Q.
Last summer our capsicums started to get big brown spots on them that would open up into holes, and it has already started happening to them again this year. Do you know what causes this and what we can do to protect our produce? Thank you, Kathryn.
A.
This is blossom end rot – the same disorder that affects tomatoes. It is caused by a lack of calcium (lime) and magnesium. It can also be caused by irregular watering – the plant drying out and then heavily watered.
Feed your capsicum as you would tomatoes every 2-4 weeks with a balanced fertiliser such as Tui Tomato Food or a soluble fertiliser such as Miracle Gro MaxFeed Tomato Fruit and Vegetable Plant Food. Follow the directions on the pack.
Post a comment
What causes brown spots on my capsicums and how to I treat it? Comments
Does this same thing apply to black passionfruit?
Richard
I had the same problem with my tomatoes, so thank you for the answer!
Sylvia Thompson-Kriek
Thank you, I also have this problem, that and those horrible green bugs
christine mundell
Hi Richard, no it is a different problem although they benefit from the addition of lime and magnesium. Passionfruit grow rapidly in a short space of time and so need regular feeding. Tui NovaTec Premium fertiliser is a good all purpose fertiliser for passionfruit – feed four times throughout the growing season this will help with plant growth, flowering, fruiting and flavour. Regular watering when they are fruiting will stop fruit shrivelling and dropping, avoid letting plants dry out. The brown spots on passionfruit is a fungus disease. Spray with copper to help prevent fungal disease spreading, copper is safe to spray when there is fruit on the vine. It won’t cure the existing damage but will stop it spreading further. Pick up diseased fruit and dispose of in the rubbish not the compost, likewise the leaves that have fallen, this will prevent the disease spreading and occurring next season. Spray with copper at regular intervals (10-14 days) to prevent re-occurrence. Thanks, Jenna (Tui Team)
jenna
Hi there, I seem to have the brown spots too and a few of our peppers have rot and it's made a huge hole. Its so upsetting! I'm also growing tomatoes and the fertilizing frequency is weekly for all our fruiting plants. I've used max feed vegetables and tomatoes and sesol and it includes calcium. Why does it only affect my peppers? Do they require extra milk powder for e tea calcium? Pls help as I'm devastated! Thanks!
Katherine
Hi Katherine, it does sound like you have blossom end rot, which commonly affects capsicums and tomatoes. Peppers are sensitive to water stress, too little and too much. This disease is prevalent in hot humid conditions and when plants are under any sort of stress through a lack of calcium. The fruit is still edible, try providing a steadier water supply and keep up feeding with Miracle Gro MaxFeed Tomato Fruit and Vegetable Plant Food. Thanks, Jenna - Tui Team
jenna
Hi, my passionfruit vine has plenty of fruit but they have yellow spotson them and are dying. I have sprayed with shield spray which was possibly not the right product to use. Will the fruit still be okay to eat if any survive? Thanks
Donna
Hi Donna, sounds like you have a problem, which is more than likely mildew. There is little you can do now to control it. Shield isn?t recommended as a spray for edible crops. Suggest you don't eat the fruit. Try cutting back the affected fruit to prevent it from spreading further. Thanks, Jenna - Tui Team.
jenna