Hi! I was googling about chilli pepper flowering, and I discovered your forum. It seems very nice! Congratulations! This is my first post. I'm trying to grow spearmint for the third time, and I'm having problems. As usualy, I used fresh mint, bought at the supermarket, and let it take roots in a big glass of water for a week. I used comercial vegetable soil, and I'm generous with watering (but I avoid to be abusive). The pot is at my quitchen's window (indoors), facing north (no direct sun). It is middle spring here (Lisbon, Portugal), and we are having 14 hours of day light. I think it should all be ok (?)... But my plants got (for the 3rd time) what I believe to be an aracnideo. After I plant it, nice new leaves and branches start pushing from the soil and the lower third of the original branch. I start to note the eldest leaves going brown, spotted, and when I spray the plants with water I can see a miniscule web in the leaves and branches. With a magnifying glass I can see some very small white insects moving. I have other plants around (coriander, chilli peppers), and I fear a propagation, so my instinct tells me to cut the sic parts, and I do it, rather radically. The plants start weakening, and eventually die. What should I do? Thanks in advance. :)
It sounds like spider mites (is that what aracnideo means?) Try going somewhere where they sell pesticides and get something that says for use on spider mites/safe for use on edible plants. I have no idea what is available in Portugal, but if all else fails try a water and canola oil mixture that will act to suffocate the mites. --Hope that helps
