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overwintering Winter-Summer in OZ "Comparison" / Aussie Blabberers
- Thread starter Nova
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If it is stuck right up to its neck in the helmet then you got problems. Continually wetting it usually works but sometimes it can cause the leaves inside the helmet to rot. If you leave it too long the neck can weaken so that as soon as you touch it... OFF GOES HIS HEAD 
I have left it too long to operate, managed to get the seed case off but the leaves were rotten and the whole thing died.
If there is a small bit of the first two leaves showing outside the seed case then you can even take off most of the seed leaves and it will grow new ones. If you take off the neck then it will grow a stem for a while and then die. I have done all these above scenarios.
I find the best method is to wet it regularly and give it a chance to get free. If it can't then, squeeze the edges of the seed case together with tweezers. If that doesn't do it then use nail clippers to cut around the the edges. Pretend you are taking the crust off a pizza. Then do the tweezers again and it should fall away then. It doesn't matter if you clip small slivers of the imprisioned leaves.
I have left it too long to operate, managed to get the seed case off but the leaves were rotten and the whole thing died. If there is a small bit of the first two leaves showing outside the seed case then you can even take off most of the seed leaves and it will grow new ones. If you take off the neck then it will grow a stem for a while and then die. I have done all these above scenarios.
I find the best method is to wet it regularly and give it a chance to get free. If it can't then, squeeze the edges of the seed case together with tweezers. If that doesn't do it then use nail clippers to cut around the the edges. Pretend you are taking the crust off a pizza. Then do the tweezers again and it should fall away then. It doesn't matter if you clip small slivers of the imprisioned leaves.
Exactly how I do it too!
I've also found that a little damage to the leaves doesn't hurt as well. In fact, a couple times I've actually taken the leaves clean off and the plant has still grown. The main thing is that the head stays intact!
good luck to the little fellow, hope there wont be a funeral for him tomorrow
Very interesting.... I just went and got another bag of the same potting mix and tested the pH of it by itself and it measured around 6.0-6.5. Equally as interesting, while the majority of the batch I mixed the other day is still measuring around 8.0, I took some more samples from the plants I potted up into it too and I am now getting mixed readings between 6.0-8.0 (it seems as though the mix may indeed need time to settle.... and is hopefully dropping down into the 6.0-6.5 range).
I'm thinking now that it might be the peat coir with the high pH. Has anyone ever tested the pH of peat coir?
I'm thinking now that it might be the peat coir with the high pH. Has anyone ever tested the pH of peat coir?
Another thing just occurred to me.... could be my water affecting the pH reading. 
The bulk of the batch is still very moist from expanding the coir but the soil in the pots is already drying out a little.
Off to wet some "good" soil and test it and see what happens....
The bulk of the batch is still very moist from expanding the coir but the soil in the pots is already drying out a little.
Off to wet some "good" soil and test it and see what happens....
It has been raining constantly all day and it is forecast to rain all week. I wonder if that will affect the pH of my raised beds and pots. I just gave them some chilli focus a few days ago as well as some other stuff.
Will all the ferts flush out? Should I go and full dose them again in a week? What does everyone think?
Edit: I can't comment on pH readings.. I have the cheapest tester and never seem to get consistent readings.
I read that if you are buying bagged compost (probably applies the same for potting mix) you should get a blend of different types because they are usually a byproduct of single industry and will have a biased nutrient ratio.
Will all the ferts flush out? Should I go and full dose them again in a week? What does everyone think?
Edit: I can't comment on pH readings.. I have the cheapest tester and never seem to get consistent readings.
I read that if you are buying bagged compost (probably applies the same for potting mix) you should get a blend of different types because they are usually a byproduct of single industry and will have a biased nutrient ratio.
How often are you supposed (according to bottle directions) to give them a feed??
If it is every 2 weeks anyway and it rains all week and then you give them another feed it will be around 10 days since there last feed is that right?
If so I would simply give them another full strength feed at the 10 day mark. With all the leaching from the rain I don't think you will hurt them
(This is Based on my limited growing knowledge of Annuum Varieties in Containers on the Gold Coast and overall general plant growing knowledge in a much consistently wetter climate then anything in mainland Australia ie. the West Coast of New Zealand).
That's actually something I've always wondered about too.
Not too worried when I use Dynamic Lifter pellets as they are slow release and are always sitting there in the soil doing their thang, but usually when my plants are still young, I rely solely on liquid nutes.
It wouldn't hurt if you do give them another dose, it's a bit hard to overdose on that stuff. But you don't want your plants too wet all the time (although you can't really help it when it's raining) so if they don't need another water don't bother. If they are in good soil/potting mix you will be fine to wait. It would more be if they were in a medium that contains no nutrients or doesn't hold them very well that you would really want to give them a dose.
Rain water is actually the best water to give your plants and the ph is pretty good. they always say to try and water with rain water if possible.
Rain water is actually the best water to give your plants and the ph is pretty good. they always say to try and water with rain water if possible.
RIP little seedling 
On a more positive note for myself...
I have a new arrival another Bonda Ma Jacques has decided his time was right to head to the surface.. so I now have 2 of them underway ... Still no sign of the Dorset Naga or Yellow 7pot/pods that were planted earlier or the Hot Cherry's (YET I am still hopeful).
The yellowing of the new growth on my Aji Lemons doesn't seem to have improved much even with some light nutes so I may have to start some new ones of them in a week or so (once I have room in the propagation box)
On a more positive note for myself...
I have a new arrival another Bonda Ma Jacques has decided his time was right to head to the surface.. so I now have 2 of them underway ... Still no sign of the Dorset Naga or Yellow 7pot/pods that were planted earlier or the Hot Cherry's (YET I am still hopeful).
The yellowing of the new growth on my Aji Lemons doesn't seem to have improved much even with some light nutes so I may have to start some new ones of them in a week or so (once I have room in the propagation box)
Don't give up hope just yet, bro! Seriously, I've taken the cotyledons clean off while attempting to remove a helmet once and had the plant survive/grow.....