Hope you fine folks can help me out. I'm growing multiple peppers outside in containers organically. Lately it has been raining like crazy and the temps have been in the high 80's to low 90's. I live in central Florida so it is very humid and very hot all day long. My chocolate hab and my bhut jolokia have both been losing leaves like crazy. Is this due to to much water or possibly some other issue. I use a guano tea and a chili specific fertilizer to feed once every ten or so days.
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Leaf Drop....
- Thread starter majere1047
- Start date
Pictures would help alot. Are they lower leaves or leaves all over the plant. Does the plant look healthy? Do the leaves drop green or are they yellow?
If healthy looking green leaves are dropping:
A: and they are wilted - it is probably a range of things mostly -K (severe Potassium deficiency) which causes leaf wilt from outside in. Solution: get some Potash or something with Potassium and dissolve in water and spray on leaves + sprinkle some above the soil and water. When a plant is stricken by a severe potassium deficiency it is pretty much a severe setback for the plant and it will take a long time for it to recover. May also be caused by buildup of minerals or excessive nutrients which usually causes dark green foliage that wilts easily. In that case I suggest flushing the soil with water until the water is mostly clear, then feeding with proper ratio of nutrients.
B: and they are not wilted with yellowing new growth - it's could be -Mg (Magnesium deficiency). Solution: Epsom Salt, 1 Table Spoon per gallon sprayed on tops and bottoms of leaves AND one Table Spoon around base of plant and watered.
C: and they are not wilted with stunted new growth - it could be "root rot" which is caused by excessive soil moisture and can cause healthy looking green leaves to drop with the slightest touch. Solution: get some 3% Hydrogen Peroxide and mix 1/2 cup per gallon in your watering jug. This should provide some oxygen for the roots and hopefully slow or stop the problem from getting worse, though usually when it gets to this point, the damage has been done and outlook doesn't look good.
If ONLY yellow leaves are dropping: it could be just Magnesium deficiency which can quickly get severe enough to defoliate an entire plant in a few days. Solution: Epsom Salt, 1 Table Spoon per gallon sprayed on tops and bottoms of leaves AND one Table Spoon around base of plant and watered. Plants tend to recover quickly from severe magnesium deficiency and will start to "bud up" with new growth within a week or so after treatment.
That just covers a few of the most common causes and solutions (that I know of) of sudden and rapid defoliation. If it's just older yellowing leaves near the bottom dropping, this is probably normal but could also be a warning sign of a developing nutrient deficiency.
Hope that helps
A: and they are wilted - it is probably a range of things mostly -K (severe Potassium deficiency) which causes leaf wilt from outside in. Solution: get some Potash or something with Potassium and dissolve in water and spray on leaves + sprinkle some above the soil and water. When a plant is stricken by a severe potassium deficiency it is pretty much a severe setback for the plant and it will take a long time for it to recover. May also be caused by buildup of minerals or excessive nutrients which usually causes dark green foliage that wilts easily. In that case I suggest flushing the soil with water until the water is mostly clear, then feeding with proper ratio of nutrients.
B: and they are not wilted with yellowing new growth - it's could be -Mg (Magnesium deficiency). Solution: Epsom Salt, 1 Table Spoon per gallon sprayed on tops and bottoms of leaves AND one Table Spoon around base of plant and watered.
C: and they are not wilted with stunted new growth - it could be "root rot" which is caused by excessive soil moisture and can cause healthy looking green leaves to drop with the slightest touch. Solution: get some 3% Hydrogen Peroxide and mix 1/2 cup per gallon in your watering jug. This should provide some oxygen for the roots and hopefully slow or stop the problem from getting worse, though usually when it gets to this point, the damage has been done and outlook doesn't look good.
If ONLY yellow leaves are dropping: it could be just Magnesium deficiency which can quickly get severe enough to defoliate an entire plant in a few days. Solution: Epsom Salt, 1 Table Spoon per gallon sprayed on tops and bottoms of leaves AND one Table Spoon around base of plant and watered. Plants tend to recover quickly from severe magnesium deficiency and will start to "bud up" with new growth within a week or so after treatment.
That just covers a few of the most common causes and solutions (that I know of) of sudden and rapid defoliation. If it's just older yellowing leaves near the bottom dropping, this is probably normal but could also be a warning sign of a developing nutrient deficiency.
Hope that helps