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Advice Please

Softlad

Softlad

Hi All, I would appreciate any help / advice, have been growing chillies last few years and had good results, my plants live outside, (I live on Spain's Southern Costa Blanca) so temperatures never drop below 5°-7° unless we are unlucky so I am able to grow all year round.
This year / last winter has been fairly mild, have had bad problems with grasshoppers eating plants and most of my seedlings which I know has not helped, I water once per week using Chilli Focus but plants not doing at all well. The problem ones are:- Red & Yellow Habs, Red Bhutlah, St Martin, Naga Viper. The Red Bhutlah & the St Martin have just been "feasted on" by the grasshoppers and I think that they will come good, the Viper has been eaten and is not doing well, the Red Hab is really pale, the Orange Hab is stunted with really small leaves as is the yellow. All of them are flowering.
All help and advice greatly appreciated. 
(I have been trying to upload add images for last hour and have to say that this is the hardest / worst site I have ever been on for doing this! So have added links for images. Many apologies)
 
https://www.dropbox.com/s/54rwksgifkzm44l/Naga%20Viper.jpg?dl=0
 
https://www.dropbox.com/s/lttq68ysece6gbd/NViper.jpg?dl=0
 
https://www.dropbox.com/s/p63aqysxcfwqrtm/Orange%20Hab.jpg?dl=0
 
https://www.dropbox.com/s/7ntl6ypvu0g3xhd/Red%20Bhutlah.jpg?dl=0
 
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ilx99j0wmdydeyd/Red%20Hab.jpg?dl=0
 
https://www.dropbox.com/s/jkkvvnoj0o9u5o6/RHab.jpg?dl=0
 
https://www.dropbox.com/s/t7b9owlo8ga443n/St%20Martin.jpg?dl=0
 
https://www.dropbox.com/s/bgc7rakkoesni2t/Yellow%20Hab.jpg?dl=0
 
I am assuming you are inquiring of help to erradicate the locusts. That is a tough one for anyone stateside to answer not knowing what is available to you in Spain or for that matter what may or not be legal.
I am on my phone right now and it is a pita to pull up dropbox images in realtime.
The plants if not too damaged and the nodes are in good shape should bounce back, if you can get rid of the pest. If not you will need to go to a greenhouse structure to save your season.
 
I have seen green sticks grow into beautiful, healthy plants if given the chance.  So dont fret too much.  I have not had a serious problem with the same pest, but use a pepper infusion to ward off pests in general.  I just boil super hots in water OUTSIDE, let cool, and then spray on with one of those pump things.  It doesn't ward off everything, but it does help.

It also makes for a great practical joke on things like tomato if you use it the day of harvest.
 
Hi Guys, thanks for the input. Re Grasshoppers, No, not attributing all to them and also know that they are particularly difficult to manage as if you use insecticide you probably only end up protecting someone else's plants as they have eaten most of your plant prior to going off to die elsewhere on the ingested leaves with the poison. So hence not used any insecticide.
ajdrew:- Does the "super hot solution" ward off grasshoppers and caterpillars? Would be interested to know.
As I said previously, plants don't look right at the moment, so asking for advise re state of plants, pale green / stunted leaves etc
Once again, many thanks
 
Softlad, I've not had a problem with grass hoppers, so not sure.  I am sure it deters cutworms (first use was for them) and I am fairly sure they are either caterpillars or at least related. Diatomaceous sprinkled on ground will also help with most things that crawls, but again not sure about things that hop.
 
Small, stunted growth and pale leaves. I have had this in the past and it was due to soggy soil in the bottom of my pots. I use quality potting mix now and add 10-20% perlite as well as drilling plenty of holes in the bottom of my pots to assist drainage.

Try some mesh or netting over your plants that has a hole size smaller than your pests. Should still let plenty of light in if they're in a sunny spot. Good luck
 
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