Bell Peppers are soft.

Hello,  I have raised bell peppers for years and I sometimes get sunscald.  not a big problem but this year I just picked several peppers, really LONG before they should have been ready,  as they haven't turned colors nor reached the size they should have.  But  I picked them because they are very SOFT and SQUISHY, kind of like they get in the fridge when they are starting to get old.  What could cause this to happen while still on the plant.  Nearly all of my bell Peppers are like this.  I picked them hoping that new peppers would be firm like the should be but what causes this.

Not enough calcium in the soil. Peppers get squishy and tomatoes get bottom end rot. Add gypsum or lime to correct it. Which you use is determined by soil ph. If soil is basic use gypsum. If soil is acidic, use lime.

That is strange when i tested my soil in the fall everything was fine.  My tomatoes are the best they have ever been.  Oh well I guess I need to add lime then to my bell peppers.

Larry Versaw wrote:That is strange when i tested my soil in the fall everything was fine.  My tomatoes are the best they have ever been.  Oh well I guess I need to add lime then to my bell peppers.

Beans also don't fix nitrogen without calcium.

Larry, sometimes this happens to my peppers also. Usually something is very wrong with it's roots. How is the root structure?

s. ayalp wrote:Larry, sometimes this happens to my peppers also. Usually something is very wrong with it's roots. How is the root structure?

If it is a root problem, it can be fixed with michorrhizae applications. Aside from the widely known benefits of increasing root mass, it alsoprotects from disease by producing antibacterial compounds.

s. ayalp wrote:Larry, sometimes this happens to my peppers also. Usually something is very wrong with it's roots. How is the root structure?

Well the roots seemed fine when i transplanted them outside from seedlings.  If i get gypsum and add some to the soil at the base of the plants would that maybe fix it?

Ryan Hobbs wrote:

s. ayalp wrote:Larry, sometimes this happens to my peppers also. Usually something is very wrong with it's roots. How is the root structure?

If it is a root problem, it can be fixed with michorrhizae applications. Aside from the widely known benefits of increasing root mass, it alsoprotects from disease by producing antibacterial compounds.

Where could I get that michorrhizae from?

I will say that my plants are not nearly as tall as usual nor are there as many leaves as usual.

Larry Versaw wrote:

Ryan Hobbs wrote:

s. ayalp wrote:Larry, sometimes this happens to my peppers also. Usually something is very wrong with it's roots. How is the root structure?

If it is a root problem, it can be fixed with michorrhizae applications. Aside from the widely known benefits of increasing root mass, it alsoprotects from disease by producing antibacterial compounds.

Where could I get that michorrhizae from?

I get it from this site: http://www.fungi.com/product-detail/product/mycogrow-for-vegetables-1-oz.html

I'd hazard a guess that the plants got too dry... (The root problem might be as simple as not enough water in the soil.)