I have several Reaper plants that were doing quite well. I left them alone (save for the occasional fish emulsion), and they produced a lot of good looking (and superhot) peppers.
The leaves began to yellow and the peppers were fewer and fewer, so I planned on cutting back the yellow leaves and dead-looking stalks, and re-potting them into larger pots with fresh, brand-new dirt. When I went to lift the pots a week ago, I found that the roots had grown out of the pots and into the ground. I did the best I could to not damage the roots when I pulled them up, but some damage was done.
Intending to remove the dead/damaged areas and to eliminate pests (like white flies, which are common in my area), I cut the plants back leaving a few good/decent leaves, and washed the plants thoroughly before putting them in the new soil/pots. While I anticipated a slow rebound in the new pots (given that the roots had to recover and start uptaking nutrients), I didn't anticipate these deformed/curled leaves.
The picture with the tiny leaves is an example of the new growth that's taken place over the last week.
In retrospect, I probably shouldn't have washed the roots. I'm hoping that the roots will recover from that with the passage of time, and that the plants will thrive.
However, I have seen broad mite damage photos on this site, and it's possible that the stiff, curled leaves on my plants could be attributable to broad mites. With that in mind, I don't want to twiddle my thumbs waiting for the plants to recover, if I should be doing something to combat a pest.
If anyone has some insight, I'd appreciate it... much obliged. CC
The leaves began to yellow and the peppers were fewer and fewer, so I planned on cutting back the yellow leaves and dead-looking stalks, and re-potting them into larger pots with fresh, brand-new dirt. When I went to lift the pots a week ago, I found that the roots had grown out of the pots and into the ground. I did the best I could to not damage the roots when I pulled them up, but some damage was done.
Intending to remove the dead/damaged areas and to eliminate pests (like white flies, which are common in my area), I cut the plants back leaving a few good/decent leaves, and washed the plants thoroughly before putting them in the new soil/pots. While I anticipated a slow rebound in the new pots (given that the roots had to recover and start uptaking nutrients), I didn't anticipate these deformed/curled leaves.
The picture with the tiny leaves is an example of the new growth that's taken place over the last week.
In retrospect, I probably shouldn't have washed the roots. I'm hoping that the roots will recover from that with the passage of time, and that the plants will thrive.
However, I have seen broad mite damage photos on this site, and it's possible that the stiff, curled leaves on my plants could be attributable to broad mites. With that in mind, I don't want to twiddle my thumbs waiting for the plants to recover, if I should be doing something to combat a pest.
If anyone has some insight, I'd appreciate it... much obliged. CC
