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Ghost Chili Leaves Splotching

Chili_Author

Chili_Author

Hello Hot Pepper Community.

I am an amateur chili pepper grower, having just started a few months ago (a bit late for peppers, I agree; shows how much I knew when I started). I currently have one ghost chili (or more appropriately, the Bhut Jolokia) plant that has managed to survive my amateurish skills since I began, but now I've run into what I hope isn't going to be the plant's deathblow. I recently transplanted the plant (which is now about six or seven inches tall) into a new pot. That was two days ago. Since then, most of the lower leaves have dropped off. I've also noticed that strange splotches, which almost look like water stains, have appeared on the leaves that have dropped off, as well as a couple of the newer, higher leaves that have not dropped off. I read up on the diseases chilies face, and the closest I can find that matches the symptoms is Bacterial Leaf Spot, though I may be wrong. I've also been dealing with Red Spider Mites, though the infestation has recently come under control, and I'm wondering if maybe they're responsible for the blotches.

At this point, I'm mainly just keeping an eye on the plant, as I don't know enough to take action. Action without information could, after all, damage the plant more than it already is. And I know transplanting causes stress on plants, and while I doubt it, I'm wondering if maybe this is just the result of the transplant--I do find it strange all of this began immediately after the transplant.

Any information and expertise would be appreciated. My thanks to you for taking the time to read this.

Chili_Author
 
Hi Chili_Author!

I keep hearing about "transplant shock" but I've not seen it yet, I think you've really got to try hard to cause any real damage, especially if you're just potting up. A few old bottom leaves falling off is normal - transplant or not - but if it's excessive and if there are other iffy signs - like the spots you mentioned - that's worth taking a closer look. But we need pictures!!!

EDIT: Welcome to the forums!!! :welcome: :woohoo:
 
I'm no expert, Chili_Author, but the first things I'd do for a sick plant would be to be sure it's in a shady, location so it's not heat-stressed, and check the moisture in the soil -- too much water will rot the roots. If you can get this plant stabilized, then we can get into making it grow.

This is just my opinion based on what you've told us. Good luck!

Tom
 
Over-watering might be a problem; I did find a lot of water in the catch tray. As for heat, I thought chilis, especially these kind, liked the hotter weather? I'm guessing plants just need a rest after a stressful operation like transplanting as well?

Here's some pictures. They're not the greatest, I apologize.

IMG_0272.jpg


These next two are dark, but the splotches are somewhat visible.

IMG_0273.jpg


IMG_0271.jpg


And this one is up close to one of the fallen leaves. you can see the splotches, which are much more exaggerated on these fallen leaves than the ones still on the plant.

IMG_0274.jpg


Many thanks for all of your replies, everyone. I really appreciate it.

EDIT: And thank you for the welcome. It's nice to see a friendly crowd here.
 
Welcome to THP! :)
I think over watering is your problem IMO.. Your healthy leaves look dark green and healthy, the bottom leaves look weighed down (too much water) I've done this in the past and my plants showed the same symptoms. It doesn't look like any fungal disease that I've experienced or seen as well. which also points me toward over watering. Keep in mind (which I didn't my first couple years of growing) Letting your plants dry out, and by that I mean the leaves are starting to droop.. Isn't a bad thing! Peppers like dry just not TOO dry. I water mine when they are showing me they NEED water NOW. Your plants will do the talkin, you just gotta know what they're sayin :D
Good luck to you
Brandon
 
Could be burns--which can be cause by a number of things (fertilizer burn, sun burn, etc).

What did you use to control the mites? I've experienced some burnage before when using certain treatments.

Could also be sun scorch. Have you let the leaves get wet while your plant has been under the sun? That would explain the blotches (liquid pools on leaves and magnifies the sun).

How's the weather over there ATM too? Do you get frost where you are? Thankfully I don't have to deal with it here but I'm guessing it can cause burnage...
 
Overwatering. Okay, I will back off on the water. I forgot they do not need as much water as some tropical plant or something along those lines.

I took care of the mites mainly by squishing them. Since I was only controlling them on this one plant when I finally realized what they were, I just started running my fingers along the undersides of the leaves lightly enough to not damage the leaves but still enough to crush the little buggers.

The weather here is typical southern-California: unpredictable. We have not had any frost yet though, and I always bring the plant inside for night. with all of this said, I think I have to agree to your more experienced opinions that watering is the main problem. Many thanks everyone, and I'll let you know how things go from here on. Thanks!!!
 
Over-watering will cause yellowing lower leaves, before leaf drop, Nute burn would be noticable at the upper leaves also, the fallen leaves and wilted look of the plant can be bacterial...just my opinion

Greg
 
Looks like localized burn/scorch of some kind to me - are you sure you didn't spill something on those leaves - maybe when you were transplanting? I don't see any signs of overwatering, your plant looks just fine to me.
 
gasificada said:
Could also be sun scorch. Have you let the leaves get wet while your plant has been under the sun? That would explain the blotches (liquid pools on leaves and magnifies the sun).
Click to expand...

You know that's a myth, right? The droplet would have to be suspended above the leaf to actually act as a lense and would have to ba large enough and somehow not evaporate in the hot sun for this to work.
 
Flakes said:
Looks like localized burn/scorch of some kind to me - are you sure you didn't spill something on those leaves - maybe when you were transplanting? I don't see any signs of overwatering, your plant looks just fine to me.
Click to expand...
Could just be the angle of the photo, but it does look like something has dripped off one leaf onto another too.

Flakes said:
You know that's a myth, right? The droplet would have to be suspended above the leaf to actually act as a lense and would have to ba large enough and somehow not evaporate in the hot sun for this to work.
Click to expand...
Really? There you go! There has to be something behind the myth though as I have witnessed burns where liquid has pooled before. Only thing is, it was such a long time ago now I can't remember if it was just plain old water or if it was mixed with something (fert, pest oil, soap, etc)....
 
Flakes said:
You know that's a myth, right? The droplet would have to be suspended above the leaf to actually act as a lense and would have to ba large enough and somehow not evaporate in the hot sun for this to work.
Click to expand...

Not a myth..........but that's not the case here

Greg
 
gasificada said:
Could just be the angle of the photo, but it does look like something has dripped off one leaf onto another too.


Really? There you go! There has to be something behind the myth though as I have witnessed burns where liquid has pooled before. Only thing is, it was such a long time ago now I can't remember if it was just plain old water or if it was mixed with something (fert, pest oil, soap, etc)....
Click to expand...

Yeah, there's certainly something to it - there's acid rain, there's all kinds of things that could be present in the water, just the fact that it's a "pool" of water and things stick to it and live/grow in it, backsplash from the ground (if it's been raining), etc... But you can't just take a droplet of clean water, place it on a smooth leaf of a healthy pepper plant, subject the leaf to bright light and have the droplet focus the light thereby burning the leaf - that's just not possible with "non-hairy" leaves.
 
PIC 1 said:
Not a myth..........but that's not the case here

Greg
Click to expand...

Yes, it is - at least for plants with smooth leaves - like peppers.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/7823032/Sunburnt-plants-myth-is-debunked.html
http://www.livescience.com/6017-water-drops-magnify-sunlight-burn-leaves.html
 
It's an interesting possibility, that there's sunlight focusing on and burning the plant, especially since it is somewhat (not super closely, but there is a possible correlation) corresponding to the new greenhouse I built for it. It's a basic, piece-of-junk design made with a K-nex frame and clear shower-curtains as the wall. However, I can only think of one occasion where any water pooled on the top of the 'greenhouse,' and that was maybe a week or so before I transplanted the chili plant.

I'm sure I didn't get anything on the chili during transplant. I have made a habit of lightly misting water on the plant as a kind of Red Spider Mite deterrent, since I read they don't like wet environments.
 
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