sick plants

I brought these plants in last October, they were doing fine till I gave them too much fertalizer, I only give it now once a month but as you can see in the picture they look horrible.  They aren't dead yet because the branches are moist and don't break.  I'm hoping I can get them out soon may be by the end of the month or mid May.  Do I have to get them use to the sun all over again?  I assume yes.  If I didn't have so much trouble getting these to grow I'd try it again but my patience is shot trying to grow these hot peppers.
IMG_20200412_210805133.jpg

 
 
Hey, did you flush them after they got burnt?

Were it me, Id repot with some nice light soil and a couple handfuls of worm castings.

Did you over winter under lights? Next to a window? Dark in the basemnet?

If theres green theres hope!

The rough leaves would need to adjust to the sun but the new leaves that sprout will not. Edit: will not if the sun is their first light source.

Personally, to over winter Id ease up on ferts.. maybe some castings if you are actively in grow mode.

Dont give up, growing chilies is awesome and definitely a learni g experience!
 
If you gave them too much fertilizer maybe you should try a good rinse to flush out whatever salt/nutrients might be accumulated in the soil. Perhaps even re-potting them in new soil might help.
 
Good luck.
 
Good advice above, but maybe reconsider starting over with what you've learned and apply it with a fresh start versus trying to work out of a negative, challenging, and likely limiting condition.  It will be easier and almost certainly produce far better results to buy new plants from a nursery or box store and fertilize them properly as you've learned to do.
 
CaneDog said:
Good advice above, but maybe reconsider starting over with what you've learned and apply it with a fresh start versus trying to work out of a negative, challenging, and likely limiting condition.  It will be easier and almost certainly produce far better results to buy new plants from a nursery or box store and fertilize them properly as you've learned to do.
I would agree with this completely, assuming they are not rarities or a one of a kind cross.

Another option is a combo plan - plan to find a few nice starts at a local greenhouse, but dont give up on the sickly plants for experience sake. If you get really into gardening you will eventually guaranteed find yourself in trouble with a plant thats special to you. Coaxing a couple sickly sad plants back to health is worth its weight in gold imo.

That said, if youre just looking for a few hot peppers each year Canedog has it spot on ---- path of least resistance is the one to take.

Up here in Ontario Ive found looking in the greenhouses early scores earlier starts and thus much bigger end results ;)
 
Yes I did flush them with warm water in the shower, the burn happened in December and I only fertalized them once since.  I really don't want to give up on them since they took me most of last summer to start growing, they really are a slow plant.  I did use a nice light that I got from amazon https://www.amazon.com/Daylight-Sunlight-Spectrum-Blooming-Fruiting/dp/B07NVJL5Y6/ref=pd_ybh_a_95?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=ASBV564ZCV2W1N71ERJA
 
they are right where u see in the picture, behind my tv in the bedroom not in a dark cellar.   as far as repotting them I'm not too keen on doing that because most things I transplant usually die so I'd rather keep them and hope for the best, hopefully soon I cen get them outside.  One question, can I plant them directly in the ground as soon as the soil woams up or should I just keep them in the pots?
 
If you don't mind sharing a little more info:
 
What type of fertilizer did you use: organic, granular chemical, liquid, etc?
What types of peppers are they?
What kind of substrate and mulch are you using in the pots?
 
You won't want to plant directly into the ground without a period of progressive exposure to the natural sun and outdoor conditions, first, i.e., hardening them off.  After that, provided you're planting them into reasonably fertile soil, planting them into the ground should be great for them.
 
You got them in Oct at end of growing season.

Then semi over wintered inside it looks like.

I'd gently repot in a better quality potting mix.
That red mulch is not a good growing mix.

Flush the roots and replant.

No fertilizer for 3 weeks, there's enough in the soil at transplant.
It is currently in shock, will need to be reaclimated to sun and out doors for plant out.
It will take several weeks to rebound.

Good luck.
 
+1 to masher. If you're growing in red mulch that's the main cause of your issues.  Get a $5 8-quart bag of miracle grow (ezpz) or other container soil and transplant - really, it's worth it.  Just knock a little of the mulch away from the perimeter of the root ball when you transplant.  You're using great fertilizer and it's actually not easy to over-fertilize with fish. I doubt you even need to flush.  But seriously :)  transplant to a better container mix and leave off fertilizer for 3 weeks like masher says. That mulch will make it effectively impossible to get your peppers the basic nutrition they need.
 
OK.  I'm off my soap box.  Really hope you get these growing well.  Reapers are nice plants.
 
I did get rid of all the mulch but need more miracle grow dirt, next time we get out of this house I'll get some.  Hope they won't  die but I do have another plant in the living room which looks 100% better than these two, that one was just in a south window no grow bulb all season.  Thanks for all the suggestions 
 
Others mentioned repotting, which I think is a good idea. Additionally, I would remove all the sickly parts. It's wasting energy on lost causes. They also open the door for bacteria, mold, and fungi.
 
It's not likely that you burned them with just fish fertilizer, unless you super over-did it.  Further, that doesn't look like fertilizer burn to me.  That looks like substrate compaction - it looks like a complete systemic failure.  Flushing plants that aren't DTW hydro - and especially doing it in a shower - can certainly cause this problem.  I'd bet you dimes to dollars that if you got those into a good mix, and learned to properly feed and water, they'd resume normal service in no time.  I've seen lots of plants in this condition bounce back.
.
Probably wouldn't hurt to cut off the tallest portions.  Assuming there's any live tissue left in there, it's just going to make recovery more difficult.  Focus on regrowth from the lower levels.  This is the time of year that you get the most robust growth, so I'd get on it.
 
Thank you all for the suggestions.  We just got out this morning and got some miracle grow dirt so I will be repotting them either today or tomorow.  I'm certain that they still have life left in them as the branches are not brittle.   You say flushing them in the shower probably caused this,ey looked bad before that.   I will give it my best.  Will luk 
 
laserbeam said:
You say flushing them in the shower probably caused this,ey looked bad before that.
No, I said that it CAN cause that.  But it can also happen on it's own.  Overwatering can cause it, too.  Or flood irrigating the plants.  Try to keep your waterings in the new mix, light, and well distributed.  (a shower pattern on your sprayer or watering can)  It's helpful to give them several light passes, instead of one big bombing.
.
All just suggestions.  But keep the thread updated.  It might help others later.
 
Back
Top