Pepper & chilli plants looking ill...

[Han&Matt]

Where is Chilli Monster?!

I have planted a bell pepper and a jalapeno chilli outside in my tomato bed to experiment with growing outside (the bed is sheltered but very sunny and the soil is excellent), though they were doing pretty well and about to flower... But! Yesterday the leaves of both (especially the chilli) were wrinkled - tiny holes in the base of the leaves next the the stem and 'swollen' leaf veins. Something has got at 'em

I note from previous posts that they are a little precious - maybe my irrigation technique has not been good enough? Do I let them flower or give them up to The Heap before my toms suffer?

Phew, it's not easy this! Though hooray for the sunshine...

[The Chili Monster]

Hi Han & Matt

The good news is that this does not sound like a fungal or bacterial problem.
Usually, wrinkled leaves are an indication that the soil has been too dry recently. The plant can be saved provided the majority of leaves are unaffected. I had a similar problem a couple of years ago, and still got fruit. You may like to consider shading them with horticultural fleece (although you may find that you will need to hand pollinate flowers!)
The holes are probably either a gastropod (unlikely in this weather) or, more than likely, a larvae of some type.
Personally, I'd let them go onto flower. However, pepper plants and tomatoes are both notoriously greedy feeders and will compete with one another for food and I would advise in future that you plant your peppers separately from the tomatoes (perhaps stand them in pots next to the tomatoes rather than directly into the same soil).
Over the last few days, I have watered my chili plants early morning and have fed them nettle water at dusk to help protect them from shock as a result of this unpredictable weather.
Hope this helps!

[Han&Matt]

Thanks CM (by the way, you should consider a superhero outfit - underpants on the outside obviously, red chilli on front, seaweed spray in hand.... ok, maybe I've had too much sun?!).

Think you're right about housing greedy feeders togather - I've also a squash plant in with the precious ones - competition is on...

I'll try to follow advice - we've tried to keep all well watered over the last month but maybe they did suffer as it has been very dry in the midlands. What is nettle water? Do I put a load of nettles into a water butt and let them turn into feed (as with smelly comfrey)?

All the best...

[The Chili Monster]

Han&Matt wrote:

What is nettle water? Do I put a load of nettles into a water butt and let them turn into feed (as with smelly comfrey)?

Yep.
Warning it stinks, it really really, stinks and some ...
Your neighbours may complain, but your plants will love you.