Day 69
UPDATE#9
Grower update
Update #9
Actions taken
HarvestPicked the remaining peppers before placing them into pickling brine.
They are picked and will go into the pickling brine today.
GrowLog
Terminated EarlySweet Banana Peppers Harvested Early after Insect Infestation
Grow log by Sher · Original thread
9 visual updates12 photos32 replies
View recapCrop🌶️Pepper
VarietySweet Banana pepper
MethodAeroGarden hydroponics, improvised hydroponic lighting
EquipmentAeroGarden Bounty bowl, airstone, AeroGarden grow-light panel
Plants2
AudienceAdvanced
What you can learnA detailed pepper failure-and-salvage diary with improvised equipment, reservoir accidents, canopy opening, pest treatment, early harvest, and disposal hygiene.
Actions:1 Solution1 Pruning1 Pests1 Harvest
Useful practices
- improvising a light over a Bounty bowl
- keeping a spare seedling
- heavy defoliation for light penetration
- using Sevin for a severe infestation
- washing and pickling an emergency harvest
- sealing an infested plant before disposal
Problems encountered
- broken Bounty base
- plant broken during reservoir service
- pump accidentally left unplugged
- severe leaf-egg infestation
- yellow mottling
- fruit harvested before red ripeness
*The days were calculated automatically and approximately.
Conversation
S
YUM
L
Aren't the banana peppers amazing? Yours are lovely. They add great flavor and crunch to any sandwich that can use lettuce or sprouts. With my next batch, I'm going to let them ripen on the countertop. I lik the orange ones, but I read somewhere that leaving peppers to ripen on the plant will reduce yields.
S
I wanted to let some of them turn red, but the plant's health was declining too quickly. But it's true -- the more you pick, the more they produce.
Day 68
UPDATE#8
Grower update
Update #8
Actions taken
PestsThoroughly treated the egg-infested pepper plant with Sevin.
Leaving the windows open for several days had severe consequences. Bugs got through the screens and laid eggs under almost every leaf. I soaked the plant in Sevin, and I hope this picture is of dead eggs. The photo of the plant doesn't show the terrible yellow mottling of the plant very well, but it looks pathetic. I wanted to see some of the peppers turn red. But they will get picked today, scrubbed in soapy water and rinsed well to remove any Sevin on them, then the plant will be put in an airtight bag and thrown into the trash. So far I have seen no eggs on any of my other plants, so peppers must be their favorite.
Conversation
S
That is not good. I am sorry the bugs got in. When I open the windows I keep my bug juice on the table near the Farms and on the kitchen counter to it catches any fruit flies or gnats. I do not know if any other insects get in. I also have this bug spray (without deet) that I spray on the screens so that also helps the bugs not get in.
S
Spraying the screens is a VERY smart idea. I will copy you the next time I open the windows.
C
Mikey uses a big sprayer on the hose to spray the perimeter of the house and the screens too. It lasts for a while. Particularly useful during stink bug season! I'm so sorry Sher! I can imagine the disappointment.
L
Sher , that looks like it could be edema--not bugs. My banana pepper has edema, and it produces well, anyway. When I first saw the edema, I thought that it might be bugs, because of the raised stuff under the leaf and the mottling on top. Of course, if you can see eggs, it is bugs. Clearing out unneeded leaves to improve air circulation helps with the edema on my peppers.
E
My banana peppers took forever to sprout (day 32)
S
Welcome~ That is a long time but you let them do their thing and they grew (or are they still growing)?
E
Still growing.
Day 64
UPDATE#7
Grower update
Update #7
They are putting on peppers really fast now.
Conversation
L
Banana peppers seem to grow really, really fast! Yours are behaving like my banana pepper (aka "Poblano"). AG did me a favor by sending the banana pepper in a mislabeled pod, because it would have been ages before I ever tried to grow banana peppers.H and I both love the pickled banana peppers in sandwiches or as a relish with dinner. The one plant is keeping us supplied.
S
lynnee , I am saving the juice from commercial pickled peppers and giardienera (sp?) to slice some of mine into for refrigerator pickles that will be eaten within a week, thanks to your idea.
Day 62
UPDATE#6
Grower update
Update #6
Actions taken
PruningRemoved most foliage so light could reach lower growth.
I have almost defoliated this plant to let light through to the lower levels. But it keeps putting on new flowers.
Conversation
S
Wow they grew fast
Day 52
UPDATE#5
Grower update
Update #5
Look what I see!
Conversation
S
I see another one up and to the left too
S
I did it again. Forgot to plug in the pump on the peppers and the water looked scummy and nasty. So I did an unplanned R&R -- AND PLUGGED THE PUMP IN!
S
I actually have a post it I put on the unit now when I do an R&R so I do not forget.. but still have a couple of times LOL
Day 47
UPDATE#4
Grower update
Update #4
Actions taken
SolutionServiced the reservoir during the incident that broke one plant.
I broke one plant off doing an R&R, but had a spare in another machine. It seems that the pepper I had almost given up on is going to produce after all. Anyway, it's putting on flowers!
Conversation
S
Looks like you will have many peppers
L
Your banana peppers look just like mine. Are they from the seed packet, or from Aerogarden? Banana peppers seem to be great producers. My "poblano" aka banana pepper has lots more peppers and blooms. It's on its third harvest. The peppers taste good, too, especially in sandwiches (raw or pickled).
S
lynnee, my seeds are from Everwilde. I am ready for a pepper that produces lots of good tasting peppers!
S
I am waiting for some good tasting peppers too. Mine appear to be producing, we shall see. I hope your over produce
S
Me, too. Yours too!
Day 37
UPDATE#3
Grower update
Update #3
I had not noticed any flowers on these plants, but they sneaked one baby pepper on me already way over on the left.
Day 15
UPDATE#2
Grower update
Update #2
The little peppers will need to be separated soon. I plan to try growing two plants in the Bounty. If it gets too crowded, I will remove one.
Day 1
UPDATE#1
Grower update
Update #1
I had planned to plant these in a Bounty today, then I remembered I had broken that Bounty's base by dropping it. So I will use an airstone and rig up one of my Aerogarden grow light panels above the bowl somehow, and hopefully get two pepper plants started today.
Conversation
A
Lets see the damage, maybe I can walk you through a repair.
S
Thanks, airscapes, but it is already in the landfill by now.
A
Oh well.. for the light panels I use these, they really are great to have on hand.. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B088R9P6DT/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1