Is this a virus?

[Peter_L]

Hi, I'm here to query the community's knowledge of pepper diseases/infections.
 
Back story: This is a Big Sweet Chocolate Pepper plant purchased May 2017 from RFC. Shortly after transplanting outside, it got smashed by a huge hail storm. It mostly came back and delivered one runty but healthy looking pod before frost last year. I overwintered the plant and treated it similarly to my other larger overwinters (essentially infrequent watering with a very low dose regiment of General Hydroponics FloraSeries). There were minor aphid problems on my larger plants all winter. Around December I noticed that the little new growth it was attempting to put out was quickly curling up and dying. This continued to happen and as time passed the older healthy leaves began to look more and more leathery. As the amount of sun it got in it's west window increased in the spring, it would constantly pump out dark green, leathery, curled up buds and leaves on it's lowest growth node. Everything quickly died and left a large calloused growth at the base. 
 
At this point I assumed there was some bacterial infection and putting it outside for the summer would quickly lead to the old growth getting more and more damaged and the plant just dying.
 
This is what I have now. Growth is still highly deformed, but it's at least the correct color and not immediately dying. Old leaves are now very battle worn from the wind and other side effects of being outside. Potted in 3/3/3/1  Perlite/Coco Coir/Compost/Worm Castings and fertilized with low dose General Hydroponics FloraSeries over the winter.
 
All the other overwintered plants looked much better and quickly took off when I moved them back outside. No obvious issues of any kind.
 
At this point, Beet Curly Top Virus seems to fit the symptoms the best, but that's a big guess. Just trying to see if this is some micro nutrient issue that could still be fixed.
 

 

 
 
I can provide more pictures later if needed.
 
 
Thanks,
Peter

 

[solid7]

Part of the poor growth is related to compaction.   You have too heavy of a potting mix, and it's too wet, to boot.
.
It's often really hard - if not impossible - to diagnose one thing, when something else is majorly out of balance.  I always like to be a little cautious when putting on my diagnosis hat, because it's often necessary to get to the root cause, and not just the symptom.  Often nutrient deficiencies aren't caused by lack of nutrients, but something that is preventing the plant from being able to actually use what's there.
.
Heavy mix.  Problem #1.

 

[solid7]

Also, insect infestations CAN be symptomatic of poor overall growth.  If you get attacked by bugs, it can mean that nutrients are being overdosed, or that your plant is not healthy.  Sick plants draw bugs like a magnet. 

 

[Peter_L]

Part of the poor growth is related to compaction.   You have too heavy of a potting mix, and it's too wet, to boot.

 
The potting mix might be too heavy and I definitely can't rule out nutrient lockout due to soil issues being the underlying cause. All my plants are potted in the same mix and everything else looks healthy, but I'm well aware that if my soil conditions are not optimal some other small issue might be enough to have pushed this plant over the edge.
 
As for being too wet, I can't help when it rains. 
 
 
I'll definitely consider transplanting this one into a lighter mix. Probably 6/3/1 coco coir/perlite/worm castings. That way I can also look at the roots and maybe take a sample of a root to test for a bacterial infection - that would at least eliminate a little guess work.
 
Unfortunately compost is "free" and additives aren't so I can't really make the justification to change my mix for everything although I certainly would like to.
 
Thanks for the advice.

 

[solid7]

As for being too wet, I can't help when it rains.

Certainly, you cannot - but this is a limitation of container culture, and if you want it to be successful, you may need a contingency. (like a cover or lean-to)


 

Unfortunately compost is "free" and additives aren't so I can't really make the justification to change my mix for everything although I certainly would like to.

What does that mean - "compost is free"?
 
Barring an answer on that...  the most attractive cost on the wrong ingredient won't make it any more viable.  If you have to buy an $11 bale of peat, and cut your mix with it by about 75%, that would be an unaffordable option?

 

[Peter_L]

Certainly, you cannot - but this is a limitation of container culture, and if you want it to be successful, you may need a contingency. (like a cover or lean-to)


 

What does that mean - "compost is free"?
 
Barring an answer on that...  the most attractive cost on the wrong ingredient won't make it any more viable.  If you have to buy an $11 bale of peat, and cut your mix with it by about 75%, that would be an unaffordable option?

 
I mean the monetary cost to acquire compost is essentially free.
 
I grew some plants in 100% compost last year (I ran out of additives) and they performed as well as some of my other mixes (with casual observation - this hobby is supposed to give me a break from science). Luck or low expectations probably has a lot to do with that. I don't consider this ideal and my plan is to buy more coco coir/perlite every year to slowly increase it's ratio in the mix and replace what breaks down.

 

[solid7]

I grew some plants in 100% compost last year (I ran out of additives) and they performed as well as some of my other mixes

Either that was some great luck, or the plants in the other mix grew just as bad.

Seriously, pure compost isn't a good choice. Compost can mean many things, depending on who you ask. But if it grows good straight, it probably isn't good compost. Your local conditions can have some say over that. Here, my plants would last all of about 2 days in pure compost.
 

 

Luck or low expectations probably has a lot to do with that. I don't consider this ideal and my plan is to buy more coco coir/perlite every year to slowly increase it's ratio in the mix and replace what breaks down.

The numbers that you cited earlier, along with a sensible feeding and watering schedule, will give you vastly superior results.

Between what I see, and what you've said so far, I really think that the mix is the biggest part of the problem right now.