Question
QUESTION: When I cut my peppers open the membrane and seeds have a brownish color and apperar to be rotted. What can be causing this. They also seem to have very little heat.

ANSWER: Bruce:

This might be a result of leaving the pepper on the plant to long provided that it is very red in color.

The second reason is worms that have started from fruit flies laying their eggs on the outside and the worm hatching and slowly moving inside. They are hard to detect from the outside but usually slow the growth and the pods will not be a normal size.

Please let me know what you find out.

Best wishes.

Don

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Don,
Thanks for your response. The pods are not over ripe (red). So I do believe it is the fruit flies causing the problem. I think I've seen very small worms in the pods and the pods are definitely smaller then usual (I have been growing japlapenos for years and have never had this problem before). Now, what can I do to prevent the fruit flies from laying eggs on my peppers?

ANSWER: Bruce:

The issue of how to keep fruit flies away is a big one and almost impossible. What you can do is spray with Sevin mixed with light soapy water. This should tend to kill the eggs on the surface of the pods and will discourage the fruit flies. For the pods that the worms have already hatched out there is nothing that you can do.

Hanging of the ultri violet bug catcher lights in the general area can reduce the flies.

Last year I had a lot of jalapenos maybe 200 pounds that these flies and worms destroyed. I had 10 farmers in Northern Thailand growing for me and it was to late before we discovered what happened.

Best wishes.

Don

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Don,

Thanks for all the information. I have two more questions for you. How soapy should my Sevin solution be? If I make a gallon of solution, how much soap (I am assuming dish soap) should I add. Also, when and how often do I need to apply the solution?

Unfortunately the growing season is coming to an end here in Michigan, but I will be sure to follow these recommendations next spring?

Once again, thank you,
Bruce

Answer
Bruce:

About 1/4 of a tea spoon of soap in each gallon mixture.

Here mites are our largest problem and require spraying about every 4 days. Nematodes and fungus is the second. Sometimes hard to deal with.

If you check the Harris Seed web site they have some good jalapeno seeds. Do not use any seeds that are not coated and open pollinated.

Let me know how you make out next year.

You are invited to Thailand to visit our operations in Chiang Rai Province.

Best wishes.

Don