Peppers and High Temperatures

[MrTPlush]

Hi all,

I have some chilli and jalapeño pepper plants that have just now started to flower really good. I have heard that temperatures in excess of 90 degrees can especially be bad for flowering peppers and possibly cause them to drop the flowers. While my actual temperature will only be 85-88 all week the temperature with the sun is suppose to feel like 92-98 for most of the week. Should I be worried about this and possibly shade them for part of the day to avoid the sun baking them or will they be fine? I’d hate to lose all the flowers as it would be a huge delay on production in my already limited season for pepper plants.

 

[headfullofbees]

If you can shade them, do.

 

[Chuck]

Hi all,

I have some chilli and jalapeño pepper plants that have just now started to flower really good. I have heard that temperatures in excess of 90 degrees can especially be bad for flowering peppers and possibly cause them to drop the flowers. While my actual temperature will only be 85-88 all week the temperature with the sun is suppose to feel like 92-98 for most of the week. Should I be worried about this and possibly shade them for part of the day to avoid the sun baking them or will they be fine? I’d hate to lose all the flowers as it would be a huge delay on production in my already limited season for pepper plants.

I don't think plants realize what a heat index is though they know what temperature is. Flower drop in peppers is around 95F. I have a much bigger problem with sunscald than flower drop. 88 degrees is a perfect temperature for hot peppers. If you have any flower drop it won't be because of the temperature. I don't think Wisconsin sunlight is as intense as Texas sunlight. When it gets really hot here (100F+) the sunlight is really intense. I just drape a piece of 20% shade cloth over the plant.

 

[karstopography]

Jalapeños set fruit in even hotter conditions than what was mentioned in the OP. I‘m still getting some fruit set here and it’s been at least 88 every day, but more like 90 or 92 and very humid, likely with much higher dew points than anything you will ever, EVER, (dew point 78 here this morning, juicy!) get in Wisconsin. Most of my garden does get periods of filtered light in the afternoon this time of year.

In general, hot peppers like jalapeños, Serrano and tabasco seem to appreciate weather somewhat hotter than your average tomatoes. Sweet peppers might be a little closer to tomatoes in their needs on temperature, but I still think 85-88 for the high is okay for those.

Looking at dewpoint readings for Wisconsin, 70 is the highest in the state currently. Most of the state is in the mid sixties. Pretty perfect for peppers. Should get a little cooling off at night even in the short mid latitude night of mid summer. Being in a big city with the heat islan effect cancels out any night time cooling.

 

[MrTPlush]

Thanks, I kind of figured it might not be of much concern. I’m guessing my worst is probably pretty normal down in real pepper growing lands. Though for here it is pretty rare to have such an extended period of days where the heat index will be in excess of 95.

Hopefully the extreme heat (in Wisconsin terms) is a big kick start to production.