How r ur peppers going in Perth west oz?

[megamoo]

I got aphids in my hydro seed system in my garage.  They must have been attracted the smell or something because they had to travel through cracks and up walls to get in there!.  When I potted them up I squished every leaf clean individually and checked them thoroughly.  Took a really long time but since then I've not seen a single one. 
 
You can't do that with larger plants.  Once they get in your mature plants your only hope is ladybugs. 

 

[smokenmirraz]

 
They have wings, ants carry them and they could come in the wind. Likewise, I have them away from EVERYTHING but have seen some on my plants. Use some pyrethrum, Its natural shit and its done awesome work on killing them and giving protection for a few days. Problem is the plant which is hit with them hardest here is planted in the ground against a fence so I've got no chance of clearing them from the back of the plant..

 
I've had some success clearing aphids from mature potted chilli plants by spraying the leaves with a jet nozzle attached to a hose.  Usually takes a few days of persistent spraying.

 

[Micca302]

I have only one answer to Aphids........nuke their asses with Confidor...............
I have never looked back.
 
micca

 

[Super David]

I have only one answer to Aphids........nuke their asses with Confidor...............
I have never looked back.
 
micca

Yes same here! I dont usually get any outbreaks on my outdoor chilies but my indoor plants have big out breaks sometimes.
I just use confidor then, but only if I dont have any pods.  

 

[Sarge]

One of my dads plants outside is getting obliterated by these fuckers. Ive tried water, soapy water, pyrethrum and some other brutal shit but they ALWAYS come back. I think I'm going to try confidor next. I need to control the ants here, I think these fuckers are rounding them up from the neighbours place.
 
My plants are hating our surrounding right now. My first season and so far all my rights are being cancelled out by all the wrongs going on. The other day I had swarms of these other pests, Rutherglen bug, they came in the wind. All over my balcony pepper plants, all over the backyard, all over my car. They seem to have moved on. I think I've made too many mistakes and just can't control the pests here. Next year I'm doing a hydro grow and gonna try a soilless approach(coco). I really wanted to taste some of these super hots As a protective barrier I'm going to try some copper spray on my other plants, they're showing brown spots. Not sure if its from the rutherglen bug infestation or from excessive nitrogen but we had a few days of hard, solid rain which would have flushed my soil out(maybe the excessive rain was too much too, getting brown spots on leaves, browing of stalks which lead to flowers).
 
This is alot harder than I thought...

 

[Micca302]

Yes same here! I dont usually get any outbreaks on my outdoor chilies but my indoor plants have big out breaks sometimes.
I just use confidor then, but only if I dont have any pods.  

 
Yeah after trying to use natural crap for around 5 years and constantly having problems I switched.
Now I do a spray or 2 at the beginning while not fruiting and then they are gone for the rest of the season.
 
 
 

One of my dads plants outside is getting obliterated by these f**kers. Ive tried water, soapy water, pyrethrum and some other brutal shit but they ALWAYS come back. I think I'm going to try confidor next. I need to control the ants here, I think these f**kers are rounding them up from the neighbours place.
 
My plants are hating our surrounding right now. My first season and so far all my rights are being cancelled out by all the wrongs going on. The other day I had swarms of these other pests, Rutherglen bug, they came in the wind. All over my balcony pepper plants, all over the backyard, all over my car. They seem to have moved on. I think I've made too many mistakes and just can't control the pests here. Next year I'm doing a hydro grow and gonna try a soilless approach(coco). I really wanted to taste some of these super hots As a protective barrier I'm going to try some copper spray on my other plants, they're showing brown spots. Not sure if its from the rutherglen bug infestation or from excessive nitrogen but we had a few days of hard, solid rain which would have flushed my soil out(maybe the excessive rain was too much too, getting brown spots on leaves, browing of stalks which lead to flowers).
 
This is alot harder than I thought...

 
 
Hey Sarge yes Ants do farm Aphids, they do a good job too!
Once you get rid of the Aphids the Ants seem to just disappear
 
With the brown spots they might have a bacterial disease? Copper spray wouldn't hurt them.
It can happen when things get very wet.
 
Micca

 

[megamoo]

Don't want to get you guys down but I've got ants all over my chillies.  They pollinate the flowers and don't farm aphids.  There are lots of them too!   Ever since I moved my seedlings outside and manually squished every leaf clean of aphids I haven't seen a single one.  If I get aphids I do nothing and wait and the ladybugs take them out. 
 
My big problem is mites   They arrived much earlier than last year.  I'm going to have to get the predatory mites in to tear them to pieces soon.

 

[Rainman]

Hi, just joined up this morning.  First time grower - bought one Habanero from Bunnings in April 2013, got about 10 pods and then over-wintered it.  It's being a bit sluggish to come back this spring, and I know I've made a heap of mistakes after reading this amazing forum for the past few days... if only I found this site 6 weeks ago... anyway I digress.  
 
Currently attempting to grow the following:
 
2 x Habanero (one was over wintered)
2 x Bhut Ghost Peppers
1 x Jalapeno
1 x Mexi-Belle
1 x Yellow Wax
1 x Cayenne Pepper
1 x Banana Pepper
1 x Serreno
1 x Capsicum
 
Mistakes I've definitely made are using potting mix with water retention crystals or adding soil improver mix, over-watering (mistook afternoon heat droop for lack of water), over fertilizing young plants.  Seen some blossom end rot, leaf curl, yellowing, leaf drop, flower drop, fertilizer burn, slug and caterpillar munching, probably have aphids... BUT they are still alive and I'm still hopeful of getting some pods this year and being better next season.
 
Photos:
 

Probably should top this sooner than later... but I do love my home-made jalapeno sauce.
 

Going to stuff these with Persian fetta... when all 5 are red, then top the plant and after re-potting in better suited soil
 

Topped yellow wax... recovering well at last
 

Really want these Habs to do well, but the 1 year old on the left is being sluggish and has yellow leaf and flower drops...
 

Leaf curl on my Ghost peppers... should I add a sprinkle of Dolomite at next watering?  Or will Epsom foliar spray sort that out?
 

The only plant that really seems to be kicking ass is this Cayenne Pepper...
 
Any experienced growers here who see anything obvious/serious, I'd really appreciate some tips/guidance.  Was going to give them all a foliage spray of Epsom salt solution this weekend, really want my over-wintered Habanero to kick on and hopefully stop it's yellow leaves / flower drop.  Some quite bad leaf curl on the ghosts.  
 
I've curbed my urge to "love them to death" and have moved from watering every 2nd day to a once a week and once a week feeding with half strength Seasol (foliage application).
 
The Serreno, Banana and Capsicum are in the ground so I'll upload another time when the light is better.  Serreno might be decimated by then tho :/
 
Rainman

 

[Super David]

 
 
 
 
The only plant that really seems to be kicking ass is this Cayenne Pepper...
 
 

 
From what I've seen....the hotter the chili the more sensitive it is...so I guess the cayenne should be ahead of the others

 

[Micca302]

Don't want to get you guys down but I've got ants all over my chillies.  They pollinate the flowers and don't farm aphids.  There are lots of them too!   Ever since I moved my seedlings outside and manually squished every leaf clean of aphids I haven't seen a single one.  If I get aphids I do nothing and wait and the ladybugs take them out. 
 
My big problem is mites   They arrived much earlier than last year.  I'm going to have to get the predatory mites in to tear them to pieces soon.

 
They definately do farm Aphids there Mega. There has been a few discussions on this and think someone on here even studied how they farm them.
Here is a link to an article explaining how they do it http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071009212548.htm . Great to see yours aren't farming and they are helping to pollenate 
 
Now ladybugs are a different thing.
They are the best but still haven't worked out how to get them into my garden. When I looked last i couldn't buy them anywhere either.
 
Micca

 

[Rainman]

 
They definately do farm Aphids there Mega. There has been a few discussions on this and think someone on here even studied how they farm them.
Here is a link to an article explaining how they do it http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071009212548.htm . Great to see yours aren't farming and they are helping to pollenate 
 
Now ladybugs are a different thing.
They are the best but still haven't worked out how to get them into my garden. When I looked last i couldn't buy them anywhere either.
 
Micca

 
A work colleague told me you can buy ladybugs - something I was also  going to look into soon as I'm pretty sure I have aphids.  Bunnings was going to be my first point of call, but sounds like you've already tried them Micca?
 
I would like to remove the ants as well, but we rent and I think the entire back lawn is one mega huge ant nest underneath, so I'm spending truck loads of cash to fix the landlady's problem.

 

[Super David]

Don't want to get you guys down but I've got ants all over my chillies.  They pollinate the flowers and don't farm aphids.  There are lots of them too!   Ever since I moved my seedlings outside and manually squished every leaf clean of aphids I haven't seen a single one.  If I get aphids I do nothing and wait and the ladybugs take them out. 
 
My big problem is mites   They arrived much earlier than last year.  I'm going to have to get the predatory mites in to tear them to pieces soon.

Where do you buy your predatory mites?

 

[Micca302]

 
A work colleague told me you can buy ladybugs - something I was also  going to look into soon as I'm pretty sure I have aphids.  Bunnings was going to be my first point of call, but sounds like you've already tried them Micca?
 
I would like to remove the ants as well, but we rent and I think the entire back lawn is one mega huge ant nest underneath, so I'm spending truck loads of cash to fix the landlady's problem.

 
Welcome aboard Rainman.
Your plants are looking good there too. The habanero types are pretty slow to get going after over wintering so just keep at it.
Things like Cayenne, Jalapeno's grow real easily and over winter really well.
Epsom salts is really good for flower drop and doesn't hurt to give them a little boost.
Try not too fertilise too much either. Sometimes that can cause leaf curl/yellowing but lot's of other things can too, so hard to say.
 
would love to find out where you can buy ladybugs. Can you speak to your work colleague?
I haven't actually asked at Bunnings but never seen them there and pretty damn sure they wont have any.
 
Micca

 

[megamoo]

Yeah I definitely agree ants farm aphids, I've had that problem in the past.  But right now for me they aren't and I've sighted the odd ladybug on my plants too so good times on that front.
 

Where do you buy your predatory mites?

 
You can get them here for WA 
http://manchilipmservices.com.au/
 
I think they can also give you information on where to get them if you are in other states.  Did the job for me last season but all my plants were mature and large before the mites arrived.  Don't know if that makes a difference.  Wettable sulphur nukes their asses in the short term and doesn't harm too many other good bugs, but they come back. 

 

[Super David]

Yeah I definitely agree ants farm aphids, I've had that problem in the past.  But right now for me they aren't and I've sighted the odd ladybug on my plants too so good times on that front.
 
 
You can get them here for WA 
http://manchilipmservices.com.au/
 
I think they can also give you information on where to get them if you are in other states.  Did the job for me last season but all my plants were mature and large before the mites arrived.  Don't know if that makes a difference.  Wettable sulphur nukes their asses in the short term and doesn't harm too many other good bugs, but they come back. 

Great! thanks for that!
 
I've sent them an email about controling those eggfruit borer.  I saw on their site something about wasps that control other moths, so hopefully they might have something than can control those borers.
Those borers are what give me the most grief! I kind of dread growing my chilies because I know I lose atleast half to those grubs.

I found about 6 of them inside my mosquito net last night! I cant imagine how they even got in there!! I can only assume they were in the lava stage somewhere under leaves and hatched.

 

[nemspy]

 
Welcome aboard Rainman.
Your plants are looking good there too. The habanero types are pretty slow to get going after over wintering so just keep at it.
Things like Cayenne, Jalapeno's grow real easily and over winter really well.
Epsom salts is really good for flower drop and doesn't hurt to give them a little boost.
Try not too fertilise too much either. Sometimes that can cause leaf curl/yellowing but lot's of other things can too, so hard to say.
 
would love to find out where you can buy ladybugs. Can you speak to your work colleague?
I haven't actually asked at Bunnings but never seen them there and pretty damn sure they wont have any.
 
Micca

 
My sticks of all persuasions are slow to get going. At this rate my new seedlings grown from seeds are going to be fruiting before my plants from last season.
 
Bah, you guys and your leaf curl. Up on my balcony here in Bunno the wind singes mine so badly that some of my seedling leaves could feature on the flag of Canada they are so jagged. They still managed to fruit last year, even if they aint pretty

 

[nemspy]

An issue that I'm having with my "Sticks" from last season is that while some of them are coming back quite lush and green and a few have flat out died, I have a few that are coming back but the new leaves they put out are very pale green, almost to the point of being translucent. These always look sickly and eventually shrivel. No idea what's up with this.

 

[Rainman]

 
would love to find out where you can buy ladybugs. Can you speak to your work colleague?
I haven't actually asked at Bunnings but never seen them there and pretty damn sure they wont have any.
 
Micca

 
I asked him at the work end of year party last night and he now thinks he may have been mistaken regarding buying ladybirds.  I'm swinging by Bunnings today so I'll ask anyway, just in case.
 
Failing that, I might go for a walk around a local park to see if there any about and maybe catch a few and bring them home.  

 

[nemspy]

 

 

 

 

 
 
 

Above is my battling collection; they struggle against the trying growing conditions on my seaside balcony in Bunno.
 
Top pic is a view of the balcony, looking east. The shadecloth blocks the full brunt of strong easterlies; however, it likes to swirl off the building still.
 
Second pic is some of my seedlings showing characteristic "balcony burn" around the edges of some leaves. Not pretty, but they fruited last year.
 
Third is a mixture of my larger new seedlings plus a few coming back quite nicely from last season. Still not had enough sustained heat down here yet, though.
 
Fourth is a stick that's bushing back up.
 
Fifth -- now this one bugs me. They are both either poblanos or mullatos. The question is: why is the left one nice and green while the right one is that sort of super pale green, floppy, almost translucent pile of badness I spoke of in an earlier post?
 
Finally, we have an arrangement a work colleague created for me for my birthday this week just gone. I thought the chillies were a nice touch.

 

[Micca302]

 
I asked him at the work end of year party last night and he now thinks he may have been mistaken regarding buying ladybirds.  I'm swinging by Bunnings today so I'll ask anyway, just in case.
 
Failing that, I might go for a walk around a local park to see if there any about and maybe catch a few and bring them home.  

 
Yeah no problem. Cheers for asking.
They are definately hard to come by the little blighters
 
Micca