Green, red, yellow and orange peppers make a nice addition to any vegetable garden, but they’re not as easy to grow as you might think. Though the colors may seem vivid and healthy in peppers found at your local grocery store, it can be hard to get that same healthy looking color in your own garden. Peppers often fall victim to a number of diseases and pests, resulting in discoloration and disfigurement.
Calcium Nitrate
Calcium nitrate is an inorganic compound that comes in the form of a colorless salt. It absorbs moisture in the air and is mainly used to make fertilizers. The compound’s uses in fertilizer, and in the greenhouse and hydroponics trades, are common. It contains both ammonium nitrate and water that acts as a “double salt.” When peppers are exposed to excessive amounts of calcium, peppers can become dehydrated.
Blossom-End Rot
Blossom-end rot is a common disorder suffered by greenhouse peppers. The disorder is generally related to several environmental variables that trigger stress in the peppers' growth. Peppers that are exposed to drought or inconsistent watering in very dry environments can get blossom end rot. This disorder also may occur if the root of the plant is pruned carelessly. While the disorder is not caused by any particular fungus, pest or bacteria, you must understand that it is a physiological condition. Peppers need enough calcium in order to mature properly.
Control
To control the amount of calcium nitrate your peppers need for optimal growth, you first need to dispose of the black peppers suffering from blossom end rot. These peppers cannot be saved because the disorder is caused by a lack of calcium, so treating them by adding extra calcium nitrate compounds to the soil won’t do anything. You can apply foliar sprays, calcium chloride or calcium nitrate to the peppers unaffected by the disorder if they are still small in size. When you fertilize the peppers, use nitrate nitrogen rather than ammoniacal nitrogen, since the latter can slow calcium intake.
Prevention
To prevent blossom root disorder and ensure your peppers are getting enough calcium, plant peppers in soil with a high humus content, which will retain more moisture. Cultivate your peppers carefully so the roots don’t get damaged. Before planting peppers, test the calcium levels of the soil. If calcium levels are low, add some lime at least two months prior to planting the peppers. Use planting cultivars that can resist blossom end rot. This is especially important if you live in geographical areas with dry climates where irrigation cannot be performed.
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