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Weird Leaf Curl

illWill

illWill

Does anybody know what makes leaves curl like this? I was thinking maybe mites but the two plants doing it aren't even sitting next to each other. They are both brazilian starfish


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Not aphids. No visible "bugs" unless those tiny white dots are bugs. They are much smaller than aphids if so
 
all different types of aphids.  The ones I had on my pepper leaves a few weeks ago were way smaller than those I fought on my tomatoes this spring
 
Well I swore they weren't aphids and from the pics if those are bugs they appear to be the same size, although I didn't have near as many.  After uploading the pics to a few groups every one said aphids and that some aphids are way smaller than others, can cause leaves to curl up, etc. 
 
Hopefully those aren't bugs and it's a minor issue that can be relived relatively easy
 
from what i can see in the pick they are not aphids, its most likely edema cus your overwatering
 
Edema tends to occur when plants take up more water through the roots than they can use or release through their leaves. This usually happens when the soil is warm and very moist, while the air is cool and humid, as often occurs on overcast days. High light intensity has also been found associated with edema.
 
Although edema does not significantly harm the plant, it is unsightly. Minimize problems with edema by avoiding over watering during humid, overcast weather, and reducing humidity in a greenhouse. Some varieties of plants are more prone to develop edema than others.
 
So its just from water? Every time I've overwatered before, leaves yellowed and dropped. These plants haven't dropped any leaves. Hmmmm. Maybe there is too much coco in my mix or something, retaining too much water? I know its not humidity because its really dry here
 
Edema Can Be Lessened By The Following
  • Improve drainage and water less frequently.
  • Heat and ventilate the greenhouse to reduce humidity.
  • Space plants to provide good air circulation.
  • Water in the morning so that the soil is not too wet overnight.
  • Avoid wetting the leaves since wet leaves lose less water.
  • During cool cloudy weather, follow a watering schedule that maintains an even moisture level.
  • Maintain good mite control by regularly applying a miticide.
Symptoms
Small yellow spots in areas between the veins are often the first symptom observed on the top of the leaf. Small, translucent, watery pustules are seen on the underside of the leaf below the yellowed areas. These "blisters" and yellowed areas usually occur first on older leaf margins. The blisters enlarge and become brown in color and corky or scabby in texture. The entire leaf may yellow, die, and drop off. This leaf death and defoliation occurs in a pattern somewhat similar to that caused by bacterial blight.

Cause
Edema is caused by an imbalance of the water uptake and loss by the plant. A high level of water absorption by the roots is favored by warm moist soil conditions while a low level of transpiration (water loss) is favored by cool air, high relative humidity, low light levels (cloudy weather), and poor ventilation. Water retention in the cells causes some cells to burst and form watery blisters. As these broken cell areas heal, they become dry and corky.
Mite (two-spotted, Tetranychus urticae Koch) feeding may also play a role in edema development. Potter and Anderson screened ivy geranium cultivars for resistance to two-spotted spider mite attack and evaluated edema severity on the mite-infested plants. There seems to be a relationship in which mite resistant cultivars develop less severe edema than mite susceptible cultivars. The authors theorized that the plant's physiology or nutritional status that results in edema development may also favor mite survival. Edema and mite resistant cultivars were "Double Lilac White," "Sunset," "Madame Margot," "Amethyst," and "Salmon Queen". The most mite and edema susceptible cultivars included "Sybil Holmes," "Yale," and "Pascal."
 
Wow, thanks NPG, you've been a ton of help. Maybe my close spacing is playing a part of it.. 23 plants in like 9 square feet lol.... maybe the Brazilian starfish are just extra finnicky regarding water uptake and that plays into it too. I will seriously try watering less.

One more question: if this is caused by me overwatering, and I start watering less, will it "go away" or just stop spreading?
P.s. In a way, this is a relief. I feared an al"mite"y and relentless pest epidemic
 
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