srtarita
Newly Registered
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Jul 28, 2006 10:49 am
Contact: AOL

New gardener, Questions about Container Gardening

I have lots of questions, sorry :)

This is my first year growing plants on a patio mainly since I finally have a patio(deck) to place them on (city living). Well I have a tomatoe plant, strawberry plant, basil, thyme (lots of herbs) and hot pepper plants. I have lots of ants now, that go into the pepper plants (from what I can tell they love peppers, funny ants that love some spicy stuff) and not only that I've notice almost like white/light yellow seeds or something on my pepper plants (thai, oriental and jalapeno peppers). I haven't used any fertilizers for my plants (yet) looks like I might need too, any suggestion on what to use, oo yeah I have dogs too and a kitty, well she's 6 yrs old but still a kitty to me :wink: - Now my tomatoe plant she's ok so far I have about 3 tomatoes that came out but now the leaves look dried out and yellowish, I just repotted it from its original little pot I had received it in from the farmers market. The strawberry plant she looks good repotted also (bought most of food plants from the farmers market) but no new berries have came out, when I purchased the plant it had 2 berries. I appreciate any and all information you can give this fairly new gardener.

Newt
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1868
Joined: Tue May 25, 2004 10:44 pm
Location: Maryland zone 7

Hi Srtarita,

Welcome to the wonderful world of gardening! I too have pets - 4 dogs and 2 cats so I hear what you are saying. I never recommend toxic chemicals and most of the folks here feel the same way.

I hate to disappoint you, but your ants don't like the peppers. I'll bet they're after what the aphids on your plants have to offer. The ants harvest the honeydo (waste) from the aphids. The aphids are probably the 'seeds' you are seeing. You can use insecticidal soap to get rid of the aphids. Take a look here and click on 'aphids'. They come in different colors.
https://woodypest.ifas.ufl.edu/insect.htm

You can make your own insecticidal soap but don't use anti-bacterial soap or detergent as that could harm your plants.
https://www.care2.com/channels/solutions/outdoors/194

Here's some growing guides and harvest guides that you should find helpful.
https://howtogrowhotpeppers.com/
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/vegetable/2003/tomatoes.html
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/container/2003/index.html
https://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1645.html
https://www.ourgardengang.com/containerveggies.htm
https://muextension.missouri.edu/explore/agguides/hort/g06135.htm

Herbs:
https://www.savvygardener.com/Features/herbs.html
https://muextension.missouri.edu/explorepdf/agguides/hort/g06470.pdf

Your tomato might have blight.
https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/tomatoproblemsolver/index.html

Hope that helps.
Newt

srtarita
Newly Registered
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Jul 28, 2006 10:49 am
Contact: AOL

Thank you sooo much Newt, I really appreciate it. The links you suggested are extremely helpful and they are assisting me with all my questions, Thanks again. This forum is great!!! Since its about 100 right now here in the Windy City (Chicago) I won't try the insecticidal soap yet til it cools down a bit, hopefully by the weekend but I'm sure this will help me or should I say my poor little peppers :D

Newt
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1868
Joined: Tue May 25, 2004 10:44 pm
Location: Maryland zone 7

Srtarita, you are so very welcome! I'm glad those links were helpful. I know what you mean about the heat. We're baking here in Maryland too. Right now the heat index is 102*F. Whew!

Newt



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