what's up with this....? i have some issue apparently. my peppers will flower and now will fruit but they never mature. just the wee bitty fruits that are there when the petals fall off...

i can't tell the difference in male/female flowers on the peppers like i can the cukes and zukes so if they aren't getting pollinated i have no way to know to help them. or...maybe i'm not getting any male flowers? that would be bad.

OR...they are planted next to beans. beans LOVE nitrogen-rich soil. i have tons of composted manure in my beds which means my soil is very nitrogen rich. the plants look better since i added epsom salt to them...at least the blooms aren't falling off and the leaves are deep green...could they need more magnesium do you think?

the tomatoes aren't even flowering but are growing well and tall.

the cucumbers in the same bed are all flowering and have babies. the zucchini in the next bed also have flowers and babies, planted with some more tomatoes and some peas and onions.

i have garlic interplanted everywhere.

any suggestions?

HI Tracey - I asked the horticulturalist in our office... he said that it would be hard to pinpoint exactly which mirconutrient that your plants are not getting enough of - but that likely that's the trouble. He said that it's likely not an availability issue - meaning your soil has all the nutrients in it, the plants are just not absorbing it b/c of pH.

So - lime. BUT - lime takes time, and it probably won't help you out this year. But next year you'll be glad you did it.

And - my personal try-it-and-see solution - I really think it has helped my plants a time or two, but it's on old wives tale... pour milk around them.