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Leaf variegation
- Thread starter DWB
- Start date
Get a pocket microscope at least 60x plus. Look for pests.
If you look up fish pepper plant,you can see the variegated leaves.
Deinitely not variegated leaves here, it seems to me that the plant is not intaking all the right nutrients it needs for one reason or another. Here are a few things I would look into:
Over fertilizing - can cause the plant to "lock up" and not uptake certain nutrients.
Under fertilizing - maybe missing something essential in your current nutrient supply
PH may be off - this one would take longer to explain, but can result in specific nutrients not being taken up. Which nutrients would depend on the PH itself. If it is high then xxx doesn't get uptaken, if the PH is too low, then yyyy doesn't get uptaken. (see chart below)
Mites/bugs/aphids - some of these may be too small to see with the naked eye; some live in the soil (commonly missed by most gardeners)
anywyas, here is the chart I mentioned: in this chart you can see that when the PH is above 7.5, Manganese is not easily utilized; inversely, if the PH is under 6.0, Phosphorus has a hard time being taken in by the plant.
This shows why a PH of 6.8 is recommended for soils in general. (Plant species may skew these values)
This may not solve your problem, but if you plan to troubleshoot all aspects, I would suggest considering the above possibilities
.
Over fertilizing - can cause the plant to "lock up" and not uptake certain nutrients.
Under fertilizing - maybe missing something essential in your current nutrient supply
PH may be off - this one would take longer to explain, but can result in specific nutrients not being taken up. Which nutrients would depend on the PH itself. If it is high then xxx doesn't get uptaken, if the PH is too low, then yyyy doesn't get uptaken. (see chart below)
Mites/bugs/aphids - some of these may be too small to see with the naked eye; some live in the soil (commonly missed by most gardeners)
anywyas, here is the chart I mentioned: in this chart you can see that when the PH is above 7.5, Manganese is not easily utilized; inversely, if the PH is under 6.0, Phosphorus has a hard time being taken in by the plant.
This shows why a PH of 6.8 is recommended for soils in general. (Plant species may skew these values)
This may not solve your problem, but if you plan to troubleshoot all aspects, I would suggest considering the above possibilities
.
Thank you. I call it variegated just because the word means "marked with patches or spots of different colors".
For now, I'm giving them more shade. The spots are fairly recent and only on the leaves getting the most direct Gulf Coast afternoon sun. Looking even closer, I find some leaves that are only spotted on the portion sticking out from underneath the protection of spotted leaves. The leaves that get direct morning sun are just fine. None of them get direct mid-day sun.
Thanks too for the chart. I suppose it could easily be nutrition too. Maybe manganese? Seems like that deficiency can make yellowish spots. Although I don't have the foggiest idea what the soil pH is, I correct our well water to 7.6. In previous years I've watered my habañero plants with uncorrected 6.0 pH water. Not sure why I chose to water these plants with the high pH water so maybe that makes a difference too.
For now, I'm giving them more shade. The spots are fairly recent and only on the leaves getting the most direct Gulf Coast afternoon sun. Looking even closer, I find some leaves that are only spotted on the portion sticking out from underneath the protection of spotted leaves. The leaves that get direct morning sun are just fine. None of them get direct mid-day sun.
Thanks too for the chart. I suppose it could easily be nutrition too. Maybe manganese? Seems like that deficiency can make yellowish spots. Although I don't have the foggiest idea what the soil pH is, I correct our well water to 7.6. In previous years I've watered my habañero plants with uncorrected 6.0 pH water. Not sure why I chose to water these plants with the high pH water so maybe that makes a difference too.