ryangt
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Posts: 7
Joined: Fri May 08, 2009 12:00 am
Location: Alice Springs, Australia

What does it mean when my stalks look like this?????

The stalks on all of my pepper plants ( bell, green chile, red fire, habanero) are all starting to look like this. The texture is turning rough vs the normally smooth green stalks. Ive been looking around all day for an answer to this, with no luck. Can someone please shed some light on this for me? Thanks in advance.


[img]https://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r16/ryangtr/CIMG0822.jpg[/img][/img]

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BrianSkilton
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Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2009 10:59 pm
Location: South Dakota

I think they are merely just trying to protect themselves. I pulled of the seed leafs early on some of my pepper plants and they formed a hard crust in that area to protect their stem. I've never seen that much however. I wouldn't worry about it to much though, it is kind of odd though. Did anything happen to the stem that you know of that it would try to protect it? Perhaps its something in the soil it doesn't like? How do the leaves look?

ryangt
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Posts: 7
Joined: Fri May 08, 2009 12:00 am
Location: Alice Springs, Australia

Well the soil is just a regular old potting soil, these plants were basically dead when I bought them a few months back and they have exploded with life in my care, but I cant figure this out. What is it that actually forms? Calcium or something?
Leaves on the Bell, red fire, and green chile all look ok with no leaf loss and all plants are actually fruiting very well.

the habanero is dropping alot of leaves but still fruiting

1st pic is red fire
[img]https://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r16/ryangtr/CIMG0829.jpg[/img]

second pic is bell pepper
[img]https://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r16/ryangtr/CIMG0828.jpg[/img]

third is habanero
[img]https://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r16/ryangtr/CIMG0827.jpg[/img]

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BrianSkilton
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Posts: 547
Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2009 10:59 pm
Location: South Dakota

Yeah, If they where nearly dead that probably is the reason. You saved them :D. I'm not exactly sure what it is, all I know is its hard and they do it for protection. Just as long as the peppers are growing all is well :). The plants will drop some bottom leaves when fruiting, this is pretty normal since they are now focusing on the fruit. If these are going out in your garden make sure to pluck of the buds before planting. I say this because you want all the plants focus and re-adjusting and establishing a good root system in your garden.

petalfuzz
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Joined: Sat May 31, 2008 3:37 pm

my peppers did that last year too. The bottom 8 or 6 inches grew a protective "bark". I think it just means you have strong plants!

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Gary350
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Joined: Mon Mar 23, 2009 1:59 pm
Location: TN. 50 years of gardening experience.

I think the pepper plants are getting tougher. It is like the difference between a very young tree and an older tree starting to grow bark. This is good drum.

How about posting a pic of main street in Alice Springs. What is the population of the Alice Springs now?
Last edited by Gary350 on Sat May 09, 2009 10:30 am, edited 1 time in total.

The Helpful Gardener
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I have even had jalapenos get a little woody in the fruit if I left them too long; just the nature of the plant. It's not calcium, it's lignin, the same stuff that makes trees get woody...How old are these?

HG

ryangt
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Posts: 7
Joined: Fri May 08, 2009 12:00 am
Location: Alice Springs, Australia

Thanks for the good info. I will consider it " bark" untill I start seeing issues with the plant itself. The peppers look relativly healthy and happy
( considering when I bought them they were near dead with no fruit)

Alice Springs has a population of only about 27000 people (average rotating population included). I'm from just outside of LA originally so this small town atmosphere is definatly a big change.

As for pics, here ya go. Enjoy!
1st pic is the main drag thru town, not much to see.....
[img]https://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r16/ryangtr/red-centre-alice-springs.jpg[/img]

second is myself at the famous alice springs sign.
[img]https://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r16/ryangtr/DSC01774.jpg[/img]

Third is Sunset over the Mcdonnell ranges as seen from atop Anzac hill.
[img]https://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r16/ryangtr/DSC01795.jpg[/img]



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