Market Farming

["Bill Shoemaker" <wshoemak AT inil.com>]

You might want to consider whether an animal is responsible. In our
greenhouse, birds will sometimes get in. They seem to enjoy nipping the tops
of young pepper seedlings. Mice will do the same thing. Another possibility
is cutworm. If so, dig around the plants that were topped and you'll find a
small larvae/worm. Good luck figuring it out. While you're growing inside,
stranger things have happened.

Bill Shoemaker
Sr Research Specialist, Food Crops
Univ of Illinois - St Charles Hort Research Center

>I'm having problems getting bell peppers and sweet peppers started this
year.
>They sprout, get about an inch high, develop the first set of true leaves,
>then I find them short, like they were pinched off. Two were looking like
>they were nibbled, but they finally succumbed, too.
>
>I'm using Premier Pro-Mix with pine bark. Would that be too acid or too
rich
>for peppers?  The tomatoes and herbs are doing great. Only the peppers are
>dying like this. Once in a while I see tiny bits of the tops laying in the
>soil, but usually it disappears. They're growing indoors with grow-lights
and
>sufficient water.
>
>I'm planning on starting peppers AGAIN using a non-organic potting mix and
see
>if that cuts off my complusive pepper seed buying binges......