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Datil questions........(and I hope answers)

bamaboy1975

bamaboy1975

I have read alot about Datils not liking full sun. They only like it from sunrise to 2pm ish. I am attatching some photo's of my wilting and leaf curling plant. I have constructed a misquito net for partial shading and to help with the heat and light . Should this fix the problem or is there another issue at hand. My Pumpkin habanero is kinda doing the same thing, but the rest in the raised bed is fine. Here are the pics as they are today. I really want some datils to grow this year. Please help.

This is the Datil before the net.
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This is the Datil with the net that i hope works.
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This is my Pumpkin Habanero that doesn't require shade, or atleast that is what I have read.
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i've grown hundreds of datil plants in full sun in virginia and had no problem- is that fennel behind the hab by any chance?
 
I read that bone meal helps flatten out the bumpyness in the leaves...
BUT IT MOLDED on my pots and after a spray of fungus/insect/mite killer and some time it went away but i still have mushrooms sometimes (although i suspect those are form the mg soil cuz they are in other pots without bone meal..) Id probably put it in and cover it with about an inch of soil and then water it in.. so its not sitting on the top incase being ni the open air helped it rot idk tho.. Letting the top dry out would prob help as well... All i know is my bhuts that got fed are huge and blooming with unnoticeable flower drop now so i should have a ton of pods soon.
 
What are you fertilizing with and how often?

I would make a weak solution of epsom salts in water and foliar spray the plants.
 
the plant could be growing better....are you taking "too much" care of it? was my first thought...

the bed looks kinda new...what is the soil you are using?
 
I will try the epsom salt foliar spray today. I read on a website that the mixture ratio is "For potted plants, simply dissolve 2 tablespoons per gallon of water, and substitute this solution for normal watering at least once a month". I this right?

Well, the bed is new this year. I am using a combination of Cow Manure, Mushroom Compost, Miracle Gro, Sphagnum Peat Moss, and Top Soil. Mostly all from Lowes. Cleared out grass and laid down news papers for a weed barrier, laid the wood and filled box with the mixture. The rest of the plants in the same box is doing just fine. Just the Pumpkin Hab, Datil, and the Fatalli is affected. The Fatalli is rebounding with new growth though. I just put some lime down, not alot, to up the ph a little. I might be over caring for them, but I am still learning about this stuff. I wanna make sure I do this right. Last year's growing was done all in pots. Didn't have this problem. Just quicker dry outs was the only problem that I ran into.
 
sounds like your soil should be fine...it just looked like the soil was too "hot" for the plant to me...

and I only use a 1 Tbsp/gallon mixture
 
I could take a soil temp but not sure what to look for. I mean, with the outside temps being around 90's during the day would that throw the readings, and what time of the day is best to take a temp? I know your talking about the compost heating the soil up too hot. I didn't think of that to be honest with you.
 
bamaboy1975 said:
I could take a soil temp but not sure what to look for. I mean, with the outside temps being around 90's during the day would that throw the readings, and what time of the day is best to take a temp? I know your talking about the compost heating the soil up too hot. I didn't think of that to be honest with you.
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AJ can correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe he was referring to the nutrient content of the soil. Too much nutrients can burn the plants, thus the reason for calling it "hot".
 
Ahhhh, gotcha. Just out of curiosity, is that what the pics look like, and will they recover? My Fatalli is rebounding finally but the Datil is still looking kinda ugly. I also was using the Botanicare 3 part solution of Botanicare Pure Blend Pro Grow and Bloom for Soil, Liquid Karma (8 Ounces) bottles. Made solution as directed and added to plants once a week. Then thought that it was too much nutes and quit adding it now for about 3 weeks but substituted food for Miracle Gro shake N Feed which I believe is 10-10-10. I also just added some Lime in the garden yesterday to boost the Ph a little. I didn't add alot. I hope this would help with any imbalance in the soil. So, lost as to what the issue really is. So, back to the originial theory, that I am "over caring" for my plants too much.
 
too much Nitrogen - my .02 - I would not fert them with anything and water when wilting or dry for a while they will bounce back
 
bamaboy1975 said:
Ahhhh, gotcha. Just out of curiosity, is that what the pics look like, and will they recover? My Fatalli is rebounding finally but the Datil is still looking kinda ugly. I also was using the Botanicare 3 part solution of Botanicare Pure Blend Pro Grow and Bloom for Soil, Liquid Karma (8 Ounces) bottles. Made solution as directed and added to plants once a week. Then thought that it was too much nutes and quit adding it now for about 3 weeks but substituted food for Miracle Gro shake N Feed which I believe is 10-10-10. I also just added some Lime in the garden yesterday to boost the Ph a little. I didn't add alot. I hope this would help with any imbalance in the soil. So, lost as to what the issue really is. So, back to the originial theory, that I am "over caring" for my plants too much.
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Adding anything without doing some type of soil test doesn't seem like a good idea to me. Adding without knowing usually is not a good idea. That being said, I don't do it either, but I am "under caring" this year and I have a hab that looks very similar. I used Shake N Feed last year and it worked well.

I have a buddy who just took sand out of his alley and filled his pots. He uses that and shake n feed and has good yields every year. Makes me sick lol
 
Very true! I am guilty of doing that, I will research products from here on out. I guess I just took bits and pieces from others on these forums and compiled my own methods. Kinda effed things up I guess. Glad it is only 2 or 3 of all my plants instead all of them. I will try epsom salts when i get home. I researched it and it sounds closest to the issues that i am having (leaf curling, Magnesium deficiency). If anybody objects, that is what i am going with. Always open to suggestions.
 
Bama, one thing you have to know is that even healthy un fertalized Datils will have a bit of curl to the leaves. how ever that curl will get more pronounced if you over feed them. in your case that is what it looks like in my humble opinion.

give em some shade, dont over water them.. they like "barely moist" soil for the day to day. and leave them be. they will recover
 
I hope that shade I made with the screen door mesh works. It should be filtered light and still let the plants breathe, and I will leave them alone. I am trying to not water them so much. Rain isn't helping me out at all!
 
They will have some curl to some of the leaves, just a peculiar thing they do. I have some very healthy plants producing now and they all have it to some extent. It does however look as thogh you have more than normal. The posts above may be right about feeding too much. I usually leave mine mostly alone aside from watering every so often and a little MG before flowering. It seems shade is something important to datils and I keep plants on the shaded porch (no screen). What I have noticed is the top newest leaves will have a curl, and once new shoots take over those, they will grow bigger and straighten out. I would think there is only a problem if they are wilting more than normal (not at dusk or in hot sun,thats normal).
 
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