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Again leaves... but different problem. Droopy leaves.

buggedcom

buggedcom

Again another leaf question, different problem this time though. This one is more to do with droopy leaves than anything else. At the bottom of the plant there are several big leaves that have no backbone to them, meaning they just collapse downwards even though they appear perfectly healthy and the rest of the plant is fine. It is a Fatalii.

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Are the leaves ok or does it signal a problem? Should I cut them off to promote new growth?

Secondly I've had several plants inexplicably die on me. There are several other plants in the pots and they are fine. Below is an example of a plant in the process of dying. I repotted these plants over three weeks ago and would have though if it was a problem of the roots then they would have dropped way before. I know that the pot is rather crowded in this example but it has happened in other pots also with only two small plants per pot. Both the same size and one day *poof* wilting and death. Any ideas why?

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Looks to me as though these haven't been hardened off. What kind of light are these plants exposed to?
 
two things...one is they look like they need water and two they look like they need more light...what food have you been giving them and how much?

I don't say this to be mean or anything but they look "spindly" to me...(weak)
 
I see something similar with the lower leaves wilting when there's too much heat near the bottom of the plant - like when it's in sun-baked dirt. What is that container made of and are they getting a lot of heat and/or sun?
 
Thanks for replying.

I monitor the water with a probe and the soil is always kept at the moist level towards dry.
I've also just purchased two CFLs, one 250W blue and one 200W red, because before I only had 3 15W CFLs. I've just put them up at the beginning of the week and am see much growth in all of the plants.

With regards to feeding, I haven't fed them for about two-three weeks as I was scared I was over fertilizing them (I was doing it every water at one point). So perhaps they are hungry. What is a good ratio? I'm feeding them organic rose fertilizer.

All the plants are directly around a radiator which is on all the time. I have a fan come on for 30 mins every hour to circulate the air. The larger plants which this is one of are up on the top shelf away from the direct heat of the radiator.

I'm not sure what the pots are made of. Concrete perhaps although they have a plastic lining.

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Another little question about why some of my plants can't stand straight at all. I've been told if a plant grows too high it's because it's too hot and is trying to get away from the heat, but too me that doesn't explain why it doesn't have a backbone and needs a cane to hold itself up. I've also read that having a fan trained on the plants (indoors) helps bolster stem strength, is that true or bs?
 
Its true that fans help to make stronger plants. From the look of things though i would think that light is the problem, although i don't know the composition of rose fertilizer.
Its really difficult to say for sure and i wouldn't want to ruin your ambitions by saying something that is not true. Remember though nothing beats good old fashioned sunlight for achieving sterling results.
 
Take a soil temp reading perhaps?
Wilting in general is when the plant can't transpire (like perspire for us) enough water from the leaves to cool itself for the conditions it's under. So not uptaking water (weak roots) or excess heat are the most likely causes. Also overwatering will cause wilting if the roots are "drowning".

Hey, do those containers have drain holes?? Could be muddy at the bottom yet dry near the top.
 
^^^^^ what Nova said...

I don't know about the feeding end of it, bit I would say definitely they are light starved and your new CFLs will help this trememdously (as you have already seen)...there is food in every watering I give my plants...I use Botanicare ProGrow (for soil)...

I also run a fan 30 minutes twice a day on my seedlings and it strengthens the stems trememdously...its like they are going to the gym twice a day...
 
Carol is right...I didn't even think of that, but still, I say they needed more light..
 
Not sure how those moisture probes work but it could be averaging the moisture content and giving a false picture of what's really going on. Peppers HATE wet feet.
 
The droopy bottom leaves and spindly stems are the same problem...not enough light. Do they ever produce fruit? What's the NPK ratio of your fertilizer? If the N number is higher than the others, it will encourage lanky growth.

And if the pots don't drain, you're setting up the perfect environment for all kinds of viruses, fungi, and bacteria to thrive on top of making the roots unhappy. Peppers need good drainage.
 
Pam said:
The droopy bottom leaves and spindly stems are the same problem...not enough light. Do they ever produce fruit? What's the NPK ratio of your fertilizer? If the N number is higher than the others, it will encourage lanky growth.

And if the pots don't drain, you're setting up the perfect environment for all kinds of viruses, fungi, and bacteria to thrive on top of making the roots unhappy. Peppers need good drainage.
Click to expand...

im about to buy fert and since you mentioned that - is (N) – 10% (P2O5) – 8% ( K2O) – 22% +Mg good ratio for peppers? will it encourage strong growth and good flowering?
 
Serrano from what i know you want to find a fert with equal parts or near equal parts. I have heard of 5-5-5 or 12-12-12. Yours at 10-8-22 seems ok i would wonder about the high K rating though.
 
the high K number is definitely more for the flowering/fruiting stage...I like a balanced fert too for sustainment..
 
Thanks again everyone for your input.

The pots don't have drain holes but I have put 1-2 cm's of gravel at the bottom so the soil drains into that, but I guess thinking about it that the plant will grow it's roots into the gravel anyway. Perhaps I should drill some drain holes then?

The moisture and pH monitors don't average, but rather measure from the tip and I stick it right down to the bottom just before the gravel (on most pots - depending on size of the plant) so I would estimate it to be a fairly accurate reading.

I do have fruits on some of the plants. I've had fruit start on Purira, Chi-Chien and Numex Twighlight, as well as flowers start on Naga Jolokia and another variety that is unknown that I picked up in India.

With regards to the NPK or the fertilizer it's 7-2-2, which I guess is way off balance. I'll have to order in some better fertilizer. What's the ratio of watering with normal water to fertilized water? 2-1?

With regards to the light, living in a 3rd floor apartment in Helsinki, in Finland makes it particularly difficult to do stuff from Autumn to Spring, however the 23 hour sunlight will be arriving soon and all the plants will be moved to the window that receives 20 hours every day through the summer. I can't move them outside because it's a shared garden that the caretaker looks after, however I have been considering getting on the waiting list for an allotment, but I don't really know if it's worth it just yet as it's still my first year of growing.
 
Definitely get an allotment, you will love it. With those pots, you may have a hard time drilling holes in them and not breaking the pot. Be sure to use a diamond tipped drill, a masonry bit will gouge a big hole, and a hammer drill will hammer the pot into little pieces. The pots look like they might be meant to hold another pot inside-the ones you have are sometimes designed as a nice exterior, and also as a water reservoir.
Definitely change the fertiliser, 7:2:2 will give you leggy trees, not bushy plants. I follow the directions on the pack for fertiliser, which tends to be once every 14 days. You could also go for slow-release fertiliser, not as much control over what happens and when, but much less maintenance.
 
More updates.

Turns out it was just a lack of water. That moisture probe is worth jack shit. I gave them a little water and they perked right up. However I have been inspecting the leaves of the same plant and now discovered something disturbing on the underside of the leaves.

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It looks like sawdust has collected to the underside of the leaves. And that would not be unreasonable because I did put up some shelves by cutting some 2 by 4 in the same room. However it is just on this plant and just on the lower leaves.

Any ideas on this thing? Virus? Deficiency? Fungus?
 
Do they move? It looks like the same problem I have with a little sawdust accumulating as well. I have been told adema, where the plants takes in too much water and the cells swell up. It shouldnt be a problem.

Here is what mine looked like.
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