Quote:
Originally Posted by Salsacharley
I had to look up what a "Cheetara" look is. I'm perhaps a fatal optimist, but I would be extremely hard pressed to put the axe to 2 dozen overwintered pepper plants because they looked like Cheetara. Gerardo, would you be so kind as to explain to my simple brain how you determined the severity the Cheetara situation was.
Thanks mucho.
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It was a difficult decision, and a necessary one. Having cut back and observed the new growth twice, and sometimes thrice, appear spotted puffy stunted, AND (this was the deciding factor) seeing malformed fruit and high percentage of flowers affected, it was no longer feasible for them to hold coveted real estate and not produce. Granted an overwintered at 40% output will beat out a new plant, nonetheless, it is depressing to put in a lot of work and see that kind of result.
Fresh pepper plants with huge leaves make me happy. Large semi stunted plants with leaves the size of the nails on my boys' hand, those have got to go.
The good news is Manzano peppers have shown unexpected resilience in Thrips TSWV land
These pics are from the net, and they illustrate what Cheetara looks like (my favorite Thundercat after Panthro).
The second one shows the puffy stunted growth, mine had smaller leaves.