This is my first time posting and my first time growing peppers, so I apologize if this is a stupid question. My peppers (12 types) all have leaves that are distorted (but have no discoloration). At first I thought it was thrips, but now I think it might be a calcium deficiency. I had crushed up eggshells on them, but I guess that isn't enough? Any diagnoses and suggestions would be very much appreciated. Here are some photos: http://imgur.com/a/0kFfg
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health What's wrong with my peppers?
- Thread starter gibletdinner
- Start date
I think I am seeing some in containers and some in the ground. If so, I am thinking the chances of a deficiency are low. The odds of both being lacking in the same something seem much less than something more likely to be common to both. Could it be over fertilization or pests? I think I am seeing some white dots. Hard to tell from the photos, but look under the leaves and see if you have tiny little dots, white to yellowish. Mites will kind of suck the juice out of a plant and cause leaf distortion. I havent seen them do exactly that, but mighty close on small plants and when there are many mites.
to T.H.P. ! first you gotta dump the egg shell thing , that what won't work takes to long for them to break down . get you some CAL-MAG . what are yourferts and how often ? 
It looks like either herbicide drift or broad mites. Use a hand lens to look at the undersides of all the affected leaves. If you see tiny yellow mites, they are the culprit. If you don't see any, it's likely the former.
I have to agree, it's either herbicide damage from it drifting or mites. It could be broad mites or russet mites. Get a good magnification. They are like 0.04 mm.
I couldn't see them with my 12x loop.
I bought a 120x pocket scope for 15.00 on amazon.
look at the image by my name. ThTs russets last year at 600x by UC Davis pathology last year.
You will need sulfur dust or some nasty chemicals. Go crazy on those mites if it is them doing your plants harm.
I couldn't see them with my 12x loop.
I bought a 120x pocket scope for 15.00 on amazon.
look at the image by my name. ThTs russets last year at 600x by UC Davis pathology last year.
You will need sulfur dust or some nasty chemicals. Go crazy on those mites if it is them doing your plants harm.
mites. id bet my prosthetic testicle on it.
Phil, is it the doctor or the insurance company? Not making fun of you at all when I say try the psychologist route. I never imagined caring about loosing part of my foot. Sure it will pass with time, but can not stand to look at the missing spot now. Haven't seen a shrink, dont think a testicle or toe is nearly as life shattering as a leg, arm, or eye; but I am absolutely sure there is a medical explanation for folk caring about these things that medical doctors say dont matter.
Now on the other hand, think of all the cook things they could put in our prosthetic. Are you scratching your balls? No, i am switching my ipod to shuffle.
Again: I am sue I am going to get past it. So will you.
On mites: Radio Shack has hand held illuminated microscopes for less than twenty bucks. Even if a person doesnt have suspected mites, they give you an entirely different perspective on what plants look like, especially the flowers.
Now on the other hand, think of all the cook things they could put in our prosthetic. Are you scratching your balls? No, i am switching my ipod to shuffle.
Again: I am sue I am going to get past it. So will you.
On mites: Radio Shack has hand held illuminated microscopes for less than twenty bucks. Even if a person doesnt have suspected mites, they give you an entirely different perspective on what plants look like, especially the flowers.
no, just the nickname i gave to righty whos probably 1/3rd larger than the lefty.
i like to tell folks who are privy to my junk that i had a larger prosthetic jammed there in-case i lost lefty, where after i would have larger matching junk.
though they say large potatoes make the steak look small.
though testicular cancer does run in my dads side of the family.
i like to tell folks who are privy to my junk that i had a larger prosthetic jammed there in-case i lost lefty, where after i would have larger matching junk.
though they say large potatoes make the steak look small.
though testicular cancer does run in my dads side of the family.
Okay, so some are planted on the ground and some in containers. However, where I live (Cambodia) the soil is pretty uniformly terrible, so even the ones planted in containers could have nutritional deficiencies. The ones in the ground definitely look better than the ones in containers. The other issue is that it is 90+ degrees with 50% humidity here. My cayennes started to fruit but 80% of them have fallen off. 
I'll see if I can find a magnifying glass around, but I haven't seen any obvious bugs on the plants (other than aphids). The one thing that makes me think it might be a deficiency as opposed to a bug problem is that I cut off a lot of the damaged parts, and when they grew back they grew in equally deformed. Plus, I've been using neem oil on them every few days so the insect damage shouldn't be so severe.
I don't have access to cal-mag, but I do have a lot of duck eggshells. If grinding the eggshells isn't enough, is there another way to get some of that calcium from the shells to the plant? Regarding fertilizer, I started them off with a bone/blood/fish fertilizer and guano, and have been side-dressing with compost. I don't have access to epsom salt, but do have access to synthetic fertilizers (which I've been avoiding, but could get). What should I use?
I'll see if I can find a magnifying glass around, but I haven't seen any obvious bugs on the plants (other than aphids). The one thing that makes me think it might be a deficiency as opposed to a bug problem is that I cut off a lot of the damaged parts, and when they grew back they grew in equally deformed. Plus, I've been using neem oil on them every few days so the insect damage shouldn't be so severe.
I don't have access to cal-mag, but I do have a lot of duck eggshells. If grinding the eggshells isn't enough, is there another way to get some of that calcium from the shells to the plant? Regarding fertilizer, I started them off with a bone/blood/fish fertilizer and guano, and have been side-dressing with compost. I don't have access to epsom salt, but do have access to synthetic fertilizers (which I've been avoiding, but could get). What should I use?
Okay, so some are planted on the ground and some in containers. However, where I live (Cambodia) the soil is pretty uniformly terrible, so even the ones planted in containers could have nutritional deficiencies. The ones in the ground definitely look better than the ones in containers. The other issue is that it is 90+ degrees with 50% humidity here. My cayennes started to fruit but 80% of them have fallen off.
I'll see if I can find a magnifying glass around, but I haven't seen any obvious bugs on the plants (other than aphids). The one thing that makes me think it might be a deficiency as opposed to a bug problem is that I cut off a lot of the damaged parts, and when they grew back they grew in equally deformed. Plus, I've been using neem oil on them every few days so the insect damage shouldn't be so severe.
I don't have access to cal-mag, but I do have a lot of duck eggshells. If grinding the eggshells isn't enough, is there another way to get some of that calcium from the shells to the plant? Regarding fertilizer, I started them off with a bone/blood/fish fertilizer and guano, and have been side-dressing with compost. I don't have access to epsom salt, but do have access to synthetic fertilizers (which I've been avoiding, but could get). What should I use?
Use tomato fertilizer. The organic one in the plastic tomato container. Has calcium and magnesium. Also throw some Epsom salt on them.
I'll see if I can find a magnifying glass around, but I haven't seen any obvious bugs on the plants (other than aphids). The one thing that makes me think it might be a deficiency as opposed to a bug problem is that I cut off a lot of the damaged parts, and when they grew back they grew in equally deformed. Plus, I've been using neem oil on them every few days so the insect damage shouldn't be so severe.
I don't have access to cal-mag, but I do have a lot of duck eggshells. If grinding the eggshells isn't enough, is there another way to get some of that calcium from the shells to the plant? Regarding fertilizer, I started them off with a bone/blood/fish fertilizer and guano, and have been side-dressing with compost. I don't have access to epsom salt, but do have access to synthetic fertilizers (which I've been avoiding, but could get). What should I use?
Use tomato fertilizer. The organic one in the plastic tomato container. Has calcium and magnesium. Also throw some Epsom salt on them.
If they are eriophyid mites, they will be literally laughing at you with neem oil. Send a plant or parts to ucdavis pathology, it's free. They will let you know exactly in little as 2-3 days once they recieve it.
jointeffort said:
I live in Cambodia and Epsom salt isn't available here. What are the NPK ratios that I should be looking for?
Lovepeppers said:
I live in Cambodia so sending plants to UC Davis isn't an option for me.
skullbiker
Extreme Member
Okay, so some are planted on the ground and some in containers. However, where I live (Cambodia) the soil is pretty uniformly terrible, so even the ones planted in containers could have nutritional deficiencies. The ones in the ground definitely look better than the ones in containers. The other issue is that it is 90+ degrees with 50% humidity here. My cayennes started to fruit but 80% of them have fallen off.
I'll see if I can find a magnifying glass around, but I haven't seen any obvious bugs on the plants (other than aphids). The one thing that makes me think it might be a deficiency as opposed to a bug problem is that I cut off a lot of the damaged parts, and when they grew back they grew in equally deformed. Plus, I've been using neem oil on them every few days so the insect damage shouldn't be so severe.
I don't have access to cal-mag, but I do have a lot of duck eggshells. If grinding the eggshells isn't enough, is there another way to get some of that calcium from the shells to the plant? Regarding fertilizer, I started them off with a bone/blood/fish fertilizer and guano, and have been side-dressing with compost. I don't have access to epsom salt, but do have access to synthetic fertilizers (which I've been avoiding, but could get). What should I use?
I borrowed this trick for calcium from another forum as I get a lot of chicken egg shells.
Here is a simple, natural method of generating calcium phosphate. Get eggshells and roast them enough to generate some good ashes. Afterwhich, dip these roasted eggshells on about equal visual volume of vinegar. Allow it to sit for a couple of weeks until eggshells are practically broken down by the vinegar acids. You may use this diluted 20 parts water and can be sprayed or watered to the plants during the changeover period
I'll see if I can find a magnifying glass around, but I haven't seen any obvious bugs on the plants (other than aphids). The one thing that makes me think it might be a deficiency as opposed to a bug problem is that I cut off a lot of the damaged parts, and when they grew back they grew in equally deformed. Plus, I've been using neem oil on them every few days so the insect damage shouldn't be so severe.
I don't have access to cal-mag, but I do have a lot of duck eggshells. If grinding the eggshells isn't enough, is there another way to get some of that calcium from the shells to the plant? Regarding fertilizer, I started them off with a bone/blood/fish fertilizer and guano, and have been side-dressing with compost. I don't have access to epsom salt, but do have access to synthetic fertilizers (which I've been avoiding, but could get). What should I use?
I borrowed this trick for calcium from another forum as I get a lot of chicken egg shells.
Here is a simple, natural method of generating calcium phosphate. Get eggshells and roast them enough to generate some good ashes. Afterwhich, dip these roasted eggshells on about equal visual volume of vinegar. Allow it to sit for a couple of weeks until eggshells are practically broken down by the vinegar acids. You may use this diluted 20 parts water and can be sprayed or watered to the plants during the changeover period
The challenge is that if you use something stronger you tend to kill their predictors also. Thinking meem oil with hot pepper infusion as a preventative is a good idea. With that, they seem to find something more tasty to eat. You still wind up with mites in your garden, but on plants that dont mind them as much. For some reason, peppers and in particular young peppers get all ate up by them. Other plants often dont seem to care. Not sure why.Lovepeppers said:
Wife has this whole goofy list of what flowers to plant with garden plants to attract insects away from the garden or make it so they dont want in. No clue if it works, I just plant what she says.
Thanks, @skullbiker, I will try that.
@ajdrew, thank you for the advice. I don't see any mites on the plants, but I do have some aphids (but this damage pre-dates the aphids). I've been picking them off every day, but it's hard to combat the pests in a tropical climate. I am leaning towards this being spider mites or a calcium deficiency. The fact that the new leaves are growing in like this makes me think it might be a deficiency of some sort.
@ajdrew, thank you for the advice. I don't see any mites on the plants, but I do have some aphids (but this damage pre-dates the aphids). I've been picking them off every day, but it's hard to combat the pests in a tropical climate. I am leaning towards this being spider mites or a calcium deficiency. The fact that the new leaves are growing in like this makes me think it might be a deficiency of some sort.
skullbiker said:
Wouldn't that make Calcium acetate? I don't think vinegar is made with phosphoric acid.
I've got calcium chloride (for making pickles), is it possible I use this? Don't have access to Cal/Mag, etc, in Cambodia.