SOS Chilli rescue required !!!

[bujanda96]

Can anyone help ???
I purchased a packet of "piquin" extra hot mexican chilli flakes from Borough Market last spring and sifted out half a dozen seeds, which to my surprise grew over last summer into plants of around 1ft. Over the winter 5 of the six died, but one just kept on going. It has reached around 2.5 ft now, and was pruned into a sort of standard and had started filling out nicely with several new side shoots. All was looking well, but this morning the leaves have started falling off, they are limp as are some of the shoots and it looks like it's on it's way out!!!

It has been kept indoors on a table by the window in a 14cm pot in a tray, in which i put about an inch of water on a friday. (it's in my work room, so is unattended over the weekend), it gets another splash of water on a monday morn and thats it. However i gave it a double dose of water to cover my weeks off over easter..... could i have drowned it ??

any advice would be gratefully recieved, as this was a bet with a colleague who said they never survive more than one season.

[Flummery]

Check it very carefully for spider mite. They can make a plant's leaves go crispy looking - and it seems to happen overnight. If you find them (you're more likely to find bit s of downy web) you have a choice to make. Systemic is quicker, washing with cool soapy water is less invasive but could end up with your remaining leaves dropping. Burning it cures the problem completely - and stops it spreading.

I hope it's something easier to fix. Could you post a pic?

[bujanda96]

thanks flummery, i will try and sort a pic out....

[Jeanied]

By the way, bujanda- your colleague was wrong - I have a purple gusto chilli lifted and potted last autumn - on my bathroom windowsill happily fruiting away - with 5 new chillis since Christmas.

[bujanda96]

i knew it !

just hope i can rescue it over the next week or two before he visits!

the leaves are looking more like wilted spinach as each hour passes .

[Jeanied]

It sounds like it got frosted.

[bujanda96]

it had been kept at a constant 27c thanks to my room heating (need that for the carnivorous plants) , however after a power cut i came back to find the room at 13c where it had been since last thurs. I assume that temperature wouldn't affect it, but the sudden change ? ? ?

[cupcake]

Chillis don't like sitting in water. I would take it out of it's pot turn the pot upside down and pop it on top and let it dry out. Use the old fingernail test on the bark to see if it's still green underneath. Chillis are usually ok down to 10c at night.
I have 5 plants that I've overwintered and are growing away.

[bujanda96]

thanks for the advice cupcake, i will do just that tonight. will let you know if it works. . How dry should i let it get .... 3-4 days ?

[Two_Sheds]

The sudden drop in temperature wouldn't have helped, and I think you've overwatered it too.
imo

[bujanda96]

the heating has now been fixed, and i have taken the plant out of it's pot to dry out as suggested.... fingers crossed.

[northepaul]

Might be worth examining the compost you have got it in aswell, just incase there are any unwelcome visitors you were unaware of.

[Toleman]

Pictures speak 1000 words.

Chris

[Llamas]

By the way, bujanda- your colleague was wrong - I have a purple gusto chilli lifted and potted last autumn - on my bathroom windowsill happily fruiting away - with 5 new chillis since Christmas.

Yeah! I've got a 4 year old Jalapeno 'bonsai' which usually gives me nice red chillies just in time for christmas. Fingers crossed in hope yours pulls through. Theres a white habanero trying to die on me out in the greenhouse right now, I feel you pain!

[HotStuff]

My two Apaches, "Geronimo" and "Cochise" are in their 3rd year now and amongst the one's I've over-wintered from last year I actually have a Scotch Bonnet that's in flower right now.