Yeah... its probably over-exposure to sun... however, you say that you were over-watering and have now cut back, but at the same time you say that the temps have increased. When the days are really hot and plants get 10 hours of direct sun it is nearly impossible to over-water a raised bed. You could need to water them a little more (in the morning or evening). To be honest that type of leaf curle reminds me of the plants I had growing at my mom's house. I had made a "pepper mound" that had excellent drainage and really rich soil. The bed received absolutely full sun and she did not water it very often. The resulting plants looked exactly like those you have. Ill bet they are rally hard to the touch and waxy feeling???
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health Scared I am doing something majorly wrong
- Thread starter calchilihead
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Have you ever checked the PH of your soil? It could be not allowing nutrients to be taken up. They really look like they need some Calcium. I know that gets thrown around a lot on this forum but you honestly can't give a pepper plant too much. Have you tried a foliar spray to check any deficiencies? Also you said you had aphids if I'm not mistaken. Are they gone or still lingering around? A lot of that could also be leftover damage from them.
The Aphids are gone, I have been using some commercial Insecticidal Soap as needed.
I have never supplemented Calcium. I have only use Epsom salt foliar spray every couple of weeks.
As for the watering, I use a moisture gauge and water when it gets to just at the "dry" mark at 4-5" down. However I have never seen the plants droop in between watering.
@Noah Yate - Thats exactly what they feel like.
I have never supplemented Calcium. I have only use Epsom salt foliar spray every couple of weeks.
As for the watering, I use a moisture gauge and water when it gets to just at the "dry" mark at 4-5" down. However I have never seen the plants droop in between watering.
@Noah Yate - Thats exactly what they feel like.
Just an update:
1. I went out and bought some shade cloth (from Home Depot), i think its 60%. I am going to use this for a couple of hours a day during midday.
2. I also bought some Calcium Foliage spray from a nursery. I will hit them tonight with that.
3. I pruned back some of the dead leaves, cleaned the plants up a bit.
Now I wait and see.
1. I went out and bought some shade cloth (from Home Depot), i think its 60%. I am going to use this for a couple of hours a day during midday.
2. I also bought some Calcium Foliage spray from a nursery. I will hit them tonight with that.
3. I pruned back some of the dead leaves, cleaned the plants up a bit.
Now I wait and see.
I know here in Florida i have to use shade cloth or my plants look like wax that has melted. I currently have a 50% white shade cloth over my hoop house and would like to go to either a 40% or 30%.
Do you keep the shade cloth up 24x7 or do you just put it over mid-day?
I leave it on all the time. I am not home during the day to mess with it.
Ok guys, help me out here:
Have I been thinking about this wrong and worried about over watering? I pruned back a bunch of the yellowed leaves (actually a heavy pruning). I did this, added the sun shade for about an hour or so a day.
Next, I started measuring soil moisture twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening.
So I found out by about 5pm my soil was almost bone dry again. I was like hmmmm.
Also the leaves that yellowed were more crispy then wet paper feeling.
Anyways I have been watering twice a day now (if the soil is approaching "dry" by the evening along with my finger test). I keep hearing that peppers need consistently MOIST soil. So I have been trying to keep the moisture meter in the "mid-moist" range and the finger feeling damp about 2" down
With that said, two of the plants have grown 3" in this time that I started doing this. The color is not coming back and is still light green/yellow, but new growth looks green.
Mind you my soil doesnt seem to retain water all that well and drains very fast + its been windy for a couple of days with low humidity.
What say all of you?
Have I been thinking about this wrong and worried about over watering? I pruned back a bunch of the yellowed leaves (actually a heavy pruning). I did this, added the sun shade for about an hour or so a day.
Next, I started measuring soil moisture twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening.
So I found out by about 5pm my soil was almost bone dry again. I was like hmmmm.
Also the leaves that yellowed were more crispy then wet paper feeling.
Anyways I have been watering twice a day now (if the soil is approaching "dry" by the evening along with my finger test). I keep hearing that peppers need consistently MOIST soil. So I have been trying to keep the moisture meter in the "mid-moist" range and the finger feeling damp about 2" down
With that said, two of the plants have grown 3" in this time that I started doing this. The color is not coming back and is still light green/yellow, but new growth looks green.
Mind you my soil doesnt seem to retain water all that well and drains very fast + its been windy for a couple of days with low humidity.
What say all of you?
twice a day is a lot of wateringfiveohmike said:
when I stopped watering my habanero plant so much the bottom leaves turned green again (from really yellow)
the only thing you really have to be active with is soil prep and pest control, otherwise just keep them in the shade and make sure they get watered like once or twice a week