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Dying chilli plant

helenajasminesmith1Y8q_IDy7helenajasminesmith1Y8q_IDy7 Posts: 2
in Problem solving
I'be been growing this chilli plant for about a year but over the past few months the leaves have started falling off and grey dots seem to have appeared on it. Just wondering what it might be and how to get rid of it?

Posts

  • LunarSeaLunarSea Posts: 1,923
    It's infested with aphids and probably whitefly. The only time I ever tried overwintering mine I had the same problem. It's really not worth the bother because they are so easy to grow each year from seed and so productive you can have your freezer full of them for the parts of the year when your plants aren't producing fruits.
    Clay soil - Cheshire/Derbyshire border. 

    I play with plants and soil and sometimes it's successful
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    edited March 2023
    Aphids. The white/grey bits are their shed skins. There are some aphids on the fresh shoot near the top left of the first pic. Not sure how best to manage them on an indoor plant. Outside (in warmer weather) ladybirds and other predators would keep them reasonably under control.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • helenajasminesmith1Y8q_IDy7helenajasminesmith1Y8q_IDy7 Posts: 2
    Thank you, that's really helpful! I've done a quick google and apparently water and vinegar work well on inside plants so I'll try that. 
  • SkandiSkandi Posts: 1,723
    Wash the whole plant with water, if the plant is small enough you can dunk the entire plant in a bucket of water for about an hour, the aphids will drown but the plant will not. Make sure you let it dry out well afterwards.
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    edited March 2023
    helenajasminesmith1Y8q_IDy7 said:
    Thank you, that's really helpful! I've done a quick google and apparently water and vinegar work well on inside plants so I'll try that. 

     I've not heard of that one.  But the usual concentration (5%) of acetic acid in malt vinegar will kill the plant.  What concentration were you recommended to use?

    Don't trust google, certainly not a quick google.

    In the UK chllli plants are normally treated as annuals.

     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
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