Peppin' Ain't Easy..."3/5King's 2012"

rabid48 · May 27, 2012

Could be a nitrogen or iron deficiency...

But saying that you added compost with nitrogen makes me not think so. How are the veins on the leaves? Still dark green/purple?

/Spaghetti at the wall.

Jamison · May 27, 2012

I think thats a potash deficiency. Are you giving your plants the grow and micro nutes or are you giving them the bloom and micronutes?

Bob_B · May 27, 2012

Sorry for your frustation - I've been there myself.

Let me ask a few questions...

What do you compost with and do you think it's "done"? I think you mentioned some wood which takes forever to break down. I use compost as an amendment and it is done - I can tell by the sweet, foresty smell it has.

How much full sun does your garden get? The plants need 6-8 hours daily.

What is your watering schedule? I'm sure you're well aware that over-watering kills more plants than under-watering.

The yellow leaves makes me believe some of the plants may have a calcium/magnesium deficiency. I would recommend a foliar spray of some epsom salts (magnesium sulfate).

Some of the issue may be in the hardening off process. It sounds like you went from the greenhouse to the ground and that initial temperatures outside were pretty cool. The plants may need time to fully recover. I do know that one can really stunt plants by going in the ground too early. Temperatures need to be at least in the high 50's or so.

Watch carefully for aphids. They will attack tender growth. Be sure and be diligent with insecticidal soap.

Repeat - don't overwater.

Hope this helps.

Bob

3/5King · May 29, 2012

Hey everyone, thanks for your info/input.

I am not giving them any fertz yet Jamison. (I have given a few a watering with Grow/Micro from Xnutrients, but they are not on any type of schedule yet)

Whole leaves are yellowing. Veins are yellow with the leaves. One plant had yellowing with green veins.

Bob, I am using Horse manure composted for around 3 years. It smells like earth, so I assume it is done. Also, I used pro-mix organic potting mix with sea compost which has a lot of pieces of wood in it, so it is totally counter intuitive to the saying that I've heard "The microbes that are composting the wood suck up all of the nitro in the ground until they are done and then release them back into the ground" so I'm lost on that one. The plants were only being watered when they started to droop, it didn't seem to be helping so we changed it to twice a day for 15 minutes each time (sprinkler) this seemed to bring on improvement.

I personally think that it's just what they are going to do. It's a possibility that they are acting this way because I planted them without untangling their roots. (they were completely root bound.) To test this theory, I have taken a brain strain out of the ground, rinsed the root ball, untangled them and replanted into the existing soil. I also took a brain strain out and dug a 6 gallon hole, filled it with a new soil mix (pro-mix and mushroom compost) rinsed and untangled the root ball and replanted in the ground. I took one out of the ground, rinsed the roots and untangled the root ball and planted it in a 6 gallon bucket with the new soil mix (another experiment) Last but not least I took one of the brain strains that we didn't plant (it was in a 1/2 gal. container) rinsed and untangled the rootball and planted it in a 5 gallon bucket with the new soil mix.

We are going to see what happens with these four subjects. If the plants show major improvement from untangling the roots and planting back into the original soil, then I am planning on doing it to all of them. If they show no improvement in that scenario but do show improvement in the new soil mix. Then I will dig all of them up and add some of that soil into the ground and replant. What happens with this experiment is going to be the deciding factor on what happens with them. (I also used Xnutrients Grow/Micro on all four of them, with some epsom salts watered in as well)

Tweak Sairaxx stopped by today, he is a real cool dude. He took one look at our garden and said "They all look great, they don't look bad. In a couple weeks they are going to show you." lol....a little nice to hear positive things from another's perspective but I'm still skeptical. When I pulled the plants out of the garden (after 16 days) there was very very little new root growth, it looked as if the roots had done nothing at all. You will see the roots in the pictures below.

So the Brain Strain experiment is on. May the best man win! :hell:

Before and after of my home garden plant out (14 days inbetween)

BEFORE

AFTER

Some things are going good.....lol

Beehunter · May 29, 2012

Yea with these new pics id say your plants dont look so bad man. But it is forsure a good idea to untangle the roots a bit! I would think if they were bound up that bad it would be really hard for them to start reaching out into there new home. I hope your experiment sheds some light!

Mezo · May 29, 2012

Is that cabbage in the foreground?

Mezo.

3/5King · May 29, 2012

Yes, why yes it is Mezo. I hope so too Bee!

3/5King said:
Yes, why yes it is Mezo. I hope so too Bee!

oh, wait.....no lol, those are brussel sprouts.

This is my cabbage.....*grin*

Mezo · May 29, 2012

Hang on everyone whilst i give King a big slap round the back his head "SLAP"

You donut King, you have companion planted the biggest aphid, slug, snail attracting plant bang next door to your precious Chilli`s.

Sigh, im shaking my head right now David, pull em up and go bung them in the garbage bin or compost bin if you own one. Then heave a read of companion planting & the number one rule is don't be putting Brassica`s next to your chilli's.

I may not be so shit hot on chilli`s but i know my veggies King.

My knowledge & your generosity is a fair swap me thinks, i reckon ive saved your whole chilli growing season, and if the next door neighbor is growing any Brassica`s this year tip toe out your back yard at 3am & stamp the f**k out of his plants.

Everything loves Brassica, you, me, slugs, bugs, aphids, its sends an aroma for miles around, you just set up a frigging pest magnet for your chilli plants, just go down the supermarket & buy a sodding cabbage.

Mezo.

3/5King · May 29, 2012

well then. This is the first I've heard of this. (Your link brings me right back to here) We will see what happens, that cabbage I am growing for my nephew. It is for a 1000 dollar scholarship if he wins. So I think I will brave it out. Thank you for lookin' out for my chiles Mezo. I am a barnacle for brains.

Mezo · May 29, 2012

3/5King said:
well then. This is the first I've heard of this. (Your link brings me right back to here) We will see what happens, that cabbage I am growing for my nephew. It is for a 1000 dollar scholarship if he wins. So I think I will brave it out. Thank you for lookin' out for my chiles Mezo. I am a barnacle for brains.

Just give him the grand King & carry on pest free with the chilli`s. :rofl:

Im dead serious mate, ill never grow them again anywhere near my other plants, i worked out the cost in loss compared to if i bought it from a supermarket & it was a non brainier.

EDIT: fixed that link, dunno what i did wrong there?

Mezo.

3/5King · May 29, 2012

It's not to eat, the cabbage is for my nephews class contest. Who can grow the biggest. I'd hate to take it out and let him down. My family also has brussel sprouts planted next to them (which I just read is just as bad. So it's not all my decision. Maybe I'll plant some companion plants that deter the pests that they attract lol......geeze, just when I thought things were going well for my home grow....

Mezo · May 29, 2012

Go plonk it in the front yard, im dead serious mate ive grown cabbage, broccoli, brussel`s & they just attracted pests galore. My whole veggie patch last year was wiped out with cabbage moth & other nasty critters (6500 seedlings) who were attracted by the smell.

Not just last year but years before i had the same problem back in Perth (WA)

This year its chilli only, and ill buy my Brassica`s from the shop, anyone else out there can back me up on this?

Mezo.

ColoradoRonin · May 29, 2012

King,
I'm no expert gardener, but I think Mezo is right.
That cabbage will bring them all in.
If you're going to keep it there, build a wall of marigolds in between the good stuff and the cabbage. ( I recall you saying in another post "you were going to go to hell for saying you liked the flower",,, well that cabbage is the devil!)
Plant some basil, dill, sage, or mint nearby to keep all the other pests away.
Here's a link to some good info..
http://permaculture.org.au/2010/07/30/companion-planting-guide/

Pinoy83 · May 29, 2012

i should throw my Brussels sprouts then .... and nice looking plants

3/5King · May 31, 2012

Hey Thanks Colorado. I am thinking of doing that. It will be my great wall of Wauconda.

Thanks PinoyPride, all of these rules. I'm not one for rules but I've seen where that has gotten me in the past. As Bob Dylan said "The times they are a changin'.."

Here's the first chile of the year! (I sold the plant it was on, they're not gettin' my first pep!) It's a Yellow Scotch Bonnet. It tasted good and had a little bit of spice, probably somewhere around cayenne...lol

Plant's are still chillin' nothing much to report. Although the plants that TweakSairaxx brought me have added some good height over the past few days. I think they are going to do very well. I potted them up from the 3x3's they were in, into some 1/2 gallons.

I'm chill now, I know things will get better. Slowly but surely. I am learning a new patience these days... :liar

:

Pinoy83 · May 31, 2012

3/5King said:
Hey Thanks Colorado. I am thinking of doing that. It will be my great wall of Wauconda.

Thanks PinoyPride, all of these rules. I'm not one for rules but I've seen where that has gotten me in the past. As Bob Dylan said "The times they are a changin'.."

Here's the first chile of the year! (I sold the plant it was on, they're not gettin' my first pep!) It's a Yellow Scotch Bonnet. It tasted good and had a little bit of spice, probably somewhere around cayenne...lol

Plant's are still chillin' nothing much to report. Although the plants that TweakSairaxx brought me have added some good height over the past few days. I think they are going to do very well. I potted them up from the 3x3's they were in, into some 1/2 gallons.

I'm chill now, I know things will get better. Slowly but surely. I am learning a new patience these days... :

great job for your first chili pod..means you doing everything right....just more patience and you will be harvesting pounds of those and they just keep on coming :onfire:

Sethsquatch · May 31, 2012

Have you been getting much rain? Too much? That caused some yellowing on my plants. They were really sensitive for the first 3 weeks but seem to be kicking ass now. I think some of it is transfer shock, some of it is who the hell knows. Those leaves almost look like thrip damage.

Your plants did go from roid raging monsters in a controlled environment to the great outdoors though. When I saw a bunch of yellowing, I did a foliar of epsom and that brought them back nicely.

Good luck figuring it out King. I am curious to see what others think.

OH CRAP. GUESS I'M A LITTLE LATE ON THIS POST. When I came to check your update it put me back a page. Shizzle.

Beehunter · May 31, 2012

Yea way to save the first pod

i guess the heat was so low because it wasnt ripe enough? But i like your attitude im sure your plants will make the come back your lookin for, either on there own or with a little guidance. before you know it you will be rollin in pods!

Pulpiteer · May 31, 2012

Sethsquatch said:
They were really sensitive for the first 3 weeks but seem to be kicking ass now. I think some of it is transfer shock, some of it is who the hell knows.

I think you're right with that first several weeks thing Seth. That's what I'm banking on for mine as well. I've got several doing well, but a few that are beat up. However, it takes a bit for the roots to take hold and the plants to adjust, then they're ready to go. So... yeah,the three week thing. I think that's about right. And we'll hold you to it.

(Yeah that's right, I just smiley face winked you. whatcha gonna do about it?)

So hang in there King. I think they'll come around and then you'll be able to make any adjustments from there. Also, I haven't had a ton of problems with cabbage and I've had it the last 3 years. However, as sure as I type that I'll probably be in for a nightmare this year. Anyway, perhaps it's the location where I have them, or maybe just luck, but all I've really had are slugs. Which I like to go out and personally add salt to, by the way. There's nothing like a slug scream at 2 in the morning and then my voice saying - that's right, you tell your friends what happens when you try to steal my food....

3/5King · Jun 5, 2012

I'm hoping for them just needing to adjust....it's been hmmmmm a little over three weeks. They are growing but slowely and still look like shit...lol. ONE plant has new growth that looks perfect! The plants at my house look really good too and didn't take barely anytime to adjust and all have has good new growth (other than the earwigs eating the hell out of them...which I plan to take care of soon) Some of the other plants at my buddies had looked decent the whole way through for the most part. I've got those experiments going on that I will see how they do (one week all of the experimental plants have grown 2-4 inches in height) I didn't check to see how the ones that I left have grown in height....lol. but I really would like to see good leaf growth. I mean height is good, it shows forward progression but the leaves just look like shit...even the new ones....my motto for the year has been "We will see what happens" I say it like 6 times, every time I look at the garden...hahahaha. It's funny because I catch myself doing it....and included is a big SIGH...lol.

Yeah, Beehunter it was a small and green little pepper. Didn't have time to get to it's full heat potential. I've got some pics below of some other peppers that started growing. I plucked them as to let the plant keep it's concentration on veg. growth.

I've been getting average rain here in the IL. Nothing too intense, I think two days that it's rained the whole day and the rest where just sprinkles here and there.

Hope everyone's grow is starting to perk up for them. I'm going to try and catch all of your Glogs after this update. Then maybe go get wood to build an indoor hydro setup.....hehehehe....

Oh, and I bought this powder from RedtailForester. (RedHawksPremiumPeppers I believe) I'll let ya all know how hot it is when I reconstitute it. (All superhot powders to me when just sprinkled on something are not that hot they need to soak in some juices to release all of the heat potential) They taste damn good though. His 1/4 ounce of PAIN (which is made only from the placentas of super hot peppers) is 7.00 bucks. Other wise, other powders are 7.00 bucks an ounce. He tossed in his "Wild Blend" 1/2 ounce for free. Which was very nice of him. I got some Choco Bhut powder and some Seven Pod powder to go along with the PAIN.

Peppers below are; Douglah, Jonah, Datil, Aji Lemon, White Habanero and some type of Bhut Jolokia.