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water To what extent will under-watered plants recover?

HwyBill said:
So the dry leaves that have fallen will be replaced with new leaves?

Any chance this will make for a stronger or better plant? :)
Click to expand...

You might even get some branches there. I've chopped up tons of leaves on some of my plants that got mold to promote growth of the healthy leaves underneath (they are no longer shaded and grow faster). They are growing branches there now. I wouldn't worry about it. I'd actually advise to remove the dried leaves so that the plant doesn't waste its energy on them. They won't be replaced (the growth pattern is different) but you could get more branching lower on the plant. You will at the very least get a bunch of leaves growing there :) . I wouldn't bury the plant above where the cotyledons were.
 
Dulac: Thanks for the reinsurance.. I am starting to feel a little bit better now that I am watching them pep back up after a little TLC.

I did end up burying that really tall one up to its lowest sets of leaves in a 5 gallon bucket, but it was big and strong enough and it is a large enough container and early enough in the season I think it will turn out to be a pretty decent plant.

For better or worse.. I'm starting to feel that these peppers (or at least most of the ones I'm grow) are pretty hearty, robust plants.. and do a pretty good job toughing it out on their own.

This is not to say that I am a irresponsible plant owner, as was suggested earlier.. I'm just trying to not be so OCD about it, since I don't really think it is necessary.

I'm not aspiring to be a WORLD RECORD grower at this point, and that's fine. But as a new grower, I just want to see some of my plants thru to fruition.
 
Hang in there and you will!!

Most first time superhot grower stories are not much different than yours. Every season builds on the previous one and in time you will become comfortable with your methods.
 
Hey I came across something you might could add a little to your soil if you are going to repot before you leave for the 3 weeks, it will increase your water retention by about 50% or so, it basically the polyacrylamide crystals that swell up when water is added then they slowly release it back in the soil, I had some from the discovery channel but I also saw the same thing at Home Depot called WaterSorb. Just mix it with your new soil.

Here is a pic of two containers and that small pinch of crystals on the left is the same amount in both containers just as an experiment, it is safe, non toxic and breaks down to safe stuff.

watersorb.jpg
 
Hahaha... thanks for the idea!

I actually have a graduate degree in molecular genetics, so I've had more than my fair share of experience with polyacrylamide gels :)

The next time I have to leave will only be for 1 week though (not 3) so I'm hoping by potting up to a larger container by that time they won't dry out as fast (they are only in 18oz. party cups ATM).

If not, I'll just have to find a babysitter :)
 
Cool! Hey no prob..I room with my brother and he has a PHD in physics from Rice and his wife is a Bio-Geneticist..so I am surrounded by nerds, I need to repot soon so as as an experiment I might try some in one pot just to see if it helps when we hit 110 degree days here in SummerTime Hell (Texas)

Got to love then party cups, 999 uses :}

Be Well..
 
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