Garden Pests
All I can say is : GOODBYE, FUCKERS !
Annoying, obnoxious, gross, irritating...Just a couple of the words commonly used to describe our friend the bug.
Here are some species you will almost be certain to encounter, as they try to pull a jack move on your chillies.
Pretty much everybody else hates aphids because they are such harmful pests.
- Aphids can inject saliva into plants that causes leaves to wilt or to become severely disfigured.
- Aphids feeding on flower buds and fruit can cause malformed flowers or fruit.
- Aphids can spread plant viruses
- Aphids deposit honeydew on which a fungus called sooty mold can grow that turns plant leaves and branches black.
- Aphids attract other insects with that sugary honeydew shit of theirs.
A good idea would be getting some natural enemies such as predatory wasps / mites from a growshop.
As the invaders go on a merciless search and destroy mission, hi-jinx ensue : they will begin their campaign of extermination immediately and devour every aphid, young or old, in their wake to the very last one has been consumed. This is not only satisfying, but also fun to watch. Just sit back, relax, scratch your crotch with that prosthetic hook you call a hand, and watch the mayhem unfold.
Another beneficial insect would be the ladybug (Hippodamia convergens). These beetles are an aphid's walking nightmare with it's inpenetrable armor plates, pincers, stingers, and spiked probing thingies.
It also likes nothing more than eating aphids for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Sometimes the aphid's friends, the ants, will try to come to the rescue and protect their herd, but the ladybug doesn't give a fuck. He just keeps eating until he's full. A ladybug will eat over 5,000 Aphids during it's one-year lifetime. Another cool thing is that they can be stored, dormant, in the refrigerator for up to a few weeks, as long as they don't freeze or dry out. This allows you to use a few at a time, as needed
These annoying bastards are truly the nightmare of every gardener !
Spider mites develop from eggs, which usually are laid near the veins of leaves during the growing season. The eggs are round and extremely large in proportion to the size of the mother. After the egg hatch, the old egg shells remain and can be useful in diagnosing spider mite problems. After they fuck like rabbits, mature females are fertilized for life and may produce a dozen eggs daily for a couple of weeks, 80% female and 20% male eggs.
Take a white sheet of paper and hold it under a branch. Gently shake or tap the branch. Look at the paper. If it has slow-moving specks on it, your problem is surely that of spider mites.
If you're still not convinced, use a magnifying glass. You'll see that the dots actually look like tiny, scuttling crabs, much like the ones on your sack after that encounter with that lop-tittied lot lizard last saturdaynight.
- Spider mites produce webbing, particularly when they occur in high populations
- The surface of a plant's leaf is highly resistant to water loss. Spider mite feeding disrupts this system by creating holes that allow water to escape which eventually dehydrates the leaf
- Stressed plants are far more vulnerable to attack and damage from other pests like bacteria and fungi.
Spider mites prosper in hot and dry conditions, so it would be a good idea to keep the air humid by spraying/misting your plants frequently. Using a humidifier next to your indoor chili plants would be another option.
Adequate watering of plants during dry conditions can limit the importance of drought stress on spider mite outbreaks. Periodic hosing of plants with a forceful jet of water can physically remove and kill many mites, as well as remove the dust that collects on foliage and interferes with mite predators. Disruption of the webbing also may delay egg laying until new webbing is produced. Sometimes, small changes where mite-susceptible plants are located or how they are watered can greatly influence their susceptibility to spider mite damage.
The most draconian method of eliminating moderate to heavy infestations of spider mites requires the use of pesticides known as miticides. Some, but not all, insecticides will also control mites. Some kill only active mites while others also kill eggs.
The best way, however is to get spider mite predators that do not only feed on Spider Mites and their eggs, but also breed twice as fast. Each Spider Mite Predator sucks the juice out of about 5 Spider Mites a day, or 20 of their eggs. Cool !
They should begin to gain control within 4 weeks, and then continue until the Spider Mites are nearly or completely wiped out. Predators disappear when the Spider Mites are gone.
This particular insect, Sciara fly (Scaria Prothalliorum) is also called the Fungus gnat so you just know this has to be a nasty bitch. It even has a cousin named Sciara coprophila. That means : Shit lover.
Fungus gnats are another one of those insects that give birth to mostly females, helping the population to increase in no time. These females will mate within hours after crawling out of their pupa stage and when those little sluts start pooping out 100 - 300 eggs, things get shitty quickly.
The eggs become 5 mm long, glassy, legless worms with a black head. They are most dangerous in seed trays, as the young plants need constantly moist conditions which are ideal for the larvae. Living undergound, in your soil, they nibble at your plant's delicate roots. Young chilli plants can easily perish once their roots are so damaged they can no longer take in water and nutrients.
- They damage the roots, delaying their development and inhibiting plant growth.
- They cause wounds in the plant roots, provides an entryway for disease pathogens that can lead to secondary infections.
As per usual, prevention is best : always use new soil. I've heard of people who sterilize their garden soil by microwaving it.
The larvae can be delt with chemically and biologically.
Adult fungus gnats can only be attacked chemically, because they can just fly away from any predators.
If there is an outbreak in your seed tray, remove undamaged seedlings, (take care no soil goes with them) and replant afresh, for safety watering with a contact insecticide. New egg-laying can be avoided by covering the surface of the soil with a thin layer of sand. The sand dries quickly and discourages the female sciara from laying her eggs in the soil.
Some people claim carnivorous plants deal with adult sciara.
Using flypaper would also an effective way to kill adult scaria fly. Once again, predatory mites can be used to deal with the larvae.
Some people cover their pots with a good layer of pellets (expanded clay pellets), which may help a little.
There is also a type of nematode, Steinernema feltiae, that can be used to drench the soil. These tiny worm like creatures will actually enter the larva and release a bacteria which is lethal to the larva.
Here are some species you will almost be certain to encounter, as they try to pull a jack move on your chillies.
Aphids
What are aphids ?
Aphids are pretty stationary, sap-sucking (mostly green) little bugs that excrete a sweet liquid called honeydew, which is eagerly eaten by ants. (Yes, ants like to eat shit) so ants and aphids are - literally - butt buddies. In exchange for food, the ants defend the aphids and care for them.Pretty much everybody else hates aphids because they are such harmful pests.
First Sign :
Wilted-looking plants that aren't thriving. Dense colonies of tiny soft bodied, pear-shaped insects are seen, expecially on tender growing tips and undersides. Young Aphids look like miniature adults.
Wilted-looking plants that aren't thriving. Dense colonies of tiny soft bodied, pear-shaped insects are seen, expecially on tender growing tips and undersides. Young Aphids look like miniature adults.
There are so many Aphid species that just about every plant has at least one species that likes it.
And while that may be a good strategy from an evolutionary standpoint, it sucks an ape's cock for chilli growers.
Infestations generally result from small numbers of winged aphids that fly to the plant and find it to be a suitable host. They deposit several wingless young on the most tender tissue before moving on to find a new plant.
The immature aphids or nymphs that are left behind feed on plant sap and increase gradually in size. They mature in s little as 7 to 10 days and then are ready to produce live young of their own. Usually, all of them are females. Each capable of producing 40 to 60 offspring. This process is repeated several times, resulting in a tremendous population explosion.
It takes a dozen aphid "colonizers" less than two weeks to produce hundreds to thousands of aphids on a plant ! Aphid numbers can and will build, until conditions are so crowded, or the plant is so stressed, that winged forms are produced. These winged forms fly off in search of new hosts and the process is repeated. These bastards are capable of destroying entire crops and multiply quickly, so you must take care of the problem quickly.
And while that may be a good strategy from an evolutionary standpoint, it sucks an ape's cock for chilli growers.
Infestations generally result from small numbers of winged aphids that fly to the plant and find it to be a suitable host. They deposit several wingless young on the most tender tissue before moving on to find a new plant.
The immature aphids or nymphs that are left behind feed on plant sap and increase gradually in size. They mature in s little as 7 to 10 days and then are ready to produce live young of their own. Usually, all of them are females. Each capable of producing 40 to 60 offspring. This process is repeated several times, resulting in a tremendous population explosion.
It takes a dozen aphid "colonizers" less than two weeks to produce hundreds to thousands of aphids on a plant ! Aphid numbers can and will build, until conditions are so crowded, or the plant is so stressed, that winged forms are produced. These winged forms fly off in search of new hosts and the process is repeated. These bastards are capable of destroying entire crops and multiply quickly, so you must take care of the problem quickly.
Why are aphids so harmful ?
- Aphids suck the sap out of leaves, minimizing the health of your plant.- Aphids can inject saliva into plants that causes leaves to wilt or to become severely disfigured.
- Aphids feeding on flower buds and fruit can cause malformed flowers or fruit.
- Aphids can spread plant viruses
- Aphids deposit honeydew on which a fungus called sooty mold can grow that turns plant leaves and branches black.
- Aphids attract other insects with that sugary honeydew shit of theirs.
The solution
You probably won't want to use harmful toxic insecticides on your chili plants !A good idea would be getting some natural enemies such as predatory wasps / mites from a growshop.
As the invaders go on a merciless search and destroy mission, hi-jinx ensue : they will begin their campaign of extermination immediately and devour every aphid, young or old, in their wake to the very last one has been consumed. This is not only satisfying, but also fun to watch. Just sit back, relax, scratch your crotch with that prosthetic hook you call a hand, and watch the mayhem unfold.
Another beneficial insect would be the ladybug (Hippodamia convergens). These beetles are an aphid's walking nightmare with it's inpenetrable armor plates, pincers, stingers, and spiked probing thingies.
It also likes nothing more than eating aphids for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Sometimes the aphid's friends, the ants, will try to come to the rescue and protect their herd, but the ladybug doesn't give a fuck. He just keeps eating until he's full. A ladybug will eat over 5,000 Aphids during it's one-year lifetime. Another cool thing is that they can be stored, dormant, in the refrigerator for up to a few weeks, as long as they don't freeze or dry out. This allows you to use a few at a time, as needed
Spider Mites
What are spider mites ?
As if aphids aren't enough of a pain in the ass. Meet the spider mite.These annoying bastards are truly the nightmare of every gardener !
Spider mites develop from eggs, which usually are laid near the veins of leaves during the growing season. The eggs are round and extremely large in proportion to the size of the mother. After the egg hatch, the old egg shells remain and can be useful in diagnosing spider mite problems. After they fuck like rabbits, mature females are fertilized for life and may produce a dozen eggs daily for a couple of weeks, 80% female and 20% male eggs.
First sign :
Small brown or yellow dots and small strands of silk on the leaves of a plant, along with leaf discoloration.
The fast development rate and high egg production can lead to extremely rapid increases in mite
populations and with growth rates such as these we must exact some payback on their asses with the quickness before it's too late !
You don't want to wait until your peps are covered in spider mite webs.Small brown or yellow dots and small strands of silk on the leaves of a plant, along with leaf discoloration.
Take a white sheet of paper and hold it under a branch. Gently shake or tap the branch. Look at the paper. If it has slow-moving specks on it, your problem is surely that of spider mites.
If you're still not convinced, use a magnifying glass. You'll see that the dots actually look like tiny, scuttling crabs, much like the ones on your sack after that encounter with that lop-tittied lot lizard last saturdaynight.
Why are spider mites so harmful ?
- They cause injury to the plants as they feed, bruising the cells with their small, whiplike mouthparts and ingesting the sap.- Spider mites produce webbing, particularly when they occur in high populations
- The surface of a plant's leaf is highly resistant to water loss. Spider mite feeding disrupts this system by creating holes that allow water to escape which eventually dehydrates the leaf
- Stressed plants are far more vulnerable to attack and damage from other pests like bacteria and fungi.
The Solution
Now that we determined what the infestation is...They're going to PAY.Spider mites prosper in hot and dry conditions, so it would be a good idea to keep the air humid by spraying/misting your plants frequently. Using a humidifier next to your indoor chili plants would be another option.
Adequate watering of plants during dry conditions can limit the importance of drought stress on spider mite outbreaks. Periodic hosing of plants with a forceful jet of water can physically remove and kill many mites, as well as remove the dust that collects on foliage and interferes with mite predators. Disruption of the webbing also may delay egg laying until new webbing is produced. Sometimes, small changes where mite-susceptible plants are located or how they are watered can greatly influence their susceptibility to spider mite damage.
The most draconian method of eliminating moderate to heavy infestations of spider mites requires the use of pesticides known as miticides. Some, but not all, insecticides will also control mites. Some kill only active mites while others also kill eggs.
The best way, however is to get spider mite predators that do not only feed on Spider Mites and their eggs, but also breed twice as fast. Each Spider Mite Predator sucks the juice out of about 5 Spider Mites a day, or 20 of their eggs. Cool !
They should begin to gain control within 4 weeks, and then continue until the Spider Mites are nearly or completely wiped out. Predators disappear when the Spider Mites are gone.
Sciara fly
What are Sciara flies ?
And then there's THIS asshole.This particular insect, Sciara fly (Scaria Prothalliorum) is also called the Fungus gnat so you just know this has to be a nasty bitch. It even has a cousin named Sciara coprophila. That means : Shit lover.
First Sign :
Jumping or scuttling winged black critters when you move your flowerpots, You will generally first notice them darting about new seedlings. Symptom of damage in chillies is usually wilting, followed by general decline of the plant.
The adult fly is up to 3 mm long, has a dark brown body, a small head and its legs and wings are
comparatively long, looking like a small mosquito. Although adult specimen are themselves not harmful to your
chillies, make no mistake : these winged bastards will try their damnedest to destroy your plants !
Fungus gnats can survive dry spells, but thrive in humid, warm conditions, (just like chili plants).
They lay their eggs in the soil.
Jumping or scuttling winged black critters when you move your flowerpots, You will generally first notice them darting about new seedlings. Symptom of damage in chillies is usually wilting, followed by general decline of the plant.
Fungus gnats are another one of those insects that give birth to mostly females, helping the population to increase in no time. These females will mate within hours after crawling out of their pupa stage and when those little sluts start pooping out 100 - 300 eggs, things get shitty quickly.
The eggs become 5 mm long, glassy, legless worms with a black head. They are most dangerous in seed trays, as the young plants need constantly moist conditions which are ideal for the larvae. Living undergound, in your soil, they nibble at your plant's delicate roots. Young chilli plants can easily perish once their roots are so damaged they can no longer take in water and nutrients.
Why are sciara flies so harmful ?
- Scaria are capable of spreading harmful fungus spores.- They damage the roots, delaying their development and inhibiting plant growth.
- They cause wounds in the plant roots, provides an entryway for disease pathogens that can lead to secondary infections.
As per usual, prevention is best : always use new soil. I've heard of people who sterilize their garden soil by microwaving it.
The larvae can be delt with chemically and biologically.
Adult fungus gnats can only be attacked chemically, because they can just fly away from any predators.
If there is an outbreak in your seed tray, remove undamaged seedlings, (take care no soil goes with them) and replant afresh, for safety watering with a contact insecticide. New egg-laying can be avoided by covering the surface of the soil with a thin layer of sand. The sand dries quickly and discourages the female sciara from laying her eggs in the soil.
Some people claim carnivorous plants deal with adult sciara.
Using flypaper would also an effective way to kill adult scaria fly. Once again, predatory mites can be used to deal with the larvae.
Some people cover their pots with a good layer of pellets (expanded clay pellets), which may help a little.
There is also a type of nematode, Steinernema feltiae, that can be used to drench the soil. These tiny worm like creatures will actually enter the larva and release a bacteria which is lethal to the larva.
