Let’s talk Aji Charapita

[Laheat]

I’m in So Cal I have 3 plants from last season that are doing pretty well. Especially two of the little ones from last season that have really been taking off. They have been growing in pretty much full shade. I just put one under my 75 percent uv screen and within 30 minutes the leaves are wilting beyond what I would consider a normal wilt during warm daytime. 
are these not full sun or have they just become used to the shade and that’s what I’m working with moving forward?
my seeds didn’t do well at all most died I’m trying to nurse one back boy these are giving me a tough time.
any tips are appreciated 

 

[The_NorthEast_ChileMan]

I’m in So Cal I have 3 plants from last season that are doing pretty well. Especially two of the little ones from last season that have really been taking off. They have been growing in pretty much full shade. I just put one under my 75 percent uv screen and within 30 minutes the leaves are wilting beyond what I would consider a normal wilt during warm daytime. 
are these not full sun or have they just become used to the shade and that’s what I’m working with moving forward?
my seeds didn’t do well at all most died I’m trying to nurse one back boy these are giving me a tough time.
any tips are appreciated

 
I would start by saying IF growing conditions the same as last year what's different? If plant is bigger and still in a small pot maybe root bound and unable to draw up enough liquid to help with transpiration?
 

 
 
 

Hey CD, Any other sage advice?

 

[CaneDog]

IDK.  Just that if you grow peppers in cooler shaded conditions the leaves will develop differently than if you grow them in direct sun.  You'll see broader, thinner (top to bottom) leaves with a higher surface area to mass ratio.  Because the plant needn't concern itself with moisture retention, per your post above, this type of growth is the plant's most cost effective use of its energy to get the most from a weaker sun.  Leaves grown in more intense sun tend to be more protected. They tend to be smaller, particularly more narrow in my experience, thicker, and have a thicker cuticle.  Having tissue that's closer to the central vein, thicker, and more protected, the leaves retain moister better and, because they're getting direct sun, they don't need the same amount of surface area to take in an equal amount of energy.
 
I find plants grown in the shade to be the hardest to harden off, because the leaves don't seem capable of adjusting very well and it's often not until the new growth takes over that the plant thoroughly adjusts.  I also notice that certain types of pepper are more susceptible to this, with baccatum coming to mind as being more susceptible than many others. Even though shade cloth may help, the drier hotter conditions will take a toll.  I always try for at least dappled shade, but living where I do I'll often run into this problem at least to some extent.

 

[The_NorthEast_ChileMan]

I’m in So Cal I have 3 plants from last season that are doing pretty well.

I find plants grown in the shade to be the hardest to harden off, because the leaves don't seem capable of adjusting very well

CD, so even a two year old plant can use hardening off if given a steady diet of mottled sunshine? Both old & new foliage? Any clarification greatly appreciated!

 

[CaneDog]

I was speaking more to full shade per the OP.  I find mottled sunshine does a much better job and I would expect it to transition to shade cloth quite well.  With OW's, I think it depends when the leaves formed.  Carry-over leaves from the last season seem to do fine for me as far as not wilting, but I will still burn at times, especially at the tips and margins.  But if an OW plant's had enough growing time inside or in cool full shade that it's added a reasonable amount of foliage, that's where I tend to see wilting issues.  This year I has significant and fairly long-lasting wilting on a couple OW's that were basically cut back to bare branches but had time to refoliate a bit prior to going outside.  Oddly, they didn't burn at all, but they simply couldn't deal with the transpiration.  I'll pay more attention in the future, but currently I suspect it's more the temperature that the direct sun that's causing the wilting in that scenario.