What you can learnA useful failure diary showing backup planting, attempted stem repair, malformed reproductive growth, and uncertainty about pathogen diagnosis.
Actions:1 Training1 Planting1 Equipment
Useful practices
taping a damaged stem
starting backup pods
checking filters while troubleshooting
ending a suspected infected grow rather than continuing
Problems encountered
snapped Aleppo stem
failed Sheepsnose germination
uncertain plant labels
malformed flower buds
fruit splitting and blackening
general decline
*The days were calculated automatically and approximately.
Day 38
UPDATE#5
Grower update
Update #5
🔧Actions taken
🔧EquipmentInspected the AeroGarden filters while troubleshooting plant decline.
It's hard to get a good shot - they're tiny! Both peppers seem less robust than a few weeks ago - the leaves aren't as deep a green, and they're more droopy than before. I have four days until my next feeding; maybe that will help. I checked the filters, and they look clean.It also looks like one of the new peppers split open! Male flowers, perhaps? A healthy young pepper: And a maybe not-so-healthy young pepper:
Mirasol Peppers are supposed to resemble Thai chiles in that they grow in bunches in an upward manner. The appearance is similar, but the Mirasol isn't as hot. I haven't grown these, though. Are you sure these are Mirasol? Mirasol's also take a long time to grow, over 100 days.
I can't answer your questions, kanewai . But I have never seen such detailed close-ups of pepper parts before. I didn't even recognize what I was looking up. The split open pepper is a real mystery. It looks like odd seeds inside to me. Please keep us posted.
At this point I'm pretty sure a pathogen has infected both my peppers. There hasn't been new growth on either in a few weeks, the old growth looks wilted, and both varieties have little gnarled buds. The three fruits on the mirasol have all split open & then turned black and shriveled. The old leaves continue to grow larger, though. I can't identify the culprit. It reminds me, of all things, of the bunchy top virus, a disease here that affects bananas. I'll try chile peppers again, but at this point I think I'll wash the unit & use it for herbs. I have a couple pods on reserve that I'd like to try.
I'm not sure what is going on here.The mirasol pepper has a lot of these tiny gnarled buds. Sometimes I think I see really tiny flowers, but they're hard too make out. Many have since fallen off. Last week I had actual flowers, and these now have tiny fruits going. I don't know if these are male and female flowers (in which case, I need more females!) or if this is a disease.Either way, I hope it flowers again! I've been reading through the how-to guides to see what I can do.
It is hard to tell as that part is a bit blurred. Can you get more shots and maybe a whole plant so we can see the size and where they are actually happening?
I have flower buds after only 40 days on the mirasol pepper! I haven't had to raise the lights yet; maybe this one will stay nice and compact. These chiles grow upward from the top of the plant (mira sol = "looks at the sun"). I need to read up on how to help them pollinate once the flowers open.
For tomatoes and peppers, I just shake the plant. That is all it needs. But you can use a Be the Bee or electric toothbrush if you prefer. That might be better if the plant is brittle.
If you shake, be gentle. Some plants are more delicate then others. You can use the Be the Bee as Sher suggested. Or you can get a battery operated toothbrush and use the back side. I do suggest if you use this method to remove all the bristles first as they can ruin the bud/flower.
Day 13
UPDATE#2
Grower update
Update #2
🔧Actions taken
🪴TrainingTaped a partly snapped Aleppo stem together in an attempt to save it.
🌱PlantingPlanted a backup Aleppo pod and a second Sheepsnose pod.
My Aleppo (left) and mirasol (right) peppers after one month.I thought I had killed the Aleppo a few weeks ago - I was putting in another pod, brushed it, and the stalk snapped. It was hanging by a thread. I taped it back together, and that seems to have worked.Meanwhile, I planted another pod with Aleppo, just in case it wouldn't survive. I also planted a second pod with sheepsnose pepper, since that hadn't germinated. And I didn't label well, and now my organizational skills have failed me - I see a new pepper coming up, and I have no idea which one it is. I hope it's one of the sheepnose, since the reviews here are so positive & it sounds perfect for me.I had thought herbs would grow faster than peppers, but I was wrong about that! My idea to get one herb harvest in before the peppers blocked the light isn't going to happen. I do have two little guys coming in, culantro and pipicha (my second pod; I love this herb). Both are cilantro-like, and will go great in guacamoles and salsas verde. The culantro is supposed to like semi-shade, and the pipicha grows tall and thin, so I think they might be good co-inhabitants.On a whim, I cut the roots off a cilantro plant from the grocery store & stuck it in a sponge. We'll see if that works. I had tried to plant cilantro in a pot outside the AG, but it didn't survive. No shock there - I have had a very hard time growing traditional cilantro by any method.
Wow! I am impressed that you were able to tape the plant and it survived. Hats off to you for your life-saving skills. I would have never even tried that. I learn something new everyday!
I might have posted too soon - the plant got heavy, and finally snapped this morning. I think if I had taped it tighter it might have worked. Luckily, it looks like the second one is coming up strong. I'm not going to touch it.
That is a bummer it did not work! I had to do a similar fix on some container tomatoes over the summer. A huge storm knocked over some pots and a few others were so heavy with fruit the branches on 3 or 4 were broken or about to snap. I used some medical tape. Some of the branches survived; some did not. At least you have the backup!
Well hello little guy. The mirasol pepper at 18 days. He sprouted after ten days. This is a Mexican pepper that is medium-spicy. The plants should only grow 30 inches, and the peppers themselves will be three to four inches. And this is my Aleppo pepper at 18 days. He sprouted quickly, after only six days. Smoked and dried Aleppo pepper is the best; I've never had it fresh. And finally, I'm still waiting on my sheepnose to sprout. It's been 16 days. I might keep the pod in, in case the seeds are taking their time, but plant a second pod as back up.And in the same Bounty: pápalo, a strong Mexican herb that has a part citrus, part cilantro flavor. They use it in sandwiches in Puebla, and in salsa verde in other regions. I've grown it before, and love the flavor. I've shared it with friends, who seemed less impressed.
So happy for you! The peppers look great! Some things are just an acquired taste. My first taste of avocado tasted like soap. And cilantro tasted vile. Now I love them both. Maybe your friends will eventually come around.