegirl43]

I didn't cut my cayenne back last year, just brought it into the house and treated it like a house plant for the winter. It got moved back to the greenhouse when we built it a couple months back.

[The Doctor]

I don't think you'll have any choice as far as the flowers are concerned. I think you'll find if you don't take them off, they'll fall off anyway.

I'd be inclined to try and save it for next year. You may find what's left will branch out and regrow too.

[unconcerned]

In reply to the over-wintering. You don't have to cut back but you'll have better success if you do. What I'd recommend is at then end of the year cut the plant back to a six inch stick. Shake ALL the soil off the roots and trim the roots to allow you to re pot into new compost. I get a higher survival rate with this method. Am I allowed to post links? We wrote a guide for overwintering here: http://www.thechileman.org/guide_overwinter.php

In response to the chilli emergency. I don't have a photo to hand but I had a simailar situation (except I did it on purpose as an experiment). I simply put the 'cutting' into compost and watered. No rooting hormone and didn't remove the flowers. The first flower didn't set. The second has done and the pepper is bigger than the plant. I'm not saying rooting hormone and removing the flowers is wrong. Just that you don't have to. If I remember I shall post a photo tomorrow.

Julian

[The Gardener]

Thanks for the overwintering guide! I'll print that later.

Yes Doctor, the flowers have fallen of the cutting but 2 weeks later it still survives in the a cup of water and appears to be sprouting roots!

Mind you, i'm not that bothered anymore considering the Mother the rest of the plant is turning into.

Note where the bit broke of to the right of pic.

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u...an/pepper1.jpg

Thanks for replies.

[Headfry]

Wow, that plant looks fab, how did it get so bushy....and it looks so healthy too
well done The Gardener!

[mrskp]

jeezo blimey ! what a fantastic looking plant.

did it bush like that after the bit got broken or was it on it's way beforehand ?

maybe there's something to this "breaking off bits".

[The Gardener]

Wow, thanks.

It was well on it's way before the accident so don't think it's that. Plenty of sun, (when it's been available!), tomato feed - (seems to work.), and I always try to make sure the water has stood for 24 hours or overnight at least.

Can't take all the credit. Nature's done the rest I guess.

Seeing that you liked it so much, here's another 'teaser'.

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u...an/pepper2.jpg

The Gardener

[mrskp]

So green and shiney. Do you polish the leaves ?

Hmmmmmmmm I keep forgetting to fill the watering can to leave to stand before using. Might give that a shot just for the chillies. Wouldn't have enough watering cans for everything else !!

I think I'm behind a day on the feeding. usually it's a Sunday but yesterday was rained off ! Must do that tomorrow, give them a little treat.