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Perplexing pepper patch problem!

Womble54Womble54 Posts: 348
in Fruit & veg
Hi all,

I was hoping the collective wisdom could shed some light on the problem I’m having with my peppers. 

The plants are looking pretty good with plenty of peppers on them. But each time one looks like it’s about to ripen, I notice these patches on them. It’s about 5 or 6 now. None have ripened successfully yet.

I just threw the first few away, but today decide to open one up. On the inside of the patch it looks like a blue fungal mold of some sort, but also inside there appears to be a little web, and what could be droppings. 

I wasnt able to find the critter responsible in there. My guess is something has borrowed into the peppers and made a weak spot for a fungus to get in.

Does anyone know what is responsible or had a similar thing happen. Or how to treat/prevent it. I’d love to have some peppers soon.

Many thanks








Posts

  • Singing GardenerSinging Gardener Posts: 1,237
    I don't know the answer, I'm afraid, but have had a similar problem with my peppers this year so would be glad of any advice.
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Me too. My plants are usually around 4ft this time of year, but atm they're barely 2ft and the peppers that are growing have mostly got the same patches. Chilis are doing fine.
    I believe it's a condition related to blossom end rot on tomatoes likely caused by the our weird weather this year. I think it's down the the plants not being able to move calcium around for whatever reason.
    I'd be interested in hearing more thoughts from others too

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • Womble54Womble54 Posts: 348
    I’m pretty sure it’s not blossom end rot. I’ve had that on peppers previous years. 

    These patches aren’t at the blossom end, it looks very fungal.
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    No it's not BER, but I believe the cause is similar

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • Womble54Womble54 Posts: 348
    I’ve caught the culprit red handed. Can anyone ID my flying, pepper loving friend?

    I’ve had a couple ripen that haven’t been got, so not all’s lost.



  • PlashingPlashing Posts: 328
    Have you tried searching on the web pardon the pun,I have looked in a vegetable expert handbook it seems that it could be a watering problem,I had an attack of red spider mite at first especially on the red one, I sprayed with some bug clear and kept the floor wet on really hot days and since then I have had no problem.I used to get holes board in the bottom of them for several years but this touch wood theres no sign of it this year.
  • SkandiSkandi Posts: 1,723
    It honestly looks like sun scorch, the fly is probably just taking advantage of an existing problem.
  • ZeroZero1ZeroZero1 Posts: 577
    I was looking at the tiny black dots in the picture. I have similar in my plums and they are being eaten on the inside. In the plums they are near the stone. 
  • Womble54Womble54 Posts: 348
    I don’t think it’s sun scorch. The plants look pretty healthy. This pepper looked great, ripe, with no patches. It was only when I opened it up that I found the fly. There were a couple of maggot/caterpillar things in there too.

    I had a google to see what it could be. I thought maybe pepper maggot fly, but the adult fly looks quite different.








  • ZeroZero1ZeroZero1 Posts: 577
    Those little black dots in the pic, they are either the culprit or the culprits poo. Maybe a saw fly? 
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