Maggots in my pepper pots.

[alexkid909]

Hi People,

I've been browsing these forums for a while but this is my first post. I've found so much useful info so thanks to everyone that contributes.

Its my first year of growing seriously and I've had some great successes on the Chilli, Carrot, French Bean and Cucumber front.

However, a little late in the season (end of may I think) I decided to plant some Jalapeno and Golden Nugget Tom seeds. All went well starting off in my heated propagator, and then on to a bedroom windowsill. I then potted on and decided to harden off the Chillis and Toms in my greenhouse.

I'd gotten a bit sick of paying out loads for B&Q compost and decided to purchase a few bags of topsoil from a local supplier to mix with the compost when potting up my vegies, so I promptly mixed up some of the new topsoil and compost adding some B&Q organic veg food (which I think might be chicken manure) in to the mix.

A few weeks after this I noticed that the plants I'd potted on in to this mix weren't doing so well and started to notice a sulphur like smell when I watered them. Anywhoo, as I wasnt sure how to proceed I just kept on caring for them in the way that I had with my other (more successful) plants from earlier in the season. Until just last week when I came to water them, I got the usual sulphur type smell, however this time (to my disgust) the water that ran out the bottom of the pot in to the saucer contained about 7 or 8 thin maggot type creatures squirming around. This was the same for each of the Chillis, at which point I promptly binned the poorly fellows along with their maggoty companions (which were also present in the soil of the Toms).

Can any of you seasoned veterans tell me where I might have gone wrong? Or how I could prevent this in the future? Was it the topsoil, should I be using pure compost? Was it the Vegie fertiliser? Is it that I'm over watering now that I'm potting in something that retains the water better then just compost?

Any advice is much appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

[Two_Sheds]

how I could prevent this in the future?

I think you know the answer to that: use proper potting compost, which is sterile.

I suspect you're also over-watering. You just need to stand the pots in a tray of water for 20 mins, they take up what they need.

[rustylady]

I'd gotten a bit sick of paying out loads for B&Q compost and decided to purchase a few bags of topsoil from a local supplier to mix with the compost when potting up my vegies, so I promptly mixed up some of the new topsoil and compost adding some B&Q organic veg food (which I think might be chicken manure) in to the mix.

I can't believe that bought topsoil and veg food work out cheaper than straight B & Q multipurpose compost. I buy it by the bale and it's really cheap. I also get really good results from it.

[alexkid909]

Hi Both and thanks for your replies.

I think you know the answer to that: use proper potting compost, which is sterile.

Two Sheds, apologies for my naivety. But I can assure you that of I'd known the answer I wouldn't have asked the question. As I mentioned I'm quite new to growing and to the best of my knowledge people do grow veggies like peppers and toms in soil outside, which I'm sure isnt 'sterile'. Hence why I didnt see a reason not to use topsoil for my potted plants.

With regard to your point on watering from below, thanks for the advice. I presume I'll still need to ensure the surface soil doesn't dry out?

I can't believe that bought topsoil and veg food work out cheaper than straight B & Q multipurpose compost. I buy it by the bale and it's really cheap. I also get really good results from it.

Rustylady, I know the bales you mention I think they come in at around £8 at my local store. I can probably get the same volume of TS for around half that and the veg food is applied in pretty low volumes so its not that expensive. However this doesnt seem to be the finest idea I've had in a while and I'm with you 100% on the results.

Lessons learned. So thanks again.

[rustylady]

Hi Both and thanks for your replies.



Two Sheds, apologies for my naivety. But I can assure you that of I'd known the answer I wouldn't have asked the question. As I mentioned I'm quite new to growing and to the best of my knowledge people do grow veggies like peppers and toms in soil outside, which I'm sure isnt 'sterile'. Hence why I didnt see a reason not to use topsoil for my potted plants.

With regard to your point on watering from below, thanks for the advice. I presume I'll still need to ensure the surface soil doesn't dry out?



Rustylady, I know the bales you mention I think they come in at around £8 at my local store. I can probably get the same volume of TS for around half that and the veg food is applied in pretty low volumes so its not that expensive. However this doesnt seem to be the finest idea I've had in a while and I'm with you 100% on the results.

Lessons learned. So thanks again.

Hi Alex. Trouble with using soil in pots is that any pests or diseases are confined within a small area, and natural predators can't get to them as they would in open ground. It's also quite heavy and tends to "cake". Re watering - the idea of watering from below is that the roots go down the pot to get to the water. Watering from above and keeping the top of the compost encourages roots to stay near the surface. If they then get a dry spell they really suffer. The bales may not look as if they contain much compost but they are compressed so I would say that you get roughly twice as much again as it looks like.

[alexkid909]

Thanks Rustylady, I certainly wont be making that mistake again. I'll keep the topsoil confined for use in my raisde beds in the future.

[Two_Sheds]

I can assure you that of I'd known the answer I wouldn't have asked the question.

You said the problems started when you stopped using MPC and started using topsoil ....

[alexkid909]

You said the problems started when you stopped using MPC and started using topsoil ....

Indeed, but I did also mention that I added a different variable in the form of the Veg food. I wasnt sure if it was just that, that had caused the nastiness. But I am wiser now due to the advice of Rustylady and your good self )

Every day's a school day.

[Two_Sheds]

Only trying to help kiddo

[alexkid909]

And much appreciated it is.

Thanks again.

[taff]

How big were the pots you put them in, and how many did you sow?
Only asking because apparently chillies like being a bit root bound, and I would have thought one big bag of compost would have been sufficient to sow and grow at least 20 chilli plants...
Are you container gardening everything you're growing?

[alexkid909]

Hi Taff,

They are in 15cm pots some with more than 1 plant per pot, all are in a greenhouse and have provided a good amount of peppers so far.

The cherry toms I mentioned were in slightly bigger 18cm pots, but I do also have some mystery full size toms which are in large reusable grow bags, these are the main culprits for consuming large volumes of compost. Between the two bags they took almost 350 litres of B&Q MPC. And I also wanted to mix in some compost with the soil in my raised beds which are a decent size, hence the need for so much MPC.

Aside from the above I also have several small outside planters that I'm using to grow salad, some outdoor cuces and french beans in 20cm pots, some aubergines (in pots in the greenhouse) and a selection of various herbs most of which are in pots.

The two large raised beds that have some Carrots, Shallots, Radishes and Asparagus. The Spring Onions that were also in the raised beds, have been a large failure and all seem to have died, I'm thinking due to me letting the soil dry out by mistake.

And thats it!

[taff]

ahhhh...I understand now
well, you can always recycle this years used compost into your beds to avoid having to buy so much next year

[alexkid909]

Taff - Thats the plan. I've also got myself a compost bin to take all my greens and browns and hopefully this will help with the raised beds.

[Two_Sheds]

I wouldn't put too much MPC in your raised beds: apart from the cost issue, it's just not gutsy enough.
That is where you want to put your topsoil, along with any well-rotted manure & compost you can get hold of. Add to it each year, it doesn't need to be full from day one.