Why does the royal flower have to give way?
Chili gardeners call the royal blossom the first blossom of a plant. It arises from a Y-branch and strives to develop the first pod there. If you want a small, compact plant with mini pods, don't touch the royal flower.
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If you aim to gain height; want to attract a dense flower pile and voluminous pods, the royal flower must not remain on the plant. Either cut or break out this first bloom if the chilli doesn't shed it itself.
Self-pollinate chili flowers for unadulterated seeds
In commercial chilli cultivation, the Federal Plant Variety Office keeps a close eye on maintaining varietal purity. Hobby gardeners, on the other hand, are responsible for unadulterated seeds if they want to use them for propagation and cultivation. Chilli flowers play a central role in this process.
The unwanted cross-pollination is reliably prevented by hand pollination:
- Open the closed flower carefully with tweezers
- use a hair brush to transfer the pollen from one flower to the next
- cover each pollinated flower with breathable gauze
It is essential to note that you use a separate brush for each variety. So that busy bees do not sabotage your efforts outdoors or in the greenhouse, wrap the chili plants completely in close-meshed nets.
Why do chilli flowers fall off?
A cry for help echoes through the community of chilli gardeners when a plant sheds its flowers again. This is a completely natural process if fertilization did not take place. Insects as pollinators are simply absent from indoor culture.
If chilli flowers fall off despite artificial insemination, there are negligence in their care. Dry balls also cause blooms to shed, as does waterlogging. If temperatures below 19 degrees Celsius prevail during and after pollination, the flowers also say goodbye.
Tips & Tricks
Chili flowers can be dried perfectly. Simply place on a plate and cover with baking paper. Place another plate over it that will compress the flowers. Dry in the microwave on the highest setting. The dried flowers make a sensible table decoration when you serve your chilli dishes.
