Plant guide:🌶️ Chili Pepper
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⚠ ModerateA sunken, leathery dark patch at the blossom end � the classic sign of calcium-transport disruption from inconsistent watering.
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Growth
Blossom End Rot on Peppers
Commonly affects: Capsicum annuum, Capsicum chinense (Chili Pepper)
A sunken, dark brown to black leathery patch develops on the bottom (blossom end) of developing fruit, while the rest of the pepper looks otherwise normal. The lesion doesn't spread as fuzzy mould, but it does soften and can allow secondary rot to set in.
Potential Causes
- 1Calcium deficiency in the developing fruit, usually triggered by inconsistent watering rather than a true soil shortage
- 2Rapid growth after a dry spell followed by heavy watering, which disrupts calcium transport to the fruit
- 3Root damage from overly aggressive cultivation around the plant base
- 4High salt levels in the soil interfering with calcium uptake
Solution Steps
- 1Remove affected fruit � they won't recover, and removing them lets the plant focus energy elsewhere.
- 2Water deeply and consistently, aiming for even soil moisture rather than a dry-then-flood pattern.
- 3Mulch around the base of the plant to help retain consistent moisture levels.
- 4Apply a calcium supplement such as gypsum or a foliar calcium spray as a precaution, especially in fast-draining container mixes.
- 5Avoid deep cultivation near the root zone that could damage feeder roots responsible for calcium uptake.
Prevention Tip
Keep soil moisture even throughout fruit development � a consistent watering schedule prevents blossom end rot far more reliably than added calcium alone.
