Ghost Peppers & Carolina Reapers

[AaronD]

So back in November I ordered some seeds from Peppers Joes. Germinated them and they took quickly. Started seeds in soil then transfered them to my aerogarden. Once germinated, they were planted in soil around November 20, 2012. Below are some of the pictures. I appologize for using the hyperlink, but I tried for an hour to upload the pics to the site and kept getting this message "You are not allowed to use that image extension on this community'.

http://puu.sh/22y8v

http://puu.sh/22ybq

1) It seems like some of the leaves on the Carolina Reapers have discoloured. Is this normal? Is it from lack of nutrients? Spider mites? It's my first crack at growing hot peppers so I have no idea. The first two pictures are from one aerogarden and the last picture is from a different aerogarden.

http://puu.sh/22y9m

http://puu.sh/22yed

http://puu.sh/22yb7

2) One of my repears has started flowering. Do I need to polinate the flowers? I have just been shaking the leaves and justling things around every coupel of days. Is this correct?

http://puu.sh/22ygh

http://puu.sh/22yaj

3) I have the bhut jolokias and the repears planted together. The bhut jolokias have not started to flower yet. If I leave them next to each other will I get some sort of jolokia/reaper hybrid? If I want true strains, should I seperate them?

Thanks
Aaron

 

[StupidJerk]

I don't know anything about aerogardens, so that I'll leave to someone else.

As far as the hybridization is concerned; if the reaper pollinates the bhut or vice versa, the pods themselves won't be hybrids. The seeds that are in the pods will grow hybrid plants. This is one of the most common questions on the forum.

 

[bricke]

they will cross pollinate once they both flower it wont effect this years peppers but the seed from the peppers if if planted will be a cross

 

[Joshuap2000]

My reapers have that same discoluration and took to my local hydro shop and a local nursery and they have no idea what it was, they told me not to worry about it.

 

[Gotrox]

Yup.
Got one in hydro exactly the same rusty blotches.
Only problem with the aerogarden (currently using the 66 hole starter) is the size of the pepper plants.
You will prolly need to transplant them out after a few months, as 7 plants crowd each other and the roots get tangled.

 

[patrick]

Looks like Bacterial Spot fungus. Here's some info on it from http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CDUQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fvegetablemdonline.ppath.cornell.edu%2Ffactsheets%2FPepper_BactSpot.htm&ei=Vm4dUZywB6LbyQH34IDQDQ&usg=AFQjCNHOXBktK2y-XByJguR0bvl7xjumsg&sig2=_O14uBMm36bV37OyyLnV-w&bvm=bv.42452523,d.aWc&cad=rja

Except for virus diseases, bacterial spot is the most important disease affecting peppers in New York. A mild case of bacterial spot causes prominent necrotic spots on leaves; a severe case can cause premature leaf drop and spotting of stems and pods that results in unmarketable fruit. Like most bacterial diseases, bacterial spot is difficult to control when frequent rains and moist conditions prevail.​

Cause​

Bacterial spot is caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria. The same bacterial disease affects tomato. Technically, the pathogen can be divided into three strains: a tomato strain to which all peppers are hypersensitive (express limited necrotic lesions only), a pepper strain race 1 to which all peppers are susceptible, and a pepper strain race 2 that causes a hypersensitive reaction in peppers with a specific gene for resistance. The tomato strain and pepper race 1 are distributed worldwide, but pepper race 2 is restricted to Florida and the Caribbean. The bacteria are microscopic and occur in large numbers in the affected tissues of the plant. They are rod shaped and motile (by a flagellum).​

Symptoms​

Necrotic spots may appear on leaves, stems, and fruits. Leaf symptoms appear first on the undersides of leaves as small water-soaked areas. These spots enlarge up to 1/4 inch in diameter, turn dark brown, and are slightly raised. On the upper leaf surface the spots are depressed with a brown border around a beige center. Several lesions may coalesce, resulting in large necrotic areas, and large numbers of lesions can occur on leaf margins and tips where moisture accumulates (fig. 1). Eventually the leaves yellow and drop off, increasing the chance for sunscald (fig. 2). Spots on fruits become raised, scablike areas that make the product unmarketable.

Shaking the plants should be enough to pollinate them but you can do it by hand. I usually shake the branches a few good times and that seems to work.

If you leave them close together the odds are some will get cross pollinated. You won't know until you grow the seeds out next year though. To prevent it you need to find a way to isolate the flowers. Plenty of methods available. Do a search for isolating pods and you should find some info.

Good luck.

 

[AaronD]

Yup.
Got one in hydro exactly the same rusty blotches.
Only problem with the aerogarden (currently using the 66 hole starter) is the size of the pepper plants.
You will prolly need to transplant them out after a few months, as 7 plants crowd each other and the roots get tangled.

Agreed. I will probably leave the most healthy plant in the aerogarden and remove all other plants and transplant them to soil.
Thanks
Aaron

Looks like Bacterial Spot fungus. Here's some info on it from http://www.google.co...3,d.aWc&cad=rja

Except for virus diseases, bacterial spot is the most important disease affecting peppers in New York. A mild case of bacterial spot causes prominent necrotic spots on leaves; a severe case can cause premature leaf drop and spotting of stems and pods that results in unmarketable fruit. Like most bacterial diseases, bacterial spot is difficult to control when frequent rains and moist conditions prevail.​

Cause​

Bacterial spot is caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria. The same bacterial disease affects tomato. Technically, the pathogen can be divided into three strains: a tomato strain to which all peppers are hypersensitive (express limited necrotic lesions only), a pepper strain race 1 to which all peppers are susceptible, and a pepper strain race 2 that causes a hypersensitive reaction in peppers with a specific gene for resistance. The tomato strain and pepper race 1 are distributed worldwide, but pepper race 2 is restricted to Florida and the Caribbean. The bacteria are microscopic and occur in large numbers in the affected tissues of the plant. They are rod shaped and motile (by a flagellum).​

Symptoms​

Necrotic spots may appear on leaves, stems, and fruits. Leaf symptoms appear first on the undersides of leaves as small water-soaked areas. These spots enlarge up to 1/4 inch in diameter, turn dark brown, and are slightly raised. On the upper leaf surface the spots are depressed with a brown border around a beige center. Several lesions may coalesce, resulting in large necrotic areas, and large numbers of lesions can occur on leaf margins and tips where moisture accumulates (fig. 1). Eventually the leaves yellow and drop off, increasing the chance for sunscald (fig. 2). Spots on fruits become raised, scablike areas that make the product unmarketable.

Shaking the plants should be enough to pollinate them but you can do it by hand. I usually shake the branches a few good times and that seems to work.

If you leave them close together the odds are some will get cross pollinated. You won't know until you grow the seeds out next year though. To prevent it you need to find a way to isolate the flowers. Plenty of methods available. Do a search for isolating pods and you should find some info.

Good luck.

Thanks Patrick. Good post and good information. If I have other plants in the same garden (basil for example) is it possible the basil can pollinate a pepper plant and I will end up with some sort of basil/pepper hybrid with the seeds that are produced?

Regards
Aaron

 

[Indiana_Jesse]

If I have other plants in the same garden (basil for example) is it possible the basil can pollinate a pepper plant and I will end up with some sort of basil/pepper hybrid with the seeds that are produced?

Regards
Aaron

No. If everything could hybridize we would not have distinct species in existence. Generally only very closely related species can hybridize, or different varieties within a species. Basil and peppers are very different, not even in the same Family. I recommend reviewing the Linnaen Classification System and some general Mendelian Genetics, it may have been awhile since you've seen it (9th or 10th grade?), most people (non-nerds) forget that stuff after taking the necessary tests to pass Biology class (especially if 9th grade was a REALLY long time ago!), so I'm not trying to pick on you in particular.

 

[Dulac]

Patrick might be right. I've got a reaper in an areogarden and it's healthy so far. I also put a sick SB7J (soil had bad drainage)in it and it's recovering. I had to clean the areogarden not too long ago because a fungus or something ate through the stalk of one of my flowering peppers, lol. I have no idea what it was! I ended up cloning that pepper. There were some fungus problems going on with the whole areogarden. Next time you plant in your areogarden try cleaning it out thoroughly.

 

[KiNGDeNNiZ]

Well the way i am using it is. Water. Nutes. After two weeks use plain water. Then at the end of that full month i clean the reservoir. Then repeat.

You can be aggressive and add nutes every two weeks. But my plants are happy.
Sbj7 after 3 days with just wAter

Close up

 

[AaronD]

No. If everything could hybridize we would not have distinct species in existence. Generally only very closely related species can hybridize, or different varieties within a species. Basil and peppers are very different, not even in the same Family. I recommend reviewing the Linnaen Classification System and some general Mendelian Genetics, it may have been awhile since you've seen it (9th or 10th grade?), most people (non-nerds) forget that stuff after taking the necessary tests to pass Biology class (especially if 9th grade was a REALLY long time ago!), so I'm not trying to pick on you in particular.

Thanks Indiana, appreciate the info. Yes it has been about 20 years since grade nine so that info has left my mind a long time ago.

Patrick might be right. I've got a reaper in an areogarden and it's healthy so far. I also put a sick SB7J (soil had bad drainage)in it and it's recovering. I had to clean the areogarden not too long ago because a fungus or something ate through the stalk of one of my flowering peppers, lol. I have no idea what it was! I ended up cloning that pepper. There were some fungus problems going on with the whole areogarden. Next time you plant in your areogarden try cleaning it out thoroughly.

Hey Dulac. I was planning on transfering one or two plants out of the aerogarden and into soil (to give to a friend), but at this point it looks like all the roots have woven together in a complete tangle that there is probably no chance I will be able to extract them from the aerogarden.

I was thinking about cloning and transfering to soil but have no experience with this. Any tips/guides how this is done properly? Maybe I should start the clone in the aerogarden and then transfer to soil after some root development, but before they get long enough to tangle up with the other plants roots.

With regards to cleaning the aerogarden, this is my first crop with the machine so I don't think there was any residual fungus kicking around. Nonetheless, I will definitely clean it between crops.

Well the way i am using it is. Water. Nutes. After two weeks use plain water. Then at the end of that full month i clean the reservoir. Then repeat.

You can be aggressive and add nutes every two weeks. But my plants are happy.
Sbj7 after 3 days with just wAter

Thanks for photos and the info KingDenniz. Perhaps you are right and maybe the nutrients are the cause. I have two aerogardens in two different houses and seem to be experiencing the same blotches on the leaves in both gardens. Perhaps I will only add the nutrients once a month or cut them out all together.

Once the plants start flowering, how long does it usually take before the peppers start growing?

Do the peppers grow from within the flower or as seperate nodes?

It seems that the flowers are very delicate and often fall off the plant. Is this normal?

As you might have guessed, this is my first attempt at growing hot peppers.

 

[Dulac]

"I was thinking about cloning and transfering to soil but have no experience with this. Any tips/guides how this is done properly? Maybe I should start the clone in the aerogarden and then transfer to soil after some root development, but before they get long enough to tangle up with the other plants roots."

I tried putting them in water with no luck. I was able to clone by putting them in wet soil and keeping them wet (they can absorb water through their leaves) . I tried putting a humidity dome on them at first, but the leaves didn't care for that. I took the humidity dome off and just wet them everyday, which worked out well. I didn't use any hormones.

 

[cycadjungle]

I also saw the brown parts on the plants, but all but 2 plants have grown out of it. I kept having bad thoughts, especially after all the negative talk there was on these seeds in the first place. I figured, here you go, they are selling these at high prices and doing all the hype before release and then they want to keep this plant rare, by people killing most of their plants because they are genetically weaker than others, so people will go again and just buy more seeds. I didn't want to pile on and cause more trouble, so I just kept my thoughts to myself at that time. I spray sometime with Zero-Tol, so that may have taken care of the problem if it is in fact, a bacteria. (that may be on the seeds when we get them? which would explain why it is a more common problem than I thought)
Just in case you are interested, I pulled up a sheet on Zero-Tol, others may have interest in this too.

ZeroTol is a non-toxic broad spectrum algaecide/fungicide that utilizes revolutionary peroxygen chemistry to rapidly oxidize and kill bacteria, algae, fungi, and spores on contact. ZeroTol is a particularly effective treatment for golf courses, althetic fields, and landscapes, providing immediate knockdown of pathogens and algae on tees, fairways, greens, and all manner of turf. ZeroTol is also ideally suited for use in a wide variety of horticultural environments such as gardens, nurseries, greenhouses, and orchards. ZeroTol is an EPA approved, environmentally friendly product that produces no noticeable residue or odor.
Info & Resources

Durability Study Against Pythium and Phytophthora (0.11 MB)

PH & ORP Values at Varying Dilution Rates (0.52 MB)

ZeroTol MSDS (0.26 MB)

ZeroTol Need to Know (0.11 MB)

ZeroTol Specimen Label (0.25 MB)
Specially formulated to eradicate bacteria, algae, fungi, and spores on contact, ZeroTol is recommended as a curative, preventive, or chemigation treatment in turf enviroments such as golf courses, althetic fields, and landscapes. ZeroTol is also recommended for use in gardens, nurseries, greenhouses, and orchards for a wide variety of horticultural applications such as direct injection, cold or thermal fog, vegetative cutting and seed treatment, foliar spray treatment, drench treatment, water treatment, flowering plants, bedding plants, poinsettia, roses, nursery stock, ornamentals, trees, bulbs, and cut flowers. ZeroTol is also recommended for use as an algaecide and fungicide on: greenhouse structures, pots, benches, watering systems, storage rooms, evaporative coolers, floors, ventilation equipment, and other equipment.
ZeroTol is mutation resistant because its rapid oxidation on surface contact with plants and materials helps stop the development of tolerant strains of fungi and bacteria.
When used together with other residual fungicides, ZeroTol provides a "belt and suspenders" solution to disease control. ZeroTol provides quick eradication of turf pathogens, while the other residual fungicides work to suppress future pathogen build-up. Benefits of ZeroTol include:

• Zero Hour re-entry interval (REI)
• No phytotoxic side effects on turf
• Kills bacteria, algae, fungi, and spores on contact without damaging delicate plant tissue or flowers
• No mutational resistance
• Environmentally friendly (non-residual)
• Approved for tank mixing
• EPA approved (EPA# 70299-1)

ZeroTol controls many bacteria, algae, fungi, spores, and diseases such as:

• Algae
• Anthracnose
• Brown Patch
• Black Spot
• Botrytis
• Copper Spot
  

• Dollar Spot
• Downy Mildew
• Fairy Ring
• Fusarium
• Leaf Spot
• Pink Snow Mold
  

• Pseudomonas
• Pythium
• Phytophthora
• Powdery Mildew
• Rhizoctonia
• Rust
  

• Scab
• Slime Molds
• Smut
• Summer Patch
• Thielaviopsis
• Wilts & Blights
  

 

[Gotrox]

Easy with the aerogarden to clone.
Soak a sponge.
Poke down through the center with a small object.
Bring the sponge next to the tender young growth you wish to clone.
Cut at an angle and immediately place in the sponge.
Put in very weak nutes or plain water and place in a dimly lit area.
Keep the sponge wet.
I just put the sponge in the plastic holder, and put the holder in whatever small container I happen to have available, and place it beside the aerogarden.

It will look sad and almost dead for a week or so----don't give up until it all turns brown, then you know it failed.
As soon as roots show through the sponge, dirt it or put in the regular hole in the aerogarden.

BTW, the aerogarden works a miracle on saving plants that are ill in dirt, but never mix rescue plants with your regular grow.
The fungus and bugs---no matter how well you wash the dirt off will---not maybe, but will---infect your healthy plants and plug the pump filter.

Editor going wonky.

But what I was going to add-----

I start my seeds in the aerogarden, transplant to nursery containers when a couple sets of true leaves set, and grow in those till warm enough to plant outside.

Unless I want some active production in the winter with little hassle.

For those, I will take a few out of the aerogarden and put them in my "ghetto hydro".
A 10 gallon tub from wallmart.
A cheap aquarium pump and rod type stone.
A bunch of twisty fluorescents.

 

[patrick]

The Zerotol has got my interest peeked! Here's one of the manufacturers other products that may help with some fungal infections I'm thinking. http://www.biosafesystems.com/Product-Ag-OxiDate.asp If anyone gives this stuff a try I would really like to hear how it works. It is OMRI listed.