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Little leaf curl up issue, looking for some advice/confirmation

Ragnar

Ragnar

Started over the last few days on one plant that has been troublesome since seed.
 
Have treated for insects recently so I'm pretty sure its nutrient-related.
 
Thinking this might be from a lack of Calcium?
 
Currently mix has been using a time-release since the first of June, with a couple low-dose liquid applications early on but none recently (none in at least 3weeks).
 
Mix is 5-1-1 (bark fines, perlite, peat +lime&the time-release).
 
Thanks for looking. I have to water today at three before going away to a cottage for the weekend, trying to decide whether to add CalMag or the liquid fert or both or nothing. Will not be seeing the plants myself again until Tues..
 
 
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A few of my plants are doing that, but they're very green and producing a ton of pods.  Some do it for a few days and some have been like that for weeks.  I'm just letting them be and continuing on with the nutrient regime.  It could be heat stress, general stress, nutrient problems, etc...but until the plant starts dropping leaves, turning yellow, or stops producing flowers / fruit, I would leave it alone.  Plants have a funny way of working things out as long as you continue a good regime or nutrients and water.
 
Last year I freaked out every time I saw leaf curl on my plants, and ended up doing more damage than good trying to correct it. This year I loaded myself down with so many plants that I have the attitude if you make it you make it, if not, oh well that's one less plant I have to care for.
 
And you know what, all my plants are doing much better. I have several that have some leaf curl too but they are producing and growing just fine. I see many photos on here of some of the senior members and I see some of their plants that look the same. I really don't worry about it anymore.
 
lol is fert burn this years 'over watering'?
every thing is fert burn it seems, even when it is clearly not.
 
'early' fert burn is little black tips on the newest growth, it quickly runs down the margins into the midrib. veins usually stay green for a while. it only effects the newest growth.
 
little black necrotic dots or w.e on leaf margins are not fert burn. distortion of the midrib and margin usually has 0 to do with over fertilizing. overall chlorosis of lower leaves is not fert burn. marginal chlorosis of lower leaves is not fertilizer burn.
 
peppers are not delicate little landrace orchids from the jungle or w.e. they are an intensely cultivated well bred plant, they are not immensely sensitive to fertilizer burn as some seem to think.
 
 
your plants look alright imho.
 
yea you are probably correct with the calcium, but with time release ferts, its important to be very cautious, as osmocote etc, tend to release LOTS of ammonia quickly during hot periods with lots of water. ask me how i know?
 
best bet is to check the runoff EC first, then start looking at the calcium.
 
SL3 said:
Last year I freaked out every time I saw leaf curl on my plants, and ended up doing more damage than good trying to correct it. This year I loaded myself down with so many plants that I have the attitude if you make it you make it, if not, oh well that's one less plant I have to care for.
 
And you know what, all my plants are doing much better. I have several that have some leaf curl too but they are producing and growing just fine. I see many photos on here of some of the senior members and I see some of their plants that look the same. I really don't worry about it anymore.
Click to expand...
 
 
 
Really good point. Plus it's just one plant.
 
 
queequeg152 said:
lol is fert burn this years 'over watering'?
every thing is fert burn it seems, even when it is clearly not.
 
'early' fert burn is little black tips on the newest growth, it quickly runs down the margins into the midrib. veins usually stay green for a while. it only effects the newest growth.
 
little black necrotic dots or w.e on leaf margins are not fert burn. distortion of the midrib and margin usually has 0 to do with over fertilizing. overall chlorosis of lower leaves is not fert burn. marginal chlorosis of lower leaves is not fertilizer burn.
 
peppers are not delicate little landrace orchids from the jungle or w.e. they are an intensely cultivated well bred plant, they are not immensely sensitive to fertilizer burn as some seem to think.
 
 
your plants look alright imho.
 
yea you are probably correct with the calcium, but with time release ferts, its important to be very cautious, as osmocote etc, tend to release LOTS of ammonia quickly during hot periods with lots of water. ask me how i know?
 
best bet is to check the runoff EC first, then start looking at the calcium.
Click to expand...
 
 
Thanks for the info, I chose to take the water wait and see approach. I gave a particular plant in question a good flushing.
 
 
 
 
Thanks to everyone who responded, I appreciate all your time and opinions.
 
queequeg152 said:
lol is fert burn this years 'over watering'?
every thing is fert burn it seems, even when it is clearly not.
 
'early' fert burn is little black tips on the newest growth, it quickly runs down the margins into the midrib. veins usually stay green for a while. it only effects the newest growth.
Click to expand...
I wish I could agree with you, but I can't. The black tips don't usually happen until after the leaves warp/pucker a bit. You can avoid the tips blackening entirely by backing off the use of fertilizer once the puckering starts. It's not uncommon, especially for those new to growing, to use too much fertilizer, either because they're following directions on the package (which most often is only given for mature plants) or because they're over-enthusiastic. And no, it doesn't only affect the newest growth. 
 
Maybe not so much fert "burn"... but over fertilizing will do this every time... especially when you fertilize before they put on flowers and pods
 
It may just be a spurt of rapid growth, and the leaves may flatten out as the veins catch up with the rest.  You might say a lot of fertilizer could do this, but if you don't have bloom drop then rapid growth isn't such a bad thing.
 
I think they look good man, let those bad boys grow and see what happens....nature will conquer all...
 
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