peppers

Roger Dettmer

My attempts to grow green and red peppers in my greenhouse are proving a total failure. I've been trying for three years now and every year my plants are plagued by small holes in the leaves and in the peppers - see below:

 The holes are about an eight of an inch in diameter, and result in small and misshapen peepers

I've never been about to find the 'bug' responable, although the hole size would suggest it isn't that small, and cleaning the greenhouse and spraying with 'Bug Clear' has had no effect.

My tomatoes, in the same greenhouse seem unaffected.

Any ideas anyone?

Roger Dettmer

chicky

My chillis get munched on by slugs - but your holes look a bit neat for them.

Italophile

Caterpillars. Bug Clear is a contact spray. You'd have to hit the pests to kill them. It has no residual effects.

You've got two options. Either check for them, best at night with a torch, looking on both sides of the leaves and around the stems, or spray with something like DiPel. DiPel - that's only one of the brand names - is an organic spray with Bacillus thuringiensis, bacteria derived from soil, as its active ingredient. It's harmless to everything except caterpillars and has residual properties, meaning it remains active after spraying. You need to spray both sides of the leaves.

It's also the best anti-caterpillar spray for tomatoes.

Welshonion

Usually slugs or snails.  Have you put out pellets?  Sweep your hand round the pots, in the holes at the base of the pots, under the bench, you are bound to find them if you search.

Roger Dettmer

Thanks for the helpful responses. As a first step I'll try putting out slug pellets.

I'll report on progress.

 

Regards

Roger D