Problems with peppers

[Primrose]

I'm having problems with my peppers (now outdoors) this year - can anybody help?

Firstly, the leaves are turning a paler green than usual. They're in 10" pots; compost used was from growbags with a few chicken manure pellets mixed in. First fruits are now forming and I'm giving them a weekly feed with Tomorite.

Secondly, something is eating into some of the fruits at the top end near the stalk, leaving a hole which is causing the fruit to wither and rot.

Have never suffered these problems in previous years, so unsure how to put things right.

[Nature's Babe]

Try this spray Primrose, to get rid of the pests.

mix 2 tablespoons of cayenne pepper with a few drops of liquid hand soap in one quart of water. Use liquid hand soap, not dish soap or any kind of detergent. Let the mixture stand overnight and stir it up in the morning. Pour into a spray bottle. Shake frequently during application.

or if you have some hot peppers blitz a few in two pints of hot water, stand overnight, strain and spray, effective and cheaper than chemical stuff
....don't get it in your eyes though be careful, that should sort the little critters out. Wash the peppers well before use.

Not sure what the pest is though this is effective against most pests, have you seen any?

[Geoff]

I've had that problem in the past. I've found a short plump caterpillar sort of camouflage coloured on the plant but not in the hole which I assume is the culprit. Don't know what they are though.

[Ian in Cumbria]

I'm intererested in this thread because some of my greenhouse peppers have significantly lighter green leaves than the others. I've no bug problem (perhaps I should touch wood!) and the plants look healthy otherwise - just starting to set. The only cause I can come up with is that I was away for a few days and a friend watered for me. The plants were kept far wetter than I would have kept them. Could this be the cause? or some form of mineral shortage?

Regards

Ian

[Ian in Cumbria]

An update. The pale green leaves are dropping off, but the good news is that new leaves are growing from stem where the old leaf was. These look healthy as do the plants in general. I would say it has affected maybe a third of all the leaves on the plants (so far, though the ones at the top don't seem to be affected at all). Fruit is setting and swelling so .....

Regards

Ian

[Redfox]

I had the same problem 2 yrs ago, could,'t find what was causing it though. I gave my green house a good clean and used a sulfur candle in it and haven't had any problems since.

[Nature's Babe]

Watering is tricky with pepper plants, they are not drought tolerant nor to they like overwatering, I find adding water gel crystals to the planting medium if in pots and mulching the top helps even out watering.