Chilli pepper advice?

Question

I have been growing my Dorset Naga (Naga Jolokia) Chilli plant from seed and it is strong and healthy.

My plant is growing in my conservatory and I am located on the south coast of the UK. It has been growing from strength to strength since I raised it from seed. Once it produced its first flowers I began to give it a Tomato fertiliser once a week.

It has a great deal of flowers and it seems healthy and growing strong. My concern is that the flowers are falling off on a daily basis. I assume this is because the flowers are not being pollinated. I have tried leaving the conservatory doors open, placing it outside around the midday hours and I am now rubbing a damp cotton bud around the flowers also. Yet there seems to be no pollen in the flowers. Unlike my tomato plant and other plants which easily show pollen when shaken.

This is the first year I have ever grown vegetables and I understand this is a learning process; any advice would be much appreciated though.

Here is a photo of my plant today: http://www.flickr.com/photos/26655062@N05/2743267409/

Here is a photo of a flower on the plant: http://www.flickr.com/photos/26655062@N05/2744110554/

Kindest regards,

claughton86

P.S. Does anyone have a simple guide to watering a Chilli plant; when, how much and how often?

Answer 1

You need bees to pollinate your flowers. Try growing some annual flowers near by to attract bees. I usually pollinate my capsicum flowers with a small painting brush. I just dab it from one flower to another. But attracting bees to the garden is a better way. Chili plants do not need too much water. Just scratch the surface soil, it it is dry underneath, then water it. Chili plants are pretty tough.  

Answer 2

well if you have someone next door that has some flowers in there garden ask if you can put your pot in with there flowers.. i asked the lady next door and she was ok with it.. well untill i got my tomato plants, pumpkins,strawberrys..

anywhere theres alot fo flowers bee's will come.. more than they wood if there is a few here and there..

i also have a chilli plant and i dont water it until its dry.. i heard somewhere if you think it needs watering, leave it a few days and then water it..