Fertilizer for Bhut Jolokia

Question

I was using fish emulsion for the vegetative part (2-4-1). Two weeks before flowering, I’ve tested my soil and was way too high on nitrogen and phosphate. Potash was good, however. I stopped fish emulsion to let nitrogen and phosphate drop a bit. I’m pretty sure I’m still to high in nitrogen (It was completely off the charts). Since potash was, I think, what I should be aiming for?

I’ve found a seaweed fertilizer (0.4-0.4-4.0). I just want to know what people think about using that fertilizer for Bhut Jolokia plant during the flowering stage. Also, I’ve got a lot of flowers dropping. I thought it may be caused by lack of potash and too much nitrogen. Temperature and humidity seems to be good (around 85-90 degrees – 80% relative humidity). No pests, fungus, or anything else like that. I’ve never overwatered. Never underwatered and they are gowing inside under a 1,000w MH to HPS conversion lamp.

Any ideas why I have flower droppings? Is my theory that this could be caused by lack of potash possible? Also, if this can help, flowers don’t seem to produce pollen. I started manual pollination of the flowers with a soft humid brush. But only one flower out of about 30 (they are not all open yet) seems to produce pollen. Oh, and I’ve read on the fertilizer that I can spray it on the foliage, but I’m not sure it would be useful nor the Jolokia will like that. Any advice on that? Is it a good thing to do? Is it only useful for some kind of plants? Is there any reason why I shouldn’t do it? Or should do it?

Answer 1

Yes, seaweed fertilizer is good for what you need to amend in your soil. Foliar fertilizing is good and what the plant does not absorb through the leaves will drip off into the soil and be taken up through the roots. Yes, too much nitrogen can cause blossom drop like that and should correct itself when the soil is more balanced.