2021 Season Chilli Growing

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Could this has been caused by use of liquid soap on the leaves?

Little pools of water left on leaves can act as lenses and focus sunlight, I'd suspect that given the shape and position of the discoloured patches, looks like they're local low points that water may have pooled in for a while after watering.
 
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Horrendous weather here last night with some strong winds and lashing rain.
Our little container garden on the balcony seems to have survived though, I was worried the overwintered bonnet might have bit the dust.
The coldframe is still standing and the plants seems to be doing well in there. No adverse effects from the homemade self watering tubs as of yet so hopefully they are woking nicely.
Growth overall still feels pretty slow but I guess that is down to outdoor temps & light levels.
 
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Spoke to a friend this morning who said he couldn't get neem oil commercially (he was horticulture manager at a local uni) and apparently there are some potential health hazards to humans? I didn't know about this as all the Google results seemed to promote it. He suggested boiling a rhubarb leaf, straining the water and diluting it to spray on the chillies as a natural insecticide.

I think I'll try that as this neem stuff really stinks and if it does have an impact on human health I'd like to phase it out asap :rolleyes:

Will keep everyone posted on the rhubarb results.
 
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@Cadder Interesting update, certainly most of the info out there is missing any kind of specifics with regards to it being hazardous.
Seems from a bit of browsing that common sense would prevent any adverse effects i.e. do not ingest orally or inhale, wash from skin / eyes immediately and as ever contact a doctor if you feel unwell but this is still not exact.

I have only ever used it outdoors in a well ventilated space so can understand you reservations if using it inside and the smell is persisting. On the plus side there are a lot of other natural insecticides you can try (Neem is natural itself just highly refined). Let us know how you get on, I have a a tiny rhubarb patch and the leaves normally go in the composter but i'd definitely brewing a few up to keep pests at bay if it is effective!
 

bJN

bJN

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Neem oil is only (potentially) toxic if you ingest it, I wouldn't be worried. Likewise with rhubarb leaves, also potentially toxic if you ingest them. A bit of common sense and some ventilation means there's nothing to worry about.
 
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While I'm sourcing rhubarb (all of this is an experiment) here is a photo from our baby, the Naga Viper, being repotted:

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Not bad aside from the spinach leaf effect. Should I be concerned about the brown midribs?
 
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Hey @Cadder Nice little root ball on that Naga Viper!
Looking very healthy for this point in the season I would say.
I wouldn't worry too much about the wrinkly leaves, mine are in the same state.
I have tried to "cure" it before with various fertiliser concoctions based on guess work from nutrient deficiency charts but it has only ever made my plants worse.
If anyone out there does know exactly why this happens and how to stop it I would be very keen to learn!
 
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Hey @Cadder Nice little root ball on that Naga Viper!
Looking very healthy for this point in the season I would say.
I wouldn't worry too much about the wrinkly leaves, mine are in the same state.
I have tried to "cure" it before with various fertiliser concoctions based on guess work from nutrient deficiency charts but it has only ever made my plants worse.
If anyone out there does know exactly why this happens and how to stop it I would be very keen to learn!

Yeah I'm not too fussed about the wrinkly-ness of them as I just assumed it was the soap causing that. I am a bit concerned about how brown the midribs on the leaves are getting. It is spreading to some veins too. Are they dead?
 
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I am a bit concerned about how brown the midribs on the leaves are getting. It is spreading to some veins too. Are they dead?

I think that those leaves will eventually die off, but the majority of leaves look healthy. You can see on my Jalapeno has some brown ribbing...and its had no soap treatment.


rotters
 
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yup I'm with Rotters, I think this is just normal leaf ageing and not a nutrient / pest / infection problem.
So long as you have nice healthy new growth coming through then nothing. to worry about I wouldn't have thought.
If they get really ropey then you can always do a bit of pruning.
 
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Ive got 6 in the ground.
I just thought I'd take that out of context here :D

Mine are all growing well, had to chop another couple huge leaves off. I'll have to write some nicer name tags as I've forgotten which is which and the tags they came with are out of sight. Several flowers on the Sainsburys kids, and a few tiny buds on the others.
 
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