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sun Newbie: 9" capsicums wilt in direct sunlight

Lanthanide

Lanthanide

This is my first proper attempt at growing capsicums and I'm wondering why they keep wilting when exposed to direct sunlight.

I live in New Zealand, so started my peppers inside at the start of August. It's now been 2 months on growing inside and the tallest plants are up to 9", the smallest ones that haven't done as well are 6". They're starting to grow their first flowers and split off - I've cut off the flowers and plan to trim the new stems, to force new stem growth from the bottom for bushier/sturdier plants. We can get frosts at late as early November here, so I'm planning to keep them inside for another full month, before planting out into 2.25 gallon pots in the 2nd week of November. Our growing season ends in about April, so I'm hoping I'll be able to get a decent crop with my very early start (pepper seedlings I've seen at garden centres at about 1 inch tall right now).

So the specific problem I'm having here is that with these adolescent plants, putting them into direct sunlight ends up with excessive leaf wilting. Several of the plants that are stunted are because of this wilting about 3-4 weeks ago now - one day the weather forecast was for clouds and rain so I opened the curtains up fully - instead we had bright sunshine so I came home from work to find some very sorry-looking wilted leaves that ended up with permanent damage; they didn't recover and start growing properly again until last week.

Just 2 days ago it was fairly cold outside (50 or so) and not too sunny, so I put them on the patio to start the 'hardening off' process. After about 20 minutes the sun had come out and the plants that were in direct sunlight started to have wilted leaves again, so I brought them back inside and gave them all a bit of water. Doesn't seem to have been any permanent damage from this, luckily.

I've now put up bubble wrap over the window they sit in front of, which seems to have cut the light intensity in half. It's a bright sunny day today and they seem to be holding up without wilting.


So, my question is, why are these plants wilting when they're exposed to direct sunlight? Temperatures inside the house are no higher than 65-70, it seems to be the sunlight that is doing it more than anything else. How will these plants ever cope outside in the bright sun if they wilt after 10 minutes of exposure? My guess is that hardening off is the answer, but I'm just guessing really.

As I'm sure lots of you are wondering, the two types I'm growing are Antohi Romanian and Napolean Sweet, both capsicums rather than hot peppers.
 
You need to slowly adjust them to direct sunlight, Just need 1-2 hours than slowly build it up to full sunlight.

Day One: Pick a mild day and put your seedlings outside in a protected area out of direct sun for a few hours. Less is more here, you just want to give them a taste of what is to come.
Day two through five: Increase sun exposure gradually, while keeping plants protected from cold and wind. At the same time, also gradually reduce the amount of water you give your seedlings (boot camp isn’t supposed to be fun) and don't fertilize them until they are completely hardened off.
Over the next six to ten days: Lengthen the time your plants are outside, until they can stay out all day and night. You may still need to protect your plants even after they are hardened off in the event of high winds, sudden downpours, or freezing temperatures.
Hardening off can be a bit of a logistical nightmare. I find the easiest way to do all of this plant schlepping, is to put my seedlings on wagons and garden carts. Then I can simply wheel them in and out of the garage.

http://containergardening.about.com/od/containergardening101/f/Hardeningoff.htm
 
Hmm, this is going to be difficult as I work full-time during the day, leaving at 9am and getting back 6pm. The weather can also be very changeable so in any given 5 day period there might only be 2 days I can put them outside with confidence in terms of wind / rain / cold / sun.

Any suggestions?
 
Try to find a place around your house where it only gets a few hours of the morning sun. Also, when they are indoor, stick on a fan on them and help them get use to the wind blowing. You just have to take one weekend, check the yard and see how the sun comes through out the day, to see where it shaded and where it not.

Like my yard, i have car port, and i know what spots that it will get direct sunlinght in them morning, and than shaded by 10am. YOu just ahve to go to your yard one weekend and look at it.

One other options is find a spot, and made get a shade cloth to prop up over them. ro a tree like sicman set.

also, for the weather, check the forcast in themorning, i know most of my plants where find anywhere form 55f and up.
 
Ok, I think I can manage that.

There are spots inside where I can put them to get just morning or late afternoon sun, is that worth doing as well?

My dad reckons I should leave them out overnight when it's going to be warm and still; unfortunately the rest of the week weather forecast isn't going to allow that.
 
yea, that how i do mine, i leave them under my carport, jsut enought to get about 3-4 hours of direct sunlight in the morning, and the rest of the day shaded. Also, if its overcast alot, that works to yoru benfigit:)
 
If your sun over there is anything like our sun here, no amount of hardening off is going to stop them from wilting. I have a three year old plant in the ground--that has had full sun it's whole life--and is still wilting under our sun right at this very moment.

IMG_8377.JPG


If you have started indoors, harden off for sure, but if indeed your sun is anything like mine, there comes a time when you just have to take the plunge and kick 'em out there. Like others have suggested semi-shade or filtered sun is best, and morning sun then shade for the rest of the day works too (although the morning sun here can be still just as brutal).

Do you have Seasol over there (or any other liquid seaweed)? Keeping 'em well fed with that helps toughen 'em up against the sun a little bit. It won't stop them from wilting but it helps 'em bounce back.
 
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Hi mate,
i had exactly the same issue as you. I work during the day and not able to shift the plants around etc..
I started mine in the back porch and put some shade cloth over the window. After a week there i then moved them outside against a wall where there is only sun from daybreak until around 11am, and they seem to be fine with that.
Im actually loath to move them into a sunnier area as they seem to be doing so well with just the morning sun. Maybe i will try one in full sun as a test, but as i have seen a few people say, although pepper plants are described as loving 'full sun' i'm not 100% convinced!

Good luck :)
 
M8 I have had the same problem with sun hardening but on ur day off get a slab of beer sit out the back and watch where the sun goes and b4 u go to work shift them round tell the mrs it's research and development :)
 
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