pics Leaf curl: 3 pics, could use some advice

[mega]

Greetings, friends.

I have ~ 72 peppers in week 6 growing under lights. About a third of them have moderate leaf curl. It's more common and more extreme with the chinenses, but some non-chinenses have it, too. Here are a few pics to show what I'm talking about:

First pic of 3:

2nd pic:

3rd pic (ignore that pumpkin!!):

There are NO aphids present on these plants, I am certain of that.

My understanding is that aside from aphids, the following can be causes of leaf curl:
- too much fertilization
- too much water
- not enough nitrogen
- not enough potassium
- not enough calcium

These plants have been watered once per week, thoroughly, with 2/3 strength Neptune's fish & seaweed fertilizer, and as well, at the half-week mark I add a few more drips of water to any that look dry. The Neptunes is a 3-4-1 (I think) organic fert, i.e. a weak fertilizer used not at full strength. So I really doubt I am overwatering or overfertilizing, but am open to suggestions on that.

They are in pro mix BX in 4" pots. As Promix does not contain nutrients it is hard to see how this would be leading to any "too much of X" condition.

Yesterday, I watered in some bone meal on 2 of the plants and sprayed epsom salt on a third, just to see if either would make any difference. They look exactly the same. Maybe they need more time.

Being out of ideas, I am wondering if anyone has thoughts on what might be causing this and/or what to do about it. I want to re-emphasize that there are no juice-sucking bugs present on the plants, so that is not the cause, nor do I see other indicators of viruses or wilt and such. I am thinking this is a nutrition/environment issue where I haven't gotten the balance of something right, but am open to any sugestions.

Thanks

 

[trinicoolieboy]

dude....... your plants seem fine too me........ there is some very slight cupping now about to take place closer to the stems......... but i wouldn't want to worry too much about it....... you are already doing what is required for typical leaf curl.... there are no aphids.... so you're good to go there, the mild fert is actually a very good approach..... u gave them calcium from the bone meal and magnesium and sulphates with the epsom salts. The soil appears perfectly normal and doesn't show overwatering.

To tell you the honest truth if my plants were at that stage at week 6 and looking like that i would start using some stronger foliar ferts to put on some growth...... :/

 

[madhatter]

Hey Mega,
Thats definatly not leaf curl bro. The plants look normal to me. Nothing to worry about. Leaves will Krinkle when they grow out from the stem. They will eventualy flaten out

 

[FadeToBlack]

I wish my plants looked that good now instead of their current state lol

 

[LUCKYDOG]

IMO I wouldnt fertilize for a little while and see what happens. At this point my plants are about the size of yours maybe a bit bigger and I use a week nute mix every 3rd watering and maybe a foliar here and there

 

[mega]

thanks for the feedback, all. Sounds like I was being a little paranoid about the leaf curl. But I think I will skip the next fert date anyway just to give 'em some rest, and then follow up with a foliar fert to get the growth accelerated a bit.

 

[madhatter]

thanks for the feedback, all. Sounds like I was being a little paranoid about the leaf curl. But I think I will skip the next fert date anyway just to give 'em some rest, and then follow up with a foliar fert to get the growth accelerated a bit.

Just a suggestion Mega
You may want to pot up. Your plants have several true leaves and look like they may need more space to grow. Are those 4" nursery pots they are in?

 

[mega]

Just a suggestion Mega
You may want to pot up. Your plants have several true leaves and look like they may need more space to grow. Are those 4" nursery pots they are in?

Yes...most are in 4" pots, although some are in 2.5" pots. It's a bit of a conundrum, because while I do have a bunch of 6" pots laying around, I'm already packed to the gills in terms of 72 plants under the 8 4' T5 setup. So if I moved some up to 6" pots I would either need to get rid of some plants, or consign some of them to a world of windowsilled semi-darkness. I am hoping to get to the transplant date (~ May 20 here in Northern Virginia ... 3 1/2 weeks!) in these 4" pots, though it is obvious that many of them could really could use some more space or will very soon be there. Perhaps an argument against using the folair fert LOL

 

[wordwiz]

I have plants twice that size in 3" pots (but they are much older than 6 weeks!) and they are doing fine. Today, my plants go back outside since it is suppose to say in the upper 40s or higher for the lows.

Mike

 

[madhatter]

Yes...most are in 4" pots, although some are in 2.5" pots. It's a bit of a conundrum, because while I do have a bunch of 6" pots laying around, I'm already packed to the gills in terms of 72 plants under the 8 4' T5 setup. So if I moved some up to 6" pots I would either need to get rid of some plants, or consign some of them to a world of windowsilled semi-darkness. I am hoping to get to the transplant date (~ May 20 here in Northern Virginia ... 3 1/2 weeks!) in these 4" pots, though it is obvious that many of them could really could use some more space or will very soon be there. Perhaps an argument against using the folair fert LOL

I hear ya dude.
Its really tough when space is an issue. Its the same for me too. I'm constantly always trying to make space. I find if i leave them in the 4" nursery pots for too long the roots get so spun and the plants are small. But everybody grows differently.

Cheers

Yann