I am a first time Pepper Grower, I have 18 nice mature plants fruiting right now in 5 gallon buckets. I moved them indoors as the weather is cooling down. Using grow lights for the past couple weeks. Peppers are doing nicely. I just noticed that many of the peppers are no longer shiny or have a lustre. They are dull with no sheen. I have been fertilizing regularly with 4-12-14 fertilizer and everything was
going great until the gloss went to dull this past week. Any ideas what could be causing this. I am so close to having fruit but am worried about what is going on. HELP!!!!!!
-
DanWilson1953
- Newly Registered
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Wed Oct 04, 2023 6:15 pm
-
applestar
- Mod
- Posts: 30551
- Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
- Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)
Hi and welcome to the forum 
I applaud your efforts!
Now, I can’t make a definitive diagnosis without more info — like
1) were these peppers grown in the buckets
2) more details of your set up including lights and temperatures
3) how often are you watering and exactly in what way — how are you dealing with excess water runoff, etc.
4) specifically how often are you fertilizing (“regularly” and 2 weeks sounds too often for the high number fertilizer to me….)
5) are there any sign of pests?
6) Some photos would be “worth thousand words”
…That said, my immediate first suspicion would be not enough water/root issues or insufficient light (various possible reasons, hence my questions above) and sucking pests like aphids or mites.
I applaud your efforts!
Now, I can’t make a definitive diagnosis without more info — like
1) were these peppers grown in the buckets
2) more details of your set up including lights and temperatures
3) how often are you watering and exactly in what way — how are you dealing with excess water runoff, etc.
4) specifically how often are you fertilizing (“regularly” and 2 weeks sounds too often for the high number fertilizer to me….)
5) are there any sign of pests?
6) Some photos would be “worth thousand words”
…That said, my immediate first suspicion would be not enough water/root issues or insufficient light (various possible reasons, hence my questions above) and sucking pests like aphids or mites.
-
Gary350
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 7429
- Joined: Mon Mar 23, 2009 1:59 pm
- Location: TN. 50 years of gardening experience.
I have best luck using 15-15-15 fertilizer once a week about 1 tablespoon per plant on my peppers and calcium every other week for BER = blossom end rot. My plants are outside and they grow best if I water them every day. Humidity inside your house might be too dry for your plants. What grow light are you using?
30 years ago I grew peppers in 5 gallon buckets. I bought plants inside the house at night when it was cold. I moved plants outside every morning to get real sunlight and outside air our winter temperatures are often 40s and 50s during the day then 15 to 25 at night. Plants do good as long at they don't freeze but never grow 6' tall like outside plants.
30 years ago I grew peppers in 5 gallon buckets. I bought plants inside the house at night when it was cold. I moved plants outside every morning to get real sunlight and outside air our winter temperatures are often 40s and 50s during the day then 15 to 25 at night. Plants do good as long at they don't freeze but never grow 6' tall like outside plants.
It sounds like it may have been something to do with the environmental changes, I.e. temperature and light. The peppers should still be good to eat even if they are dull.
Peppers need high light and temperatures 70-80 in the day time and 50-60 at night. If your day temperature is over 65 it is better to have the peppers outside and just bring them in at night. When temperatures get lower, the plants are likely to stop production and go dormant.
Peppers need high light and temperatures 70-80 in the day time and 50-60 at night. If your day temperature is over 65 it is better to have the peppers outside and just bring them in at night. When temperatures get lower, the plants are likely to stop production and go dormant.