Q: Dear Dave,I discovered your site earlier this year and it’s been a tremendous help. This is my first year growing peppers and I’ve noticed lately that a couple of my plants have holes in some of their leaves. I live in the Phoenix, AZ area and am growing the peppers in a mixture of Amend and sand. The plants …
Habaneros Not Branching
Q: Dave,My habanero plants are 4 months old and they are tall and without branches. Should I cut the tops to encourage branching?Thanks! –Ed A: Hello Ed:Yes, and it sounds like they need more sun. In full sun they branch naturally without pruning.–Dave
Combating Aphids
Q: Hello Dave,What’s the best way to combat the aphids of the pepper? This morning I watered some plants with water and chile powder. I don’t like to use chemical composition.Thanks in advance, Marco BudinisGenova,Italy A: Hello Marco:Unfortunately, aphids are very difficult to control without using chemical insecticides. I have tried everything organic in my greenhouse—hot pepper wax, pepper spray, high …
Staking Up Chile Plants
Q: Dear Dave,Do you recommend staking up chile plants? My plants seem to grow awfully tall, but perhaps I have used too much Miracle Gro? But I noticed from your "Heat Up Your Life" videos that most pepper plants seem to go unstaked. I live north of NYC, lower Hudson Valley, Zone 6.Best, David RogersChappaqua, NY A: Hello David:Yes, stake up …
Marconi Seedling Recovers From Compound Fracture
Q: Dave, My dog stepped on a Marconi seedling and the stem got bent in half. This happened yesterday. I propped up the plant with two "splints" so it stands up straight, it is about 4 inches tall and has not wilted or shown outward signs of being stressed. Can a plant still grow and mature from a "compound fracture" …