[Cheshire Phill]

Advice please folks on chillis - I have quite a few growing. This year, I spotted some "Growing Success" granular fertiliser, especially for chillis, so thought I'd give it a try.

Was potting up my fave Apaches, from 3" to approx 5-6" pot, the plant is about 4-5" tall.

Well the directions weren't too prescriptive, but I mixed some granules in with the soil (MiracleGro compost), perhaps a couple of tablespoons, and scattered some on the top.

Result? Very sad looking chilli plants, clearly unhappy and dying, I'd say...drooping leaves, going a bit dry at the points.

Guess I overdid it? Was I feeding too early? What do folks normally feed and when? Once flowering? 6" tall? Into final pot? Or do folks not feed at all?

Have re-potted, but I think I'm going to lose this batch  so would appreciate some thoughts from you chilli enthusiasts out there!!

Thanks,

Cheshire Phill

[paintedlady]

I don't use Miraclegro compost but I imagine it already had fertilisers in it to give that boost it boasts about, so basically you added more fertiliser to it.  And you might have been too liberal with the other fertiliser too (was that 2 tablespoon per 6" pot or did I get that wrong?).  And, additional feeding usually only necessary when the flowers/fruit are set so you got a bit ahead of yourself.

To be honest, it could have been anything - a little root disturbance, over watering, temperature drop ....

[Ice]

I'd have said "killed with kindness" too I'm afraid.  Mine only get fed when the flowers set and I use tomato fertiliser.

[titch]

i do the same as ice, until the flowers set there should be enough in the compost i would have thought.

Would it be worth at all transplanting them to some new compost? just a thought, might save them, cant do any worse can it (but i am a newbie not an expert, so dont listen to me )

[kermit]

Yea, I neglected mine big time last year - just some peat free compost, pretty small tub and then tomato feed when I remembered (but only after flowers appeared) - huuuge yield 

[Ice]

I learned last year from this forum that they need to be stressed in order to give good results.  Mine were overwatered and overfed and never had any heat at all despite being a hot variety.

[peapod]

I learned last year from this forum that they need to be stressed in order to give good results.  Mine were overwatered and overfed and never had any heat at all despite being a hot variety.

I read that too, so Ive don the opposite and underwatered, and will feed when I remember to

[Cheshire Phill]

Thanks for all of the replies, might save 'em they haven't died yet!!

Will not feed any of the others until flowering and beyond....

Cheshire Phill

[Yabba]

Mine get watered when the leaves start to droop and fed when I remember



¥

[sunshineband]

Mine get watered when the leaves start to droop and fed when I remember



¥

Wow! are these your plants this year  Fabulous 

[vortex444]

the more you treat chillis with disrespect they will love you more........

they are so easy just water when they get very dry and feed when flowers are set then dont talk to um or nothing else and they give you bumper crops

[peapod]

I hope you know that Im relying on all this advice! 

[Yabba]

the more you treat chillis with disrespect they will love you more

Apparently my chillis have a St Yabba day ... rumour has it that *if* they can get enough believers then a better carer will come along

Wow! are these your plants this year  Fabulous 

That was 2 of my plants last week, got a few more in flower now

It's my first year growing chilli peppers but I'm pretty sure it won't be my last

I hope you know that Im relying on all this advice! 

You should know better

¥

[Jock]

My chillis from last year, growing a lot more this year as I was successful in saving lots of seed.

[mumofstig]

Yabba what variety are the peppers with pretty mauve flowers...they're almost the same colour as my aubergines