Peppers stressed

[Thongmas]

First time I've had any issues with peppers but some of the leaves are starting to look a little bit sad. They're in the polytunnel, I'm feeding once a week but the leaves seem to be looking worse and worse as the days pass. Any ideas people?

[bramble]

Hi Thongmas, it looks like your plants have been attacked by aphids.
Have you looked at the underside of the leaves?
You can mix up a mix of water and washing up liquid and spray them with that,
Hope this helps.

[Thongmas]

Hi Bramble and thank for the reply. I've had a look and saw absolutely no sign of anything on the leaves but maybe I didn't look well enough - will look again in the morning and if I see any, they'll get the spray Will a neem oil/castile soap mix do okay? I use this on fruit trees for aphids but unsure if I can on peppers

[bramble]

Thongmas I have never used neem oil so I cant say.
The washing up liquid mixture has worked for me.
you will need to do it a couple of times though.

[Snoop Puss]

My first thought was aphids too. But is it possible you might be overfeeding them? Is weekly your usual regime? And the same product at the same rate?

[Thongmas]

Yeah it's definitely a possibility, I put them in the bed 1st May with fresh compost then started feeding them 1st June. Had a good look today and can't see anything on any of the leaves so it's puzzled me. Maybe the best bet for me could be to miss a feed or two? I've been feeding once a week since the 1st June

[Snoop Puss]

Maybe the best bet for me could be to miss a feed or two? I've been feeding once a week since the 1st June

Either that or dilute more to make a weaker mix.

[peanut]

I have similar on my leaves too and found a little (3mm?) skinny, bright green, hoppy thing on them. No idea if that was the culprit or what it was as yet.

[Penellype]

I think it could be thrip damage - see https://www.planetnatural.com/pest-p...hrips-control/.

Thrips also fit the description of a "little (3mm?) skinny, bright green, hoppy thing" rather well.

[Thongmas]

I think you guys may very well be correct. I've seen a couple of these things hoppy things but thought nothing of it. The thrip damage I'm seeing on some of these pictures online look more or less identical to the damage on my pepper leaves so I'll be having a very close look tomorrow and will update you. Thanks for the help!

[peanut]

Yep, that little bright green hoppy thrip thing is the culprit!

[Thongmas]

Strangely enough I saw absolutely nothing today so maybe they've gone away but I'm certain I saw some of these thrips at one point!

[peanut]

They're sneaky those little bright green hoppy things! They'll be hiding under the leaves until they see you coming then will hop out of sight until you've gone!