Chilli progress report

Latest post from MARKSVEGPLOT – a blog about food and gardening in England”

My chillis are not doing very well this year. I have had massive problems with aphids. I have tried everything to defeat them – proprietary bug-sprays, home-made garlic-water, brushing the insects off with a small paintbrush, etc, etc. Nothing seems to work! At best I have reduced the problem. Only one of the plants looks as good as I would like – the “Brazilian Starfish”, which is shaping up to be enormous.

The other plants seem to be just surviving, and growing painfully slowly.

Last week I thought that a couple of the plants had died, because they suddenly lost most of their leaves. This is probably the result of a chemical build-up caused by the repeated spraying. This one is “Calico”:

It’s a really sorry sight, isn’t it? I don’t think the plant is dead, because there are some little shoots growing out of the leaf-axils, so it may still recover. Fortunately, I have another “Calico” plant, which seems to be OK.

These plants would benefit a lot from some time spent outdoors in full sunshine, and a bit of fresh air. Unfortunately it is has been so windy that I have not dared take them outside. This is a pity, because it has been bright and sunny most days for the last couple of weeks.

Do you remember that last year I had problems with compost contaminated with weedkiller? Well, I think I may have the same issue again – though as yet not a severe case. Look at this. It is a “Cayenne” plant, looking a bit sorry for itself.

Now look closer. See that puckered leaf in the centre of the photo? That could be a sign of weedkiller contamination.

What about this — “Bolivian Rainbow”. Look at the leaves.

Do you see how several of the leaves are rolled inwards?

Now maybe I’m over-reacting. It could just be the results of the aphids’ sap-sucking antics, but it could also be a compost-contamination symptom.

Circumstantial evidence suggests that if the damage is aphid-related, then aphids are not so keen on the very hot chillis. This one is “Orange Habanero” (very hot), which looks unaffected.

To read more articles like this, on Gardening and Gastronomy, please visit * http://marksvegplot.blogspot.com/ *

Source: http://marksvegplot.blogspot.com/2015/04/chilli-progress-report.html