Peppers in july: How to get them to bear fruit even in the heat

Have you checked your pepper plants and found that they have more flowers than fruit? Maybe they’re even losing those flowers now. We need to take very careful care of bell peppers in July, as flower drop, heat stress, and other issues can lead to a minimal harvest. In the following paragraphs, we’ll take a much closer look at how to care for bell peppers in the hot July weather.

Flower Drop: The root of all problems

The most common problem in July is flower drop in peppers. They are very sensitive and are the first to react to any stress. Among the main causes of flower drop are temperatures that rise above 30 °C. If this is compounded by irregular watering, excessive nitrogen fertilization, and dry air in the greenhouse, the outcome is inevitable.

What are the ideal temperatures?

Peppers love heat, but not extremes. The ideal temperature conditions for growing them are as follows: During the day, the temperature should be between 22–28 °C, and at night, it should range between 16–20 °C. In hot weather, the greenhouse must be thoroughly ventilated; a draft is not a problem—in fact, it’s desirable. Water in the morning or evening, but avoid wetting the leaves.

Photo: Radek Stepan

Shading pays off

A very simple trick will do the trick. Protect the peppers from direct sunlight using white non-woven fabric. You can also use a shade net or even a white sheet. Shade the peppers between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. The plants will experience much less stress and produce more fruit.

Proper fertilization is important

The key to pepper productivity is definitely proper fertilization. Poor nutrition will certainly not help peppers, even though they aren’t particularly demanding in terms of nutrients. So what do peppers need? Specifically:

– Potassium to support flowering and fruit set,

– calcium for strong tissue,

– magnesium for photosynthesis and leaf color.

Above all, be careful not to over-fertilize with nitrogen.

Sources: Author, Meta

Photo: Pixabay

Photogallery: Radek Stepan