What causes vertical splits in jalapenos?

[DMF]

Second year on this mammoth jalapeno plant (potted). It took a while to get going since I trimmed it back hard last year, but it did come back and is now producing very well.

Two things: The peps started off small, so I started fertilizing with Miracle Gro -- not very aggressively, but with about 1 Tbsp in 2 gal, distributed among everyone once a week or so. The peps are growing to a nice size now.

But, many have a vertical split from near stem to near tail. They have healed over and few, if any, of the internals have been affected. I've never seen this before. What causes it? As an aside, while I am getting red on them, and a little sunburn on a few, I see next to no corking.

Generally, I don't water on a schedule but depend on the plant to tell me when it's dry, which, depending on the weather, can be as often as once a day.

[worth1]

It's caused by nature not watering on schedule.
It's called corking.
Rapid growth causes the splitting
Much sought after by us pepper people of the south west.

[DMF]

Hi Worth, how have you been?

It's not any corking I've ever seen. It's a single long deep split down one side. I look for and welcome corking as it shows ripeness (and thus mature flavor) even before the pod changes color. But it's not this.

As for watering, I'm not watering any differently this year than the last 15 or so.

[pepperhead212]

Is it a new variety of jalapeño, or just the splitting happening instead of the usual corking? I've never had this happen on jalapeños, though I have had it occasionally on a few other peppers - usually from sudden heavy rain, like with tomatoes. But usually, peppers don't split for me now, in SIPs, though the jalapeños still have the corking.

[DMF]

Is it a new variety of jalapeño, or just the splitting happening instead of the usual corking?

Nah. Bonnie Plants Mammoth Jalapeno. Last year it had corking. This year splits. It only gets watered manually.
I wonder if it's me suddenly starting the Miracle Gro? I can't think of any other reason, and the timing is roughly right.

[worth1]

Is it a new variety of jalapeño, or just the splitting happening instead of the usual corking?

Nah. Bonnie Plants Mammoth Jalapeno. Last year it had corking. This year splits. It only gets watered manually.
I wonder if it's me suddenly starting the Miracle Gro? I can't think of any other reason, and the timing is roughly right.

Could be it.
Nitrogen overdrive.

[Tormahto]

I know nothing about peppers splitting, just tomatoes.

My only guess is that your 2nd year plant might have a much larger root system than what you've dealt with before. Those roots may be taking up water and nutrients much quicker and at a greater volume.

[DMF]

I know nothing about peppers splitting, just tomatoes.

My only guess is that your 2nd year plant might have a much larger root system than what you've dealt with before. Those roots may be taking up water and nutrients much quicker and at a greater volume.

I've never seen significant pepper splitting either.
Same pot as last year. And it's not a very big one. 10" I think. I really should up-pot, but I wanted to see how the plant would deal with a second year in the same pot.

I'll back off on the ferts now. It's really late in the year anyway. Next year I'll start them earlier.

[mama_lor]

I think the same gene responsible for corking is responsible for jalapenos being more prone to splitting like tomatoes. I have seen it occasionally. Nutrition has a role in this somewhere, I have noticed this in tomatoes, some legendary shoulder-crack-prone varieties some years are almost crack free, and it's not related just to water.

[DMF]

IMG_4875.JPG

The splitting isn't as widespread as I'd estimated. Maybe one in three?

[goodloe]

Hmm, I've grown jalapeños for a lot of years, and have never seen that. I grow all my peppers in containers, and I don't water until they wilt. If it's not a water uptake issue, I'm not sure what to tell you....

[DMF]

Yep, that's my watering routine, too. All I can figure is that the ferts caused growth that the skins weren't ready for.

[pondgardener]

@DMF I occasionally get the split jalapeño's but other than a small amount of fertilizer when planting, I don't add any extra after that. I was thinking maybe it was watering issues or sun orientation but I didn't really give it much thought as I had plenty of jalapeño's to pick from. And mine were planted in the ground...

[worth1]

Miniature rhinoceros roaming the garden sharpening its horn.

[patihum]

Cracking and splitting occur when rapid changes in soil moisture levels cause fruits to expand quicker than the skin can grow. It usually affects the fruits that are nearing maturity.

[JRinPA]

I have yet to see splits like that, but haven't yet grown jalapenos in containers. Just raised beds that are practically impossible to overwater. I don't fertilize during the season, either.

Corking, is that the typical ripe stress cracks? White line checking/pattern? I generally don't pick before that stage/age. That is when they get hot and sweet. Mine are Jalafuegos that are at least F3. They did better this year than I previously gave them credit for, they were just late.

[DMF]

Corking, is that the typical ripe stress cracks? White line checking/pattern?

Yep, that's it.

[worth1]

Mexicans look for the corking in jalapeños.
Not so much in the US.
Me I prefer corking.
You won't always find it in all jalapeños green or ripe.
It's something they have tried to breed out for some reason.

[pepperhead212]

I think they've been breeding the corking out of the jalapeños for the varieties they sell in the stores. Most people won't buy it in a supermarket, unless it's pristine. The corked ones are still best for smoking and drying for chipotles, and there is still a huge demand for those!

[karstopography]

Almost every jalapeño I’ve grown will cork in time, before they turn brown, then red. I don’t usually pick them until they cork. I buy sets at the feed store since I typically plant only a couple of plants. I don’t get anything but the ones marked “Jalapeño”. Not the mild or super sized ones.

But, good luck finding any jalapeños with corking at the average market. Most are enormous, too. Do they really need to be so big? Store bought Jalapeños seem to be getting bigger every year. I now have to pick through the bins to find the smaller ones. I don’t want bell pepper sized jalapeños.

Can’t remember getting any vertical splits, though.