Day 84
UPDATE#10
Grower update
Update #10
It appears the bugs are really gone! I hope for good.
GrowLog
SuccessfulPretty 'n Sweet Ornamedible Peppers with Heavy Bud Drop and Aphids
Grow log by Sher · Original thread
10 visual updates12 photos32 replies
View recapCrop🌶️Pepper
VarietyPretty 'n Sweet Ornamedible Pepper
MethodKratky hydroponics, AeroGarden hydroponics
EquipmentAeroGarden Bounty units
Plants2
AudienceAdvanced
What you can learnA detailed mixed-result pepper diary with cross-system transplanting, overfeeding symptoms, prolific fruiting, severe bud drop, pest treatment, flavour review, and aphid-driven disposal.
Actions:1 Transplant1 Nutrients1 Pests
Useful practices
- moving a Kratky-grown pepper into a Bounty
- changing reservoir water after overfeeding
- using neem oil and diatomaceous earth against insects
- adding indirect air movement
- taste-testing ripe peppers
- discarding infested plants
Problems encountered
- overfertilisation
- upcurled leaves
- white insect infestation
- extreme bud drop
- poor pollination or airflow
- aphid eggs on distorted leaves
*The days were calculated automatically and approximately.
Conversation
E
Those look beautiful! If it weren't for the leaves, I could have mistaken them for tomatoes at first glance.
S
Thank you, ERR0R1755!
S
You have a lot of peppers on that plant. I like the different stages of ripening
S
I tasted two of the ripe ones. They are very thick-walled and taste exactly like Sweet Heats without any heat. But they are smaller and seedier.
S
Several of the leaves on the smaller plant became distorted and misshapen in one day. I picked those leaves off, and they were crusted with insect eggs. These plants are going in the trash today.
S
I identified the eggs that were on the bottom of the leaves by doing an image search. APHIDS! Scores of eggs! So far that particular pest is not on my baby bells.
S
Ugh, I am so sorry. I wish this did not happen.
Day 76
UPDATE#9
Grower update
Update #9
Actions taken
PestsTreated the insect problem with diatomaceous earth.
I am a little disappointed in this pepper. It drops a phenomenal amount of buds. At least two dozen a day. Also I am fighting bugs -- now with diatomaceous earth. The small plant on the right was started later. It is catching up in size, but has never been as strong as the one on the left. If it has the gorgeous color peppers it is supposed to get, then it will eventually be worth the struggle.
Conversation
S
Are the temps in that room fluctuating a lot? Any direct breeze on the plants? Usually the main cause of dropping buds is a temperature fluctuation. They like a steady warm temp. Also no direct fans that are blowing super strong. Another reason can be lack or poor pollination of the flowers. Also poor circulation. So while no direct high blowing fans, you can use fans to circulate the air in that area. Lastly, they say too much nitrogen can also cause this. However, low fertility and low moisture levels can also result in poor flowering, bud drop and stunted growth. It is said (I have no knowledge if this works or not) adding a teaspoon of Epsom salt to a quart of water and apply to plants to help improve fruit set. Oh I almost forgot too high or too low humidity levels can also cause it.
S
Shawn, it is in a kitchen corner where the temperatures don't fluctuate much. I add CalMag, so it gets the magnesium that Epsom salts would provide. It most probably is poor pollination and poor air circulation. I have a small 4" fan that I can use to indirectly bounce air off the walls onto it. Thank you for the suggestions.
H
I'm impressed with how short and round your pepper plants are. They really look good. Too bad for the bugs though :( Do you know what they are?
S
Thanks, hakaku. No, I don't know what the bugs are, but all my plants look better after the diatomaceous earth treatment. I thought my alyssum and nemesia were under nourished due to yellowing and curling leaves. But now they are looking green and much healthier since the bug treatment.
S
Those darn bugs.. glad they are gone!
Day 71
UPDATE#8
Grower update
Update #8
This is the most non-photogenic project I have grown so far. It is loaded with peppers, but they are so deeply set into the foliage that they are almost invisible. It also is one of those peppers that sheds a great number of buds. There is a smaller one to the right of this one that was started later. It is just beginning to bud. I hope it will be more eye catching.
Conversation
S
I can see the peppers. Try turning the lights on the machine off and using a flash to take the picture. SOMETIMES that works in getting the peppers to show.
Day 62
UPDATE#7
Grower update
Update #7
They were right when they advertised this pepper as being prolific.
Day 55
UPDATE#6
Grower update
Update #6
The little peppers are starting their color change.
Day 49
UPDATE#5
Grower update
Update #5
Actions taken
NutrientsReported having overfed the plant, producing upcurled leaves.
I have little peppers! I have also over fertilized this plant, as evidenced by the upcurled leaves. Will change the water today. I also noticed, when I saw this picture, that I have white bugs. Apparently I have an infestation in my house. I am guessing they came in on the little Norfolk Island Pine that Ron brought home for a Christmas tree.
Conversation
S
I hope you can get rid of them all. I would hate for you to have to dump all the projects and fully sanitize of everything.
S
I am going to do R&R's on all the Aerogardens today and soak each leaf with neem oil.
S
Just be careful as you do not know where else the bugs may have laid eggs in the home. I know with aphids, members have ended their projects, thrown out all the plants, did deep cleanings and then waited at least a week or two to start up again.
S
Yikes!!!
Day 29
UPDATE#4
Grower update
Update #4
The first plant is budding. I am really excited about this pepper variety!
Day 20
UPDATE#3
Grower update
Update #3
I really like the shape of the plant so far.
Conversation
S
Nice and that deck is so clean too.
U
Not only does the color combo attract me to this variety, but also the ad which says this little pepper has substantial walls for eating. So many small peppers are great for sauces, but the seeds are too plentiful to enjoy for raw eating. I find a lot of seeds and ribs and thin walls disappointing. But this seems to promise me more 'meat'.
S
I planted seeds for two more of these peppers in another Bounty tonight. i may have to thin it to one later. We'll see how it goes. They look kind of like the ones we buy in bags at the supermarket, and we can never have too many. If I get more than we can use, I will dehydrate them and use them in various dishes later.
Day 11
UPDATE#2
Grower update
Update #2
These little peppers are putting out so many side branches on their own, I definitely will not need to top them.
Conversation
S
Looking great Sher
Day 1
UPDATE#1
Grower update
Update #1
Actions taken
TransplantTransferred the young pepper from a Kratky container into a Bounty.
I just transplanted this little pepper from Kratky into a Bounty. I hope it lives up to the AAS blurb!
Conversation
U
If it were my project and it grew that pretty, I would NEVER eat them, but just let them brighten up everything around! So pretty!
E
If you want to grow something similar in the future and don't want a hybrid (so you can save seeds and grow it again and again), look into bird (or bird's eye) peppers. Just don't do what I did and try to grow it in a Harvest I just picked up a bunch of pepper seeds and started germinated some, looking forward to seeing how they turn out