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New Grower, Plants Having Issues

timh59

timh59

I need some diagnoses, I'm a total n00b at this. I'm thinking too much water is probably at the root of my troubles, but I defer to the experts. Everybody said my jalapeno MG potting soil was too wet, so I didn't water this one for 5 days and this started happening. I know it looks wet again, I gave it a little water to see if that would help - sunburn or too much fertilizer? I barely sprinkled a few MG pellets around it:
 
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This is my Arbol, at least I think that's what it is. It was given to me last fall, fully loaded down with peppers. I kept it alive over the winter, then put it in a bigger pot about a month or so back. It seems pretty healthy, and is throwing out a lot of peppers, but there's some kind of rash on the leaves that I'm wondering about:
 
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I don't remember what these are, things got a little mixed up. Could be cayenne, or tabasco or jalapeno, or even something else. I guess I'll know if it starts throwing peppers. They leaves are yellowish and curled up ever since I put them in the big bucket. Growing really slow. Too much water again? Don't they droop when you overwater? I have a water pH test kit coming today...
 
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Then this morning I saw aphids for the first time! I gave them a little shot of homemade dish soap solution, but I washed it off after a few minutes, because I almost killed my big jalapeno with it a while back. Then a few hours later they were back, so I blended up some of my little arbol peppers and gave them a blast of that, see how they like it.
 
I had a tabasco in that last pot that didn't make it. I may have leached out all the nutrients in that dirt when I thought it was overfertilized,,,
 
I sure hope that's all it is. I didn't water it for at least 5 days to try and let the soil dry out, and it's been getting pretty warm around here. I bought a little soil moisture tester, but I'm not too sure how accurate it is. It shows moist on a bag of dirt that's straight out of the store. I put that plant in the shade yesterday, see if that helps.
 
I used a tiny bit around that plant, MG pellets, but I didn't even water afterwards cause I was trying to let it dry out for a while. It was seeming fine till I stopped watering it.
 
timh59 said:
My water tested out looking like about 8 on the ph.
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Is that the ph of your soil or water? If soil/leachate runoff ph is 8 that is a start to fixing things. That rash looks like a micro deficiency to me such as mag/cal/Mn/etc

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It's the water, I've started adding a tiny bit of vinegar to a 5 gallon bucket full and testing again before using. I dissolved some MG pellets in water and used that a few days ago, plants are looking much better and growing. Also did a little cal/mag and going to start with Dyna Gro soon. 
 
Hot peppers are strange creatures. While they are growing and becoming a plant, water them, fertilize them like you would any other plant you're trying to grow.....when they start to flower, that's when the fun begins. Abuse the hell out of them. I know it sounds counterproductive of what a gardener tries to do, but if you do it right you will LOVE the results. Withhold water a couple days, do not fertilize at all when flowering/fruiting, when you do water them, give them just enough so they don't die, but not a full 2" deep "rule of thumb".   It's a tricky balance between nurture and nasty. Once you harvest, go back to caring for it like normal.  The "abuse" will make the peppers even hotter, pushing the heat to the upper limits of the pepper. 

I tried this on a jalapeno and OMG were those the hottest jalapeno's I've ever had. They turned red, and corked like crazy! A jalapeno is typically between 2500 and 8000 SHU......I've eaten Cayenne that felt milder than these peppers! (Cayenne ranks in at 30-50k SHU). I just wish that I'd have been able to test the SHU of them, because I would not be surprised if they clocked in at 20k+. My 16yr old who eats hot stuff by the 55gallon drum was literally crying they were so hot.......and all I did was pick, wash and slice.....

 
 
Another thing that may help is to make an epsom salt solution (google the amount but I think its like 1 Tablespoon of Epsom salt to 1 gallon of water). Put this in a spray bottle and mist your plants. Magnesium deficiency can cause wilting, spots etc. By putting it back, you will get fuller healthier plants
 
timh59 said:
I need some diagnoses, I'm a total n00b at this. I'm thinking too much water is probably at the root of my troubles, but I defer to the experts. Everybody said my jalapeno MG potting soil was too wet, so I didn't water this one for 5 days and this started happening. I know it looks wet again, I gave it a little water to see if that would help - sunburn or too much fertilizer? I barely sprinkled a few MG pellets around it:
 
27983628268_5c157c6889_k.jpg

 
 
 
 
 
Any chance that might be bacterial leaf spot?
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timh59 said:
Any chance that might be bacterial leaf spot?
 Gonna mix me up some epsom salts now.
Click to expand...
 
I just went and cut all those funky leaves off, tired of looking at them. See if the new growth (if there is any) still has the spots. 
 
this could be a few different things.......if its getting worse and all you're doing is watering, you might be fighting root rot.......while they're not flowering, transplant them and do not add fertilizer. check your drainage, perhaps you need to add more. i'm not really thinking this is the problem. looking more like sunscalding or fertilizer burns. while your plants are growing, water them like you would any other plant. I use MG plant food like once a month and just give them a little "drink". It's also looking about time to "top" your biggest 2 plants. Prune off the very top part. you got 2 levels of true leaves, you want to prune the top off.....This will help produce a fuller plant with more shoots. (only do this once to the plant)....More shoots means more branches for it to flower and grow peppers. 

 
 
Those spots aren't a source for concern. In fact, the worst ones look like they might even be damage caused by the leaves contacting the container.   All in all, the plants don't really look that bad.  But you need to resist the urge to "fiddle".
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Your best bet would be just to leave it alone, for now, so you don't actually do some damage, while trying to "love" it to perfection.  Watch the water, avoid fertilizing impulsively, and just observe.
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A grower's love is the #1 source of failure at gardening.
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That being said, the only spot of concern would be the plant with the "rash" on the leaf.  I'd double check that one for spider mites.  It would be surprising to see that damage only on one leaf, but that is characteristic damage.
 
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