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sick plants - suggestions?
- Thread starter Duffman
- Start date
Have you closely examined the plants (underside of leaves) for insects. It looks like aphid damage as well as some damage from some type of chewing insect, but it's difficult to tell from the pics.
I'd neem them several times over the next few weeks, check soil PH (adjust if necesary), and give them a dose of calcium and magnesium.
I'd neem them several times over the next few weeks, check soil PH (adjust if necesary), and give them a dose of calcium and magnesium.
Quarantine! Don't let it spread. Neem should work if it's aphids, hope it's not spider mites. The two on the back right look really rough. Good Luck.
Thanks, folks. I appreciate all the suggestions and welcome others.
The whole back row is bad but the 2 on the right are definitely the worst. They're sitting outside right now, away from my other plants and I'll keep them there or in the garage until I see improvement or it warms up a bit so I can just plant them outside and not worry about it. (trashing them is still an option I'm considering at this point, too) I don't see any bugs or webs but I just don't know. It almost looks like they're just growing funky. They've been getting GH FloraNova Grow nutrients so I assume it's not some sort of deficiency. I'll grab some neem today and see if that helps. I've got some cal/mag so I'll hit them with that, too.
The whole back row is bad but the 2 on the right are definitely the worst. They're sitting outside right now, away from my other plants and I'll keep them there or in the garage until I see improvement or it warms up a bit so I can just plant them outside and not worry about it. (trashing them is still an option I'm considering at this point, too) I don't see any bugs or webs but I just don't know. It almost looks like they're just growing funky. They've been getting GH FloraNova Grow nutrients so I assume it's not some sort of deficiency. I'll grab some neem today and see if that helps. I've got some cal/mag so I'll hit them with that, too.
I really don't think it's a nutrient problem. Leaves will look like that after an aphid attack. Once you get rid of the aphids the plant will have to make new leaves to look normal. Should take a few weeks.
Well I spoke with my friend. She said none of the other plants that were sitting next to these (2 peppers, 1 tomato) show signs of insects or damage so I'm guessing that's not it.
She was only feeding them 1/2 strength nutes every 4-5 days so I doubt if it's nute related.
I think beandip might be onto something. I don't think they were babied at all once they sprouted. So do I just take care of them normally and they'll get back to normal or are they goners?
She was only feeding them 1/2 strength nutes every 4-5 days so I doubt if it's nute related.
I think beandip might be onto something. I don't think they were babied at all once they sprouted. So do I just take care of them normally and they'll get back to normal or are they goners?
top picture, right plant, left most leaves are classic.... classic..... over fertilizing, the leavers are literally tearing themselves apart and barfing out the possible high salt content (the burning, browning, dissolving on the inside of the tear).
I don't know if flushing with just plain water with flush out any left over fertilizer in the soil, so nothing else can get ingested. The damage is down to the leaves and the only thing you can do is selectively snip off brown or severly damaged leaves but don't go stupid and snip everything, give the plant time to adjust to removal of the few leaves, then in a couple of days remove a few more of just the severly damaged leaves. New growth will soon follow. Perhaps give them a misting of Epsom salt 1/2 teaspoon in a common sized spray bottle.
My plants are inside and I too can suffer the effects from over fertilizing and it is all unintentional. Perhaps, using chemical fertilizer that was not completely dissolved, first plants that get watered have a lighter content of the fertilizer and as you get further down the water container the concentation goes up. I have to be extremely careful with Plant Prod Tomato, Vegetable fertilizer(15-15-30), the label says concentrated water soluable fertilizer and everytime I use it, I get leaf tearing. I have cut down on the recommended dosage, I have let the mixture sit for a few days, constantly stirring it, and then again just before using it. Yet, I use Plant Prod Plant Starter(10-52-10) on new sprouts and no problems.
What brand of fertilizer are were used and what is its N-P-K make up?
.....isn't it too cold for aphids at this time in Wisconsin?
I don't know if flushing with just plain water with flush out any left over fertilizer in the soil, so nothing else can get ingested. The damage is down to the leaves and the only thing you can do is selectively snip off brown or severly damaged leaves but don't go stupid and snip everything, give the plant time to adjust to removal of the few leaves, then in a couple of days remove a few more of just the severly damaged leaves. New growth will soon follow. Perhaps give them a misting of Epsom salt 1/2 teaspoon in a common sized spray bottle.
My plants are inside and I too can suffer the effects from over fertilizing and it is all unintentional. Perhaps, using chemical fertilizer that was not completely dissolved, first plants that get watered have a lighter content of the fertilizer and as you get further down the water container the concentation goes up. I have to be extremely careful with Plant Prod Tomato, Vegetable fertilizer(15-15-30), the label says concentrated water soluable fertilizer and everytime I use it, I get leaf tearing. I have cut down on the recommended dosage, I have let the mixture sit for a few days, constantly stirring it, and then again just before using it. Yet, I use Plant Prod Plant Starter(10-52-10) on new sprouts and no problems.
What brand of fertilizer are were used and what is its N-P-K make up?
.....isn't it too cold for aphids at this time in Wisconsin?
I'm with BC on this one. Adding ferts that often will lead to a salt build up and in a hurry. You can usually see the buildup of crap around the drain holes on the bottom of the pot. Usually looks like dry white or mustard color substance caked around the drain holes. You could flush them, but if it were me I'd pull them, remove as much of the old soil as I could and put them in fresh soil.
That looks very much like thrip damage! First thing that popped into my mind. Notice the increase in axillary bud growth, thats what happened to some seedlings I had when they were attacked by thrips, the new top growth was mangled unevenly causing that decrepit appearence of the plant.
Also, if it were fertilizer damage, there would be little to no new growth, especially from the axillary buds which can only grow from lack of auxin generated from the dominant apical bud, which is damaged thus causing the axillary growth.
Check the undersides of the leaves for very tiny fast moving elongated bugs, they will almost certainly be in bloomed flowers as well. If not thrips it is probably spider mites, a bit smaller and much slower movement, get a hand lense and look on the underside for little crab like bugs, they are either red or white with two spots.
If it is thrips or mites, flushing the soil will not help at all, and the new growth will continue to be devoured until the plant dies or you remove the infestation.
Also, if it were fertilizer damage, there would be little to no new growth, especially from the axillary buds which can only grow from lack of auxin generated from the dominant apical bud, which is damaged thus causing the axillary growth.
Check the undersides of the leaves for very tiny fast moving elongated bugs, they will almost certainly be in bloomed flowers as well. If not thrips it is probably spider mites, a bit smaller and much slower movement, get a hand lense and look on the underside for little crab like bugs, they are either red or white with two spots.
If it is thrips or mites, flushing the soil will not help at all, and the new growth will continue to be devoured until the plant dies or you remove the infestation.
Burning Colon said:
Not if the plants are indoors.
I'm sure it's too cold for the plants outdoors this time of year up north.
Well, I decided I needed the pots for other pepper seedlings so I planted all these outside. It's way too early but the forecast says no freezing temps on the horizon so I went for it. (although I'm sure we'll have at least 1 more big snowstorm--we always do) I'll do what I can to keep them alive and if it's meant to be then it'll happen. Otherwise, no biggie.
Thanks again to everyone who contributed.
Thanks again to everyone who contributed.