• If you need help identifying a pepper, disease, or plant issue, please post in Identification.

Bhut jolokia growing issues help

M

menguyen89

Hi i have just successfully overwintered a bhut jolokia. the plant has just begun to bare fruit, however its health is deteriorating.

It is very frail and shriveled looking. the plant's leaves fall off very easily (to the touch) its yellowing slightly on some parts of the plant.

i figured this is due to either over watering, under watering, or too much sunlight?

please help i've waited a whole year for these bad boys!

thanks
 
Where do you live? Fertilizers? Did you transplate them? How did you introduce them to the sun?

You might get a plant to survive the winter indoors, but if you just put it in the yard w/o a chanse to adaopt they will die.
 
Sounds like a Magnesium, Calcium and possibly other nutrients are lacking. Hard to tell without a pic.

Get some Dolomite lime or epsom salt, apply those in the soil, and give them some plant food if they have not been fed in two weeks or longer.

By the way, how have you been feeding them, how often and how much?
 
you gotta love pictures...

but anyway, i live in southern california. it was cold for quite a while then got really hot really fast. the plant was always outdoors and receives direct sunlight throughout the day.

if you'll take notice, the plant has split into two main parts. one branch is very healthy but has not yet bore any fruit. the other plant that i'm currently concerned with has LOTS of fruit but is withering...

6560_105577935667_718880667_2582731_7992005_n.jpg

6560_105577940667_718880667_2582732_6172800_n.jpg

6560_105577945667_718880667_2582733_2649791_n.jpg

6560_105577955667_718880667_2582735_7851894_n.jpg
 
Man I would truly love to see that monster when it's 100% healthy. I can't add anything to Richardk's advice other than best of luck.
 
It's just got some leaf curl, doesn't look like it's dying. I have a few that were OW'd with some curl and it looks like they are slowly working out of it. Have patience and try the nutes Richard suggested.
 
Yeah, leaf curling... Give it some Magnesium, you can foliar feed or right into the water, or both.

Some Calcium might not hurt too.
 
sounds good! so this is most likely due to a nutrient deficiency? not over watering right?....leaf curling, and plant frailness
 
menguyen89 said:
sounds good! so this is most likely due to a nutrient deficiency? not over watering right?....leaf curling, and plant frailness
Click to expand...

I personally think in my case it's some hard ass potting soil(I didn't freshen it up) and the roots aren't at peak efficiency. Next year, what survives winter will get a little more attention. I got preoccupied this year with a lot of seedlings and aphid wars.
 
Magnesium is really easy to flush out of the soil, so one of the biggest causes of a Magnesium deficiency is over watering, and in potted plants, the Magnesium will simply run out after a while anyway, even with good watering (Deep watering when top inch or so is dry, or when plant shows signs of wilting).
 
ZanderSpice said:
I'd also try to check the soil pH. If it's too alkaline some nutrients could be unavailable.
Click to expand...

Thats true in either direction, the ideal pH is 6.5 to 6.8 and anything 6 or lower should apply some lime, anthing 7 or above should add a tablespoon of plain white vinegar to watering can/jug to bring it down.
 
thanks a lot for the advice everyone. and i'd usually do my research, but while i'm at it.. from where can i get magnesium supplement? or is there a safe non-finicky all purpose solution?
 
menguyen89 said:
thanks a lot for the advice everyone. and i'd usually do my research, but while i'm at it.. from where can i get magnesium supplement? or is there a safe non-finicky all purpose solution?
Click to expand...

Go to a drug store and find a container of Epsom Salt (Magnesium Sulfate), near the bath area or just ask. They also sell them in Dollar Store/.99 cent stores in the US and at Wal-Mart.

The stuff is really cheap, just make sure to get the non scented, non colored kind, just plain Epsom Salt.

You can sprinkle a tablespoon around the plant, disolve into watering can/jug or into a Gallon of water and sprayed onto the top and bottom of the leaves in the morning or at night (leaves are open then).

You should see results in a few days, older leaves may never recover, check the new growth for signs of recovery and do not do this more than every two weeks.

Hope that helps :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top