Which soil for chill peppers?

Last year I grew Antohi Romanian, Friggitello, Golden Bell, Hungarian hot wax, Jalapeño and Red cherry. I would not say it was successful, it did grow some fruits, that is not the issue. The issue is last year July through to September the leaves slow start to turn into yellow and fall down! With only stems and fruits remain, I was lucky it's time to harvest. This year I am will do it again, I was not sure why the leaves went yellow, I have kept the soil less damp but well waterlogging. I used compost with peat, should this be use like cactus sand mix soil? I though the peppers like dry soil from hot countries?

Have I done something incorrect?
Thanks

 

@43576
I grow mine in a mixture of half garden soil, half cheapo compost (preferably peat free).
A couple of things though did you feed them during the growing season? Chillis require a long growing season, most people on here have seedlings by now. Have a read through here Chilies 2022
Where are you gardening?
Peppers don't like too be water logged, but neither do they like to be dry, so well drained with regular watering.

 

I have not feed but I did mixed volcano ash with soil. I did grew in the greenhouse as out were not warm last summer.

 

I haven't used volcanic ash myself so I don't know about texture or feed value. I would suggest that this year you feed with something like Tomorite, Miraclegro, or Phostrogen according to the instructions on the packet.

 

Thanks, I will try that. Fab

 

Just thinking about all the leaves falling off around july july time last year.
I'm wondering if it could be red spider mite, a very small pest that builds up mostly on the undersides of the leaves, and in bad attacks the whole plant can drop all it's leaves.

 

Pete, you complete right! I had lots of red tiny spider enter my greenhouse last year, found two holes which now are sealed.

 

See here for information on the little red devils.
Glasshouse red spider mite

 

These are almost invisible to the naked eye, you wouldn't see them coming into your greenhouse.
Often you don't know they are there until you get an infestation of them.

 

I have had problems with them, some things get kicked out of the greenhouse into the damp summers I get, I try to keep the humidity up and mist, particularly the cucumbers.
Last year I tried the biological control approach buying predatory mites that eat the red spider mites. Did they help? definitely. I'm also going to try sticky traps this year and then get the predatory mites if necessary.

 

Last year was the first year that they weren't serious problem for me since probably the 80s.
Not sure why, but it was a dull summer, and damp at times.
I've tried the predators but the expense has put me off using them, plus I found you need more than one introduction to keep the problem under control.
Do you think sticky traps will help Nigel, I usually associate those with flying pests.

I did try a new spray, which I used just once last year, not sure if that was the reason I saw very few or not

 

I've had great success using sprays with spinosad. It has worked on pretty much everything including spider mites. Between keeping the air moving and the occasional spraying, I haven't had any of the little so and so's for a couple of years.

 

I've not come across spinosad, @CanadianLori, but I googled it and found its a naturally occuring substance found in soil.
It sounds very similar to a substance I used to be able to get when I worked at the joinery shop that was on a farm.
I only knew the commercial name for it rather than the actual substance.

I'm looking to see if any insecticides that we get over here contains it.

 

I dont think you can get it in the UK.

 

Oh no @pete. Your country is the same as mine. I scooted across the border a couple of years ago and picked mine up. I ordered it from Johnny's Seeds, had it shipped to Niagara Falls, NY.