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Erosion on the stems at ground level?

I have Carolina Reapers in double cups and am getting ready to plant up to buckets and move outside but noticed that the stems on my two biggest plants seem to have eroded away at the level of the perlite in my cups. Just wondering if anyone else has any experience with this and what I can do about it or if I just need to pot up and hope they do ok. I will get some pics up this evening when I get home from work. The plants are otherwise green and healthy and I thought strong as could be.
 
     Without seeing any pics, I'm gonna guess crown rot. It's the result of the soil surface staying too wet leading to fungus attacking the plant at the soil line. 
     Pull a little soil away from the stem, let the soil dry out more between waterings and put a fan on them to help dry out the soil surface. They may or may not make it. If they do, they might be stunted.
 
Hybrid Mode 01 said:
     Without seeing any pics, I'm gonna guess crown rot. It's the result of the soil surface staying too wet leading to fungus attacking the plant at the soil line. 
     Pull a little soil away from the stem, let the soil dry out more between waterings and put a fan on them to help dry out the soil surface. They may or may not make it. If they do, they might be stunted.
 
If you don't have too many surface roots you can also put sand on top.  Drains well, Dries quickly, prevents surface fungus and fungus gnats.  
 
If the case is extreme enough it may warrant for a Hydrogen Peroxide solution to be watered at the base of the plant.   This will also kill some of your beneficial bacteria.   
 
Thanks guys...I have been watering in the bottom cup since I have gotten them in the double cups with perlite as well as keeping them under a fan at least 4-5hrs a day...I will try the peroxide and see how it goes and hold off on potting up yet...Also still going to get pictures up when I get home before I try that
 
LittleJake1973 said:
Thanks guys...I have been watering in the bottom cup since I have gotten them in the double cups with perlite as well as keeping them under a fan at least 4-5hrs a day...I will try the peroxide and see how it goes and hold off on potting up yet...Also still going to get pictures up when I get home before I try that
fee87981451407d45d499c56323bb701.jpg

This plants stem looks like this
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73ed71f13ef2536af6155ec442276ee7.jpg

And this one's
6b41e8c8f077f092b29796619a827511.jpg

Like this
4617d5ec4501d65cb987de2f25cd78ef.jpg

0abdebb79371556df7d2942328473d38.jpg


So what do you think? Could it be because I have them in perlite only and the stuff is pretty coarse so when the fan is on them the constant movement of the stem has worn away at the soil level?
 
Ok, so I went ahead and drained the nutes from the two and rinsed them with 3% peroxide solution and in a couple of days we will see about feeding them or just watering them and see what happens. In the mean time am going to soak a few chocolate bhutlah seeds and start those just in case
 
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