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plants growing slowly?

reverser

reverser

Sorry for the cross-post (I posted these pics in my glog), but I could use some reassurance. I've planted all of my seedlings outside, in raised beds -- the milder peppers (Jalapeno, Banana) are growing okay, but the superhots are growing very slowly. I don't know whether that's just part of their natural growth pattern, or if I have a problem I could solve with fertilizer or pest control.

Here's an album of all of the plants:

http://imgur.com/a/phClD

Here are some of the plants I'm most worried about:

Peach Bhut Jolokia


Aji Limon


7 Pot Primo


I'm watering them every other day. Is that about right?
 
FWIW, I had just recently had the same problem here after planting my peppers from the seed starting trays to 10 oz cups.  Their growth had just stopped, and a couple of weeks later, they have just begun growing like crazy.  Is it that you just planted them outside, cause if so, I would just wait a little while for them to get accustomed to their new homes.
 
I planted them outside about a month ago, so they should be beyond the initial shock. The Jalapenos and Banana peppers are doing just fine (meh...)
 
How much water are you giving them? A good soak or just a bit? My issue with stunted growth (after literally months of thinking I was over-watering) turned out to be too little water -- not enough for the plant to grow. That said, apparently too much can cause stunting too. Or water not draining away.

I'd start experimenting. Try using a little of this with one, a little of that with another, and keeping up the same with a third as the control.


I'd probably mess around with water first and if that didn't work I'd try ferts. Keep trying different stuff until something finally hits and they take off. Good luck! I know how it feels, I've been struggling too this season.
 
AaronRiot said:
How much water are you giving them? A good soak or just a bit? My issue with stunted growth (after literally months of thinking I was over-watering) turned out to be too little water -- not enough for the plant to grow. That said, apparently too much can cause stunting too. Or water not draining away.

I'd start experimenting. Try using a little of this with one, a little of that with another, and keeping up the same with a third as the control.


I'd probably mess around with water first and if that didn't work I'd try ferts. Keep trying different stuff until something finally hits and they take off. Good luck! I know how it feels, I've been struggling too this season.
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This is a very fair answer, thanks. I've been giving them a good soak, but my definition of "a good soak" might not be the same as yours. It's tough when there are so many different variables (pepper type, container, water frequency, water amount, soil, ferts) to control for, but I'll give it my best shot.

I also have some tomatoes a few feet over, that seem to have spider mites; that can't be a good sign :/
 
To me the slightly curly leaves would point towards nutrients or temperature rather than watering. Maybe try watering them not every other day but only when they need it; the aji limon even has a somewhat yellowish leaf which i'd take as getting a bit much water. Try watering them only once their leaves start to droop and giving them a little fertilizer every 1 or 2 weeks, they should be fine.
 
Looks to me like a few possible things going on. Did you harden them off before putting them in the ground, or were they always growing outside? If you didn't harden them off well (length of time) before putting them in full sun, they'll be in stress for a while. Plus, plants frequently experience some transplant shock. They'll recover from this after a bit. The top pic especially, but some on the one below it - the leaves are rather yellowed, which is most often caused by overwatering. Also, all of them exhibit early signs of fertilizer burn. Use plain water for a while, and when you do return to using fertilizer, do so at a lesser strength than you've been using. Most labels say to use 1 teaspoon per gallon, but that's too much for babies. Also, know that a slow period of growth often is caused by the plants working on their root systems. Plants only really focus on one thing at a time - roots, stems and foliage, or producing fruit. You've just recently removed them from small pots to wide-open ground where they can stretch out, and that is probably playing a factor here, too.  
 
I've been watering every other day; I'll try backing that off to twice per week, though that's hard to do when they look sickly.

No fertilizer, is that the problem? I'm using a soilless mix from a local supplier, maybe it's a bit hot?

Almost all of the peppers have developed these brown spots, maybe this will help narrow down the problem?

 
Have they ever had any CAL-MAG? If not I'd get some.. My guess is they'll snap right out of it after a couple applications. Watch for new growth and how it compares with the older leaves.
 
reverser said:
I've been watering every other day; I'll try backing that off to twice per week, though that's hard to do when they look sickly.

No fertilizer, is that the problem? I'm using a soilless mix from a local supplier, maybe it's a bit hot?

Almost all of the peppers have developed these brown spots, maybe this will help narrow down the problem?

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What soilless mix are you using? There's a possibility it could be not enough nutes if using something like Promix with no nutes.
 
MeatHead1313 said:
What soilless mix are you using? There's a possibility it could be not enough nutes if using something like Promix with no nutes.
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Thats what I'm kinda thinking.. The green leaf in his last pick is locked up really bad. I had some plants do almost the same thing to me this season. I'm thinking CAL-MAG might unblock it for him and if not it's not going to over fert the plants. If that don't work then I'd try more nutes.
 
smileyguy697 said:
Thats what I'm kinda thinking.. The green leaf in his last pick is locked up really bad. I had some plants do almost the same thing to me this season. I'm thinking CAL-MAG might unblock it for him and if not it's not going to over fert the plants. If that don't work then I'd try more nutes.
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The soilless mix is "Gro-Pro" from http://www.evergreensupplyonline.com/soil.html, there's an analysis of it at http://www.evergreensupplyonline.com/files/14-03-28%20Gro-Pro%20Potting%20Soil.pdf.

I've been using tap water (from the hose) to water, and our water is very hard -- could that be a problem? I have an RO system but it's a pain to haul all that water around unless absolutely necessary.

I have some of this CalMag+, is it safe to use it by the directions on the label? (5ml/gal) http://www.botanicare.com/Cal-Mag-2-0-0-P48.aspx
 
I had some plants shock a little bit and they (super hots) took a bit longer than some others (jalapenos) to bounce back.
 
I would say, as long as the foliage is healthy, give it a little more time and you will be surprised. Sometimes the plants get over the shock, but they stay stunted a little longer because they are concentrating their energy on root growth, since now the plant is getting new nutrients and minerals from the soil it is likely reaching out for them.
 
If this is the case, then the balance will be root heavy, meaning when the plant equalizes you should see a strong vegetation burst. Hopefully, this is the case.
 
smileyguy697 said:
It should be just fine at 5gal ml/gal. lol.. How many ppm is the water? We can't even drink the water here. Pfft... it tests between 1800 and 2200 ppm.
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Okay, we're not quite that bad, it's more like 300 ppm here.
 
reverser said:
This is a very fair answer, thanks. I've been giving them a good soak, but my definition of "a good soak" might not be the same as yours. It's tough when there are so many different variables (pepper type, container, water frequency, water amount, soil, ferts) to control for, but I'll give it my best shot.

I also have some tomatoes a few feet over, that seem to have spider mites; that can't be a good sign :/
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 Peppers require far less water than say tomatoes. It's especially important for fresh transplants to be watered in well but left alone for a while. The roots reach out and grow more during the night AND when the soil is drier. Wet soil will prompt slower root expansion (which will also prevent nutrients from getting into the growing plant.) I would try let the soil dry out for at least a week. Then maybe water once per week or let the rain do its thing. A side dressing of compost and a foliar spray AFTER you water again in a week or two might help. 
 
With so much emphasis on not over-watering or over-fertilizing, this noob fell into the low-nutes trap; I watched my young plants very slowly yellow and stall out. When I finally said, "screw it," and gave them a big dose of ferts, they perked up and too off!
 
Try one or two waterings with the 'standard' dose of something as generic as MG tomato food (it has good minerals too), which can be had for $5 a box just about anywhere.  1 tablespoon per gallon did wonders for my guys, with notable greening occurring within a few days.  You might also try a 1/2 strength foiliar spray on a few of the more runty fellow.
 
Geonerd said:
With so much emphasis on not over-watering or over-fertilizing, this noob fell into the low-nutes trap; I watched my young plants very slowly yellow and stall out. When I finally said, "screw it," and gave them a big dose of ferts, they perked up and too off!
 
Try one or two waterings with the 'standard' dose of something as generic as MG tomato food (it has good minerals too), which can be had for $5 a box just about anywhere.  1 tablespoon per gallon did wonders for my guys, with notable greening occurring within a few days.  You might also try a 1/2 strength foiliar spray on a few of the more runty fellow.
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There's a big difference between slow yellow and stall out....and leaves curling up like a newspaper on fire, and unfortunately, that starts at the difference between a tablespoon & teaspoon of concentrated nutrients.
 
I personally slam my peppers after pinching first flowers. I also use pruning to thicken up stalks. After pinching pods & flowers, I hit it with MG for Roses which is 15-30-15. Sometimes, I pinch 2x and use bloom booster at 10-52-10 but ALWAYS at half label 1tbsp/gal-->1tbsp/2gal. And I do this only 1 day prior to rain and never 2x in a week. I do it for 2 wks at first blossom set and for 2 wks after I take my first harvest.... 
 
AACT
 
 
Some nice rich compost Tea would perk those up in a week! And also hard water is a source of Cal, but should be de-chlorinated when making AACT.
 
Im not joking Read THIS.  And please don't load your soil up with Salt.... :shame:
 
Honestly Human urine is a better fertilizer then MG... no seriously! it is.
 
And just a side note, you can add as much compost tea as you want and never burn your plants.
 
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