• If you need help identifying a pepper, disease, or plant issue, please post in Identification.

Reaper having some trouble...

The very top of this Reaper plant is a little sad looking. This is the only plant that looks this way. Soil is a little on the moist side but then so are all other 62 plants (there has been a lot of rain lately). I added a little MG to a watering two weeks ago during a dry spell and I misted all my plants with a mild solution of pesticide a week and a half ago. Much rain since then. For what it's worth there are a lot of flies in the area of my plants lately. Last week, small white flies hence the pesticide. This week, house flies all over. Just giving as much information as possible.
 
10514741_10152202591595723_6901403085335203848_n.jpg

 
1959381_10152202611655723_3391344525601358901_n.jpg
 
What type of pesticide did you use ? Doesn't look bad but I would assume it is reacting to whatever your sprayed it with . I would cut off the funky growth and see what happens . 
 
mine get all bendy like that on a really hot day.
 
your leaves look a lil curled / wrinkly so there seems to be another problem.
 
I use Bio-Mist insect killer concentrate from Green Earth.
 
On hot days, many of the plants go all bendy however the Reaper isn't going back to normal in the shade. I don't really want to cut off the funky growth as the only pods I coming out are in the top funky quarter.
 
Just looking at your other leaves compels me to believe your ph might be off. I suspect a high ph...one of the first signs are the yellowing leaves with green veins, which show a possible def. of a mineral(s) because of nutrient lockout. If you don't have a meter you can pick one up at Lowe's or Home Depot. One of the cheapest and best tools a gardener can have. Some sulfur will acidify your soil if needed, and dolomite can alkalize it. Sulfur will take a bit longer, but its safer than the aluminum.
 
Swartmamba said:
ph hardly effects pots.... its some sort of pesticide/herbicide damage imo
Im not sure if I understand what your saying. Are you saying ph does not effect plants in pots or hardly at all, or that soil is not effected much if in pots? I ask because I have seen differently. Almost my entire grow started to experience some problems that just had me baffled. Then I went out and purchased a ph meter and found that most of the soil in my pots were too alkaline. So I did a test and found that most soil you purchase or ingredients used to make your own mixes were almost always overly alkaline..I found that very interesting. All I did was add some sulfur and in a few weeks or so I really noticed a turnaround. Remember, its the soil that has these problems, and so I am not sure why that would not include pots as well. Maybe I misinterpreted your post and you can clarify.
I do think it could be the pesticides as perhaps it has stressed them.
 
unless ph is way out, which it hardly eveyr is in potted plants it is not a issue. its not like hydro where you need to be in a certain ph to avoid lockout
 
Swartmamba said:
unless ph is way out, which it hardly eveyr is in potted plants it is not a issue. its not like hydro where you need to be in a certain ph to avoid lockout
 
I have had the same experience as Aaron, and i don't understand why you would think it dosent matter?
it may not be as important as in the soil - as you can change the soil in  a pot if you need to, but if the PH is off its still cant absorb what it needs..I fail to see how it makes any difference if the dirt is is in a pot or not. PH is off, plant cant absorb. Simple.
 
I have had the exact same experience as Aaron, my tap water is almost a PH of 8, and believe me it DOES build up in the soil. Watering a small pot with ph8 water WILL raise its PH over time. No doubt about it.
 
Looking at the OP's leaves I think he needs sulphur and K.
 
Swartmamba said:
ph hardly effects pots.... its some sort of pesticide/herbicide damage imo
I'm not so sure just based on the fact that the pesticide I used was used all over my garden and diluted to below recommended application. As well, it was used once and a rain followed for the next two days. This is the only plant that shows signs of distress.
 
To me they look deficient. Sulfer, dolomite and a ph reader...I'll keep you posted. Any other suggestions are welcome. As always, thanks to all who add their info. 
Sulfur, dolomite - could I use Epsom salt?
 
Ummm dolomite has calcium and magnesium in it, but it will also raise the soil PH.
 
So you probably only need to give it dolomite if you find you have a low PH (unlikely), otherwise you can supplement with just the epsom salt for the magnesium without the PH upper.
 
I would give it sulphur, water with citric acid & epsom salt, and feed it with a reasonably high P & K ratio fert.
 
Delta said:
nzchili, do you mean sulphur, water with citric acid & epsom salt as a foliar?
 
Very difficult to find a high P K ratio fert in my area. I don't want to order online because it'll take too long. Is there something I can use readily available to boost Phosphorus and Potassium?  
 
[SIZE=10.5pt]Sorry I mean I would sprinkle sulphur around the base of the plant/ on the top of the soil.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Then I would water it in with a mix of epsom salt with water, and citric acid to lower the PH of the watering solution. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]You can foliar spray the epsom salt if you want, I would probably do both.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]You can use sulfate of potash for potassium and you can use bone meal for the phosphorus.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]I would look for a high P/K liquid fert for flowering/fruiting plants though, there’s got to be something? [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]See if you can find waxul top K which is 5/8/12[/SIZE]
 
Update on the Reaper - looking worse.
 
Ph level in most of my plants is around 6.2 (depending on how accurate the meter is), The Reaper is reading 5 and has not done anything in a month. What is the quickest way to raise the ph assuming this is what I need to do? 
 
And yes of course I know I shouldn't raise it too quickly.
 
Back
Top