[CH] Seedling Flowers and soap stuff
Szwaya, Mike (MikeS@BES.CI.PORTLAND.OR.US)
Fri, 21 May 1999 15:15:40 -0700
Hi all-
I've got a couple questions for the group. I started a few plants from seed
earlier this spring trying to get a jump start on the wet northwest weather
this year. I started about 5 each of Thai Dragon, Franciscan, Piquin, and 2
varieties of cayenne under a 400w indoor light with a 12h on/off timer
cycle. They all seem to be doing well but I'll say that this will be the
last time I use peat pots for starters. It's a constant battle to keep them
from drying out. It's only been in the past week or so that the weather's
been nice enough to begin to take them outside to begin hardening them off.
There's a wicked rumor (yes, I lived in Boston long enough to pick 'wicked'
up) that it might not rain this weekend but we'll see.
But my first question is this: I transplanted them all to 4" pots a few
weeks ago and they've been pretty happy since. Just recently, about 3 or 4
of the Thai seedlings (still between 3-4" tall) have started flowering. Why
is this happening and is it normal for them to do this?
Second, a majority of the seedlings have been beginning to yellow on the
lower leaves and in some cases, drop them off. Is this a nutrient
deficiency or just not enough natural light?
On a separate issue, for those who watched plants they sprayed with a
homemade soap solution slowly die off, did the leaves kind of dry out to a
dull green and drop off? I made one a little while ago out of garlic,
cayenne pepper, and (hard) ivory soap that I let sit and ferment for a while
before spraying on. I've noticed that the aphids are gone but then again
there's not much left for them to munch on either. Just wonderin'
Mr. Mike