2018 Chilli Growing thread

Mark A · 2 Jun 2018 at 01:33

Psycho Sonny said:
i don't have aphids but some sort of small tiny fly. might be midgies we get up here in scotland. killed literally about 50 of them on the window over the past 3 days.

should i get this stuff?

RoseClear Ultra Gun! Spray, 1 L

They are probably fungus gnats. I have had a problem with them for the last few years i have grown chillies and they are a nightmare to control once there's an infestation. The flies are pretty harmless, its the larvae that cause the damage by eating the fine hairs on the roots.

This is why I added an inch layer of perlite to the top of my soil, to stop them landing on the damp soil surface and laying their eggs. The Perlite dries out almost immediately and will hopefully confuse the gnats into thinking its not a viable place to lay eggs. It seems to be working so far..

https://www.smallfootprintfamily.com/how-to-control-fungus-gnats-organically

Some tips here on controlling them organically, but I tried most of this and they just kept coming back

. I didn't try the nematodes as they are really expensive, but might be worth it if you have a lot of plants affected.

Moonpie2 · 3 Jun 2018 at 07:02

We've all suffered with blossom drop (I think?) but does anyone know what the problem might be when the flowers don't even seem to contain pollen?

I've been tickling the flowers with a q-tip but there ain't anything inside.
I remember doing this years the past and the q-tip would be bright orange after 2 flowers. Now, it's still pure white after weeks of use.
The flowers just seem 'hard' inside !!

I did a quick google and I saw every comment under the sun. Too much water, too little, too much chilli food, too little chilli food, too many temperature swings, someone even said this is just how it is when they first flower :/

Anyway.... thought I'd come here and pick all your brains

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior · 4 Jun 2018 at 08:30

I think the causes are all possible.

I had this some years ago with an indoor plant, moved it outside and the changes seemed to kick it into life, moved it back indoors and a few weeks later again nothing would pollinate as seemingly no pollen.

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior · 4 Jun 2018 at 08:38

Moved all my plants up to the allotment yesterday, apart from the Zimbabwe blacks which are going to be windowsill plants

Liberally applied slug pellets to the areas around them, and managed to slice my finger open on some metal wire fencing around the edge of the poly thats used to be able to tie plants back against if needed.
But they are in their new home now

Moonpie2 · 4 Jun 2018 at 09:45

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior said:
I think the causes are all possible.

I had this some years ago with an indoor plant, moved it outside and the changes seemed to kick it into life, moved it back indoors and a few weeks later again nothing would pollinate as seemingly no pollen.

All mine are already outside

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior · 4 Jun 2018 at 12:23

Its probably the cold nights then I would guess
Its still getting pretty nippy some nights

LewisRaz · 4 Jun 2018 at 22:19

Came home from work today and checked mine... One had almost a whole leaf gone (eaten) that was fine yesteday!

Checked all my plants and there is a massive aphid infestation..

Ive washed every single leaf of every plant with soapy water and sprayed my gro house with peppermint oil.

Anything else anyone recommends to protect against them?

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior · 4 Jun 2018 at 22:23

Aphids don't eat leaves, that's slugs/snails

Aphids tap into the goodness inside and drain that restricting growth and stunting leaves

topgun06 · 5 Jun 2018 at 09:28

I finally got mine transplanted into their final pots last night. Hopefully this will give them a bit of a boost as despite the good weather recently, they still seem behind where they should be based on experience from previous years.

Felix · 5 Jun 2018 at 10:03

Mine are very behind, the cold night have really slowed growth!

Street · 5 Jun 2018 at 10:17

This recent hot weather has brought mine on loads. They are all covered in flowers now, even the Reapers!

Psycho Sonny · 5 Jun 2018 at 12:17

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior said:
Aphids don't eat leaves, that's slugs/snails

Aphids tap into the goodness inside and drain that restricting growth and stunting leaves

I have holes in a few of my leaves too and I'm indoors. I have no snails or slugs, I would have seen them.

it's flies however i think I've eradicated them by killing at least 20 daily and then covering the top in perlite. my next action was going to be spraying with some rose clear i bought.

i'm going to be re-potting them into larger pots too. hopefully that will help with growth one of mine is tiny and the other is massive.

NickK · 6 Jun 2018 at 09:42

Probably caterpillars - they can hide away far away from the leave damage.

Or if you have cats.. it's not chewed

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior · 6 Jun 2018 at 11:24

Would be very early in the growing season for caterpillars, not completely impossible however.

Psycho Sonny · 6 Jun 2018 at 17:29

NickK said:
Probably caterpillars - they can hide away far away from the leave damage.

Or if you have cats.. it's not chewed

yeah i saw a small long thin red thing crawling about and i sprayed it with my rose clear. was maybe an inch long and about 1mm thick

Street · 6 Jun 2018 at 21:13

I was watering the plants this morning and noticed my first chilli of the year has fruited!

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior · 7 Jun 2018 at 08:18

Congrats street

My first plant I moved to the poly tunnel is looking like its about to start, I may remove them yet, want the plants to get a little bigger before they start producing!

azibux1 · 8 Jun 2018 at 02:49

http://imgur.com/a/2ntOZ9c

Hi guys

I noticed these dark "stripes" on two of my plants today. They are a different variety to the plant at the back, that does not have the dark bits... Are they anything to be concerned about, or just normal? They seem fine otherwise and have grown nicely since potting them up and moving them outside recently

Just realised it seems to be only upwards of where I've placed the little tie to the stick. But the ties are not really tight at all - so maybe just a coincidence.

Thanks

Moonpie2 · 8 Jun 2018 at 03:05

azibux1 said:
I noticed these dark "stripes" on two of my plants today. They are a different variety to the plant at the back, that does not have the dark bits... Are they anything to be concerned about, or just normal?

It's absolutely fine

Magic_x_uk · 8 Jun 2018 at 06:43

I have certainly got things, little bugs, green bugs growing on my two chilli plants.