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water So, I think I overwatering...

AustinPepper

AustinPepper

Hello All,

New to the Forums here and was having some issues with my peppers. I think the issue is overwatering, but I'm one of those that likes to give as much info as possible and be sure rather than assume and have everything turn out bad because I was afraid to ask.

1. Pepper varieties from Neil at The Hippy Seed Company
2. Had the seeds in a 2'x2' window box facing West with supplemental light from 6500k CFLs
3. Ran out of room in the window box so made a 2'x4' light box
a. lined with foil-backed bubble wrap
b. 14 100-watt equivalent 6500K CFLs in that area
c. two old computer fans on top I wired up to a thermostat outlet so they kick on when the temp gets above 87ish and off when temp has dropped 5 deg
4. Water them with a Miracle Gro solution. (not stuck on it, just available and what I had)

Sooo, if you look at the pictures, the plants started healthy then the leaves started to get soft, then fall off. This was all in the matter of a couple days where this happened. I think it was because I over watered them. Because the root ball was still moist when I took it out of the pot for inspection.
Not all of my plants have exhibited this, just about 1/3 of them.
What I want to know if it truly is me overwatering or if the pictures and my explanation sends red flags to all y'all vets so I don't continue doing something that will kill the rest of my plants.

Danke
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Hmmm.... not sure if that looks like over watering, to me. Just my opinion, but those almost look cooked. But it can't be temperature that's the issue, seeing as how you have the fans set up with a thermostat... and if it were temperature, all of your plants would look like that. Maybe some sort of disease, I don't know. Have you noticed any bugs? The good news is that your healthy ones look REALLY good!
 
Island_Dan said:
Do you use the miracle grow solution every watering? May be over nuting them..
Click to expand...

Yeah, I am. I thought about that and am planning on just using plan water for a while...Good thing is that I'm planning on moving them outside after this next cold spell is over. Hopefully, that will calm things down.

Phil said:
Hmmm.... not sure if that looks like over watering, to me. Just my opinion, but those almost look cooked. But it can't be temperature that's the issue, seeing as how you have the fans set up with a thermostat... and if it were temperature, all of your plants would look like that. Maybe some sort of disease, I don't know. Have you noticed any bugs? The good news is that your healthy ones look REALLY good!
Click to expand...

Thanks.

I haven't noticed any bugs or any fungal growth..
I posted that pic of the light box in case y'all could think I was baking them when the front sash was closed....do peppers require a non-light time?
Just worried because once one of the plants starts wilting like that, I have yet to revive one back to healthy.
 
Looks like Southern Blight to me, which is basically the same as damping off, except in plants that are no longer seedlings. It's a soil fungus, so as seen in your pics, the plant damage starts at the base. Remove all the plants that show any signs of it at the base. For your healthy plants, first scrape off the upper layer of soil, then water with a mix of hydrogen peroxide and water (chart here: http://www.using-hydrogen-peroxide.com/gardening-with-hydrogen-peroxide.html). Keep using that to water them a few times to ensure the fungus is fully killed off. After that, be sure to bottom-water to keep the surface soil dry. Also, get a fan on them if you don't have one already.

Note that although you said you haven't noticed any fungal growth, you didn't say if you looked closely at the soil vs. only the plants. In looking at your pics, it seems the soil surface is a lighter brown, while the soil in the lowest pic, where you've turned it upside-down, is a very dark brown - that is likely the difference you are looking for to know you have a soil problem, as the soil should have a uniform appearance throughout.

Edit: I see you do have fans on them now.
 
geeme said:
Looks like Southern Blight to me, which is basically the same as damping off, except in plants that are no longer seedlings. It's a soil fungus, so as seen in your pics, the plant damage starts at the base. Remove all the plants that show any signs of it at the base. For your healthy plants, first scrape off the upper layer of soil, then water with a mix of hydrogen peroxide and water (chart here: http://www.using-hyd...n-peroxide.html). Keep using that to water them a few times to ensure the fungus is fully killed off. After that, be sure to bottom-water to keep the surface soil dry. Also, get a fan on them if you don't have one already.

Note that although you said you haven't noticed any fungal growth, you didn't say if you looked closely at the soil vs. only the plants. In looking at your pics, it seems the soil surface is a lighter brown, while the soil in the lowest pic, where you've turned it upside-down, is a very dark brown - that is likely the difference you are looking for to know you have a soil problem, as the soil should have a uniform appearance throughout.

Edit: I see you do have fans on them now.
Click to expand...

Roger that. Will try the peroxide watering
 
I think it looks super saturated and possibly rotting the roots. That brown spot is just the plant going woody.
 
Just let them sit as is in their pots and do not water till they are drooping. You will probably lose a lot of those leaves as they sit but new ones will come in heavy and they will get super bushy. Do not worry so much about under watering plants when they are that big. They will survive dry conditions for longer than most people are comfortable giving them. Let them dry out then flush with plain water as others have said then wait again. Do not water on a schedule, water only when they need it.
 
So, I went and bought some peat pots and transplanted all the peppers seen above into them. While transplanting them, I broke off all the loose soil that did not have any roots through it and packet fres, dry potting soil around what was left. It was soaked through and through. I bet I was drowning them.

Hope this helps things...
 
I think you're right about overwatering. They don't like wet feet. In all the years I've grown peppers, I've only lost 1 or 2 to lack of watering. I tend to let them dry to the point of wilting, then water. They like it!
 
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