Pepper Emergency!

[Hybrid Mode 01]

Those are just freshies, look at the neighbors ...
 

 
     By better pic, I meant a closeup of an affected leaf. Like this one I stole from Rutgers University's Extension page.
 

 
 
     Something that clearly shows the entire leaf including lesions, clear tissue and the interface between the two. Without something like this (at the very least), it's difficult to tell if we're looking at nude deficiency, root rot or over application of fire.

 

[Boans]

I'm with Grant and Hybrid on this one. That doesn't look like bacterial or fungal to me. Looks like a combo of overwatering, wacky ph and deficiencys, or severe overfert. Hard to say without more info because alot of the symtoms are similar.

Bottom leaves are yellow, could be lacking N.

All leaves are pale, could be lacking N or mg or too much water.

Leaves all bubbly, could be lacking Ca.

Edges of leaves all crispy, possible fert overload.

Possible root rot if was overwatered alot.

Tell us more info.
Soil type? Looks barky (lots of bark breaking down uses up lots of nitrogen)
Fert type?
How often you fert?

I'd pull it out of pot just to check on roots to see if they are nice white or brown. Just some stuff to check before you start blastin' chemicals all over it.

Thanks!  This is the dirt I used:  http://prntscr.com/8i3yfx
 
I chose the loose dirt to try to protect them from me, but I was thinking too that I might still be over-watering because this is my first time growing anything and when I transferred them into that loose soil I left the tight seedling soil around their roots and it might be holding water for longer (they were in 16 oz plastic cups prior)? I am trying to go at least a week between watering now but last week before the tops started changing to brown it rained like 4 days straight.  They've gone at least 4 days now without rain or water so hopefully I can get over a week of drying time if that is what it is.
 
I haven't added any fertilizer, except just a little of that pour and feed stuff that you see at the bottom of that picture - (one dose maybe 2 months ago).  Just about 2 ounces diluted in a full watering for all plants.
 
1) If it is root rot or over watering can they recover?
 
2) Could the soil have had too much of something in it or is it more likely that they need some nitrogen or mg?  Is there a safe easy liquid I can try?
 
They are Carolina Reapers and I think those leaves are a little more curled up looking, but they don't look like they should.
 
Here is a picture from today with the brown leaves trimmed from the top of the few plants that were affected.
 
http://prntscr.com/8i46vg

 

[sevenstrings]

That miracle gro moisture control "garden soil" holds waaaaaayyyy to much water for container use.

I know everyone hates miracle gro soils but this year I tried the moisture control "POTTING MIX" on a few plants as an experiment with great success! I am a hardcore coco user, I mix coco with, rice hulls and pumice and sometimes some worm castings mainly but the MG MC potting mix has actually done excellent.

But... The MGMC garden soil is terrible in a container, especially plastic. Depending on how wet you kept the soil your roots could be mush. Pull the plant out of the pot and take a picture of the rootball. If they arent white and they are brown and slimy the plant is gonna be hard to save.


No, don't use any ferts the MGMC has plenty.
Definetly sounds like overwatering and probable root damage from it.
How big is the plant?
How big is the pot?
How long has it been in the pot?

If you check the roots and dont see any your best bet is too put it in a smaller pot so it dries faster.


By the way.... Your pots have drain holes in the bottoms right???

 

[Boans]

How big is the plant?
How big is the pot?
How long has it been in the pot?

If you check the roots and dont see any your best bet is too put it in a smaller pot so it dries faster.


By the way.... Your pots have drain holes in the bottoms right???

The plants are about 7-9 inches tall I guess.
 
Not sure the pot size, but you can probably tell a bit from that pic I posted http://prntscr.com/8i46vg  maybe 1.5 gal?
 
They've been in the pots maybe 2 months.
 
Oh I definitely punched out the holes in the bottom and check that they are draining.
 
I think the issue might be that I left the spongy seedling soil around the roots when I replanted them from the 16oz cups to the larger pots.  I was hoping the new loose barky soil would help to wick away any extra moisture from the center region where the tighter soil is.

 

[sevenstrings]

Well give em lots of sun and let them dry out alot before watering again. How much longer in your growing season?
Are those all reapers? Most of em don't look too bad but the constant wet feet has set them back for sure, at two months in those pots after transplanting they should be much bigger, but it could be that the tops just haven't caught up with the roots. The worst one in the back pull it out of its pot and check out the roots, thats what I would do on that one.

No need to spray a bunch of crap on em, I see no BLS or fungal problems on them just severe overwatering with that soil mix at this stage of their lives.

Use a chopstick or small peice of wood as a dipstick to check the moisture in the lower soil regions as a guide untill you get the hang of pot weight.

 

[Boans]

Well give em lots of sun and let them dry out alot before watering again. How much longer in your growing season?
Are those all reapers? Most of em don't look too bad but the constant wet feet has set them back for sure, at two months in those pots after transplanting they should be much bigger, but it could be that the tops just haven't caught up with the roots. The worst one in the back pull it out of its pot and check out the roots, thats what I would do on that one.

No need to spray a bunch of crap on em, I see no BLS or fungal problems on them just severe overwatering with that soil mix at this stage of their lives.

Use a chopstick or small peice of wood as a dipstick to check the moisture in the lower soil regions as a guide untill you get the hang of pot weight.

Thanks so much!  I'm not sure how to even gauge a growing season for these guys.  I am just outside of New Orleans and I was planning on taking them inside and putting them under a grow light for a few months during the colder winter months just 'IN CASE' we get a freeze.
 
It's very mild here but should I pull them inside during the cold months?  I'm guessing a light freeze would still kill them?

 

[sevenstrings]

Yep, chinense peppers and cold dont jive one bit especially in pots. Check em and spray em for insects before you bring them in or you will have an entire new set of problems.

That many plants is gonna need a bunch of grow lights or one big ass one ;-)

 

[Boans]

Yep, chinense peppers and cold dont jive one bit especially in pots. Check em and spray em for insects before you bring them in or you will have an entire new set of problems.

That many plants is gonna need a bunch of grow lights or one big ass one ;-)

Oh wow, yea I didn't think about spraying for insects before I bring them in.  I hate to keep picking your brain, but is there an organic 'ish'' type of insect treatment that you know of that would help?

 

[sevenstrings]

I use dawn dishsoap mixed with dyna gro neem oil and water in a pressure sprayer, works great and doesn't harm the plants. I use about one good squirt in a 1 gallon sprayer and follow dynas neem instructions.

Aphids and thrips can wreak havoc on an indoor grow.

 

[Boans]

I use dawn dishsoap mixed with dyna gro neem oil and water in a pressure sprayer, works great and doesn't harm the plants. I use about one good squirt in a 1 gallon sprayer and follow dynas neem instructions.

Aphids and thrips can wreak havoc on an indoor grow.

Thank you!

 

[Topsmoke]

overwatering can cause all kinds of nutritional problems.  It could be a problem with the soil mix your using needing more drainage.  I would repot with a different mix and with good weather it will recoup. 

 

[DMF]

I agree with sevenstrings.   MG Potting Soil is the wrong product for container plants that are sensitive to overwatering.  You want MG Potting Mix.  Different stuff. 
 
Also with HybridMode01 I see several different nutrient deficiencies.  Both MGs have time release ferts so you should add NO fertilizer for several months - i.e. until the plants are much bigger than that.  Accordingly, a nutrient problem is a secondary effect that indicates a primary cause: either overwatering or a high pH.  In acidic (low pH) soils nutrients are free for the plants to take up.  In alkaline (high pH) soils many nutrients are not free.  Thus even if you fertilize with what the plants want, they won't be able to use it until the pH is adjusted.   (Here in Dallas the tap water is 8.5 pH (alkaline) while the plants want 6.0-6.5.  I have to adjust the water I give them.)
 
That said, there is quite a bit of soil in those pots and peat-based soil is naturally acidic (around 6.2).  So I don't think the problem is your water.  It is certainly not the soil from little seedling pots. 
 
Rather, I suspect that your problem is long-term overwatering.  Do not water on a schedule - ANY schedule - until you understand the plant's natural schedule.  They will tell you by wilting* that they want water.  Do not water again until they wilt.  You likely will be shocked at how long that is, especially if you get occasional rain.  You may not water again this year.
 
"  Peppers are not harmed by wilt.  I've seen plants that look near death return instantly to life when some water is added, with no bad effect.  (There may be some ill effect when flowering, but that is far off in the life of these little guys.)

---

 
How many plants do you have?  How many hours of sun do they get each day?

 

[ColdSmoke]

I think it's root rot...very hard to remedy. Pluck those bottom leaves!!

 

[DMF]

Root rot would show up primarily in poor water uptake.  But the roots are probably not healthy.