I potted up 4 pepper plants back on May 8th to try growing inside this year. I decided to top two of them (first time topping), a Serrano and a Reaper. The Serrano took to the topping beautifully, the Reaper not so much. The pictures below show a Bhut and the Reaper side by side , the first picture is on the 8th a couple days before topping while the plants were almost the same size (the two plants on the right), and the others are from yesterday. The Bhut is beautiful, has probably 50+ blooms on it, the growth has been astounding. The Reaper, while still growing, is doing so incredibly slowly and is almost the same size as when I topped it. It also just looks sad, some of the leaves have brown edges and the new leaves are really small. It also has some purple leaves, but it's had those for awhile and in the past they usually just grow out of it. Any thoughts? They're in the same potting soil and get the exact same amount of light.
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Topping this plant has completely stunted its growth
- Thread starter Doelman
- Start date
Maybe topped too soon before the plant had enough height? I usually wait to top until my plants until it is at least is as tall as the container that it is in - but I have a year long growing season... might not be viable for your conditions... looks like yours are growing out and out, not much growth up...
Did you pot them up recently? Maybe the transplant shock, combined with the change in hormone balance caused by topping is telling the plant to push roots instead of shoots right now.
My reapers were very slow growers, especially when compared to my Bhut.
A conversation I once had with my wife:
"I love my new reaper but does it make my Bhut look too big?"
Cold tuna sandwich for dinner that night
A conversation I once had with my wife:
"I love my new reaper but does it make my Bhut look too big?"
Cold tuna sandwich for dinner that night
I didn't you really could top too soon, assuming you have at least a few sets of true leaves. These guys were started the first of March.abnjmdan said:
Hmm that could be. They were potted up a few days before I topped it. If that's the case the plant should really turn around here soon with some explosive growth, I guess we'll see!Hybrid Mode 01 said:
Haha love it!Hawaiianero said:My reapers were very slow growers, especially when compared to my Bhut.
A conversation I once had with my wife:
"I love my new reaper but does it make my Bhut look too big?"
Cold tuna sandwich for dinner that night
Yeah I've been told the reapers are slow growers, but they were the same size as the Bhut before the great toppening. Probably a factor, but I don't think that can be the only issue with it.
Are you feeding them anything? That plant looks like it seriously needs some fertilizer and looks like it got too close to the lights or sunburned. I usually don't top plants after a transplant before the roots get established in the new pot, same thing for in ground growing.
Not right now, they're in miracle grow potting soil so it should have plenty in there, I'll start feeding them in a couple weeks. The Serrano/Bhut/Bell are all growing vigorously in it. It's pretty close to the grow light, but it's been the same distance from it it's entire life, as the others have. Plus it's a T5 so they aren't very hot. Very little sunlight gets through the window next to these plants, plus it's been in this exact location for 4 weeks now and they don't go outside so I don't think its sun burn.Rajun Gardener said:
I wouldn't trust the MG soil alone to feed them. I use that too and water with my hydro mix(Masterblend, CalNit & epsom) at full strength when they get the first set of true leaves.
I can see the leaves on the ghost pepper starting to cup and the leaves should be flat between the veins of the leaf. You can also see a white spot on the ghost on one of the bottom leaves. I'm guessing but I think they'll all start showing the same symptoms as the Reaper soon if you don't fertilize.
Take a look at this chart and look at calcium, nitrogen and potassium.
https://www.worldofchillies.com/growing_chillies/growing-tips/chilli-plant-nutrient-guide/chilliplantnutrientguide.html
I can see the leaves on the ghost pepper starting to cup and the leaves should be flat between the veins of the leaf. You can also see a white spot on the ghost on one of the bottom leaves. I'm guessing but I think they'll all start showing the same symptoms as the Reaper soon if you don't fertilize.
Take a look at this chart and look at calcium, nitrogen and potassium.
https://www.worldofchillies.com/growing_chillies/growing-tips/chilli-plant-nutrient-guide/chilliplantnutrientguide.html
Rajun Gardener said:
Ah, your eagle eye has has seen my little bit of a mishap when I started these. I actually had them in a seed starting mix for two months before putting them in the MG potting soil. My idiot self forgot that the ferts I was feeding them didn't have calcium and they became calcium deficient when those leaves on the bottom you're seeing were growing.
I really just don't think it's a fert problem since all the other plants have grown so well and there should be more ferts in the soil with the reaper than the others since it's used so much less for growth. I will start feeding them soon though! Perhaps next week.