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curling up?

Howdy learned pepper heads :shocked:

As a total pepper newb I'm wondering what the reason for this upward curling of the leaves might be?

Perhaps this is 100% normal, but as I am UN-learned, asking seems to be my best course of action :)

I did do a search and found several threads dealing with leaves curling DOWN, but not up like these.

Elsewhere I found a page that indicated this could be the result of over fertilization, but since I have used NO fertilizer at all this seems unlikely :)

These are Caribbean Red Habanero. The lighting isn't really as red/orange as this picture appears. The light is too bright for the camera and it comes out like this.

carib3.jpg
 
It could be anything from thrips to nutritional problems. There is also a condition known as "Physiological Leaf Roll" caused by a variety of environmental factors like too much or too little water, too much nitrogen, light intensity, ect.

What kind of potting soil are you using? So many of them have fertilizer added. What kind of lights, and how close are they to the plants? What are the temperatures at leaf level? What's your watering scheme?

Safer Soap will handle thrips, but you have to apply once a week for several weeks as they have a very short life cycle in warm temperatures.
 
Its miracle grow potting mix, which does have some time release fertilizer in it, but they've been in these pots since they germinated 3 weeks ago and this curling just started 2 days ago.

In my reading in the last couple weeks I've noted that you do not appear to be a big fan of miracle grow :shocked:

Its what was on hand though, so its what I used.

They are in a 4x5 grow room I built with one 400 watt HPS lamp,
and a pair of 2 tube 4' fluorescent fixtures. HPS lamp is around 2500 kelvin, fluorescents are around 5000 kelvin.
Total light output is around 67,000 lumens.
Temp at leaf level is about 94 F. and its pretty dry air.
I am planning on adding a small humidifier today.

The room is ventilated with a small duct fan that draws air out at the bottom of one wall
and there are inlet vents on the opposite wall at the top so that air will circulate top to bottom and prevent
heat from pooling at the top of the room.

All 4 walls, ceiling, and floor are painted hi-gloss pure white. I know it looks yellow, but its not :)

The plants only went into the grow room last night when I finished it.
Before that they were under just the fluorescents (no HPS) with the lamps just a few inches from the top of the plants

The lamps are 22" from the tops of the plants.

These have been indoors from day 1.

Watering schedule has been pretty much once daily. Not a soak though, just a sprinkle.

carib4.jpg
 
Well Skyjerk, based on the information you posted I'd say that curling is a direct result of cosmic rays!

Yeah thats the ticket! And the planets are out of alignment! Yeah!

And you need to add a framistam to the whoosiewhatsis on Thursdays!

Yeah, thats the ticket! :shocked:
 
Skyjerk said:
Well Skyjerk, based on the information you posted I'd say that curling is a direct result of cosmic rays!

Yeah thats the ticket! And the planets are out of alignment! Yeah!

And you need to add a framistam to the whoosiewhatsis on Thursdays!

Yeah, thats the ticket! :lol:

What...didja miss me?

I think the Miracle Grow might be part of your problem. It *is* high nitrogen, and one of the nutritional problems that can cause leaf curl is too much nitrogen. Yeah, I know, it's hard to find anything but Miracle Grow, but that's why I whine about it.

I would keep an eye out for the thrips, and consider adding a bit of seaweed solution to the plants to balance out the high nitrogen. That and raising the humidity will probably put things to right. Oh, and I would let them dry out a bit between waterings. It's better to soak them every third day then to sprinkle every day.

Really nice grow room, btw. I'm a bit jealous.
 
Any particular brand of seaweed solution?
Are they readily available in retail places?

Thanks for the assistance :lol:
 
Maxicrop is, I believe, the one most commonly seen in stores. Lowes usually has it in the spring, but I'm not sure if they have this time of year or not. The green bottle one is the one I usually see in the stores, but I like having the blue bottle version with iron on hand in the spring. I have noticed that some of my plants do better with a little boost of iron shortly after being planted out.
 
Is 94 F. too hot?

Another page I was looking at suggested that thats too hot, but I see others that say hot and humid are the best growing conditions.
 
Skyjerk said:
Is 94 F. too hot?

Another page I was looking at suggested that thats too hot, but I see others that say hot and humid are the best growing conditions.

It's not too hot for a daytime temperature, but it's too hot for nighttime temperatures. You'll get blossom drop with nighttime temperatures that high.
 
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