Banana Pepper Problems

[JoeLewko]

Hello Everyone,

i usually post in the bonsai section, but i grow vegetables every year as well, and this year i decided to grow banana peppers along with my heirloom tomatoes. The pepper had some bug problems early in the season which i took care of, but now it seems something different is going on, particularly in one plant (it's actually the biggest one also). The leaves seem to be getting brown spots in the middle and at the edges...almost like a burn, but the problem is it spreads. Here are some pictures:







(sorry the last one is a little blurry)

What do you guys think the problem could be?

Joe

[farmerlon]

I am guessing that is some sort of fungal infection ... I don't know for certain. I'm curious to see what others have to say.

If that plant were in my garden, I would probably prune off those lower leaves, since the problem appears to be only on the lower portion of the plant.
I would suggest a nice layer of mulch (such as grass clippings) around the Pepper plants. That should greatly reduce, or stop, soil-splash from infecting the lower leaves of the Pepper plants.

[JoeLewko]

I actually mulched all of my other plants, i had this one as an extra and just planted it in the corner...kind of funny it turned out to be the biggest one. I will mulch it now, though.

[applestar]

Since you said you usually post in the Bonsai Forum, I have a thought to run by you.... I dug up and overwintered two bell pepper plants and I had an already potted Jalapeno. I was intrigued by how woody the stems of the peppers became with maturity and was thinking they might actually have Bonsai culture possibilities-- especially hot peppers which are more of a perennial ... Kind of a Kusamono, I guess, though really, the bark-like woody trunk is very interesting.

I'm growing several kinds of hot peppers that I intend to try keeping from year to year... Conventional culture for the time being.

I'm still just lurking and being an observer in the Bonsai Forum, with a notion that I might get into the hobby some day.

[JoeLewko]

I actually noticed that on my Jalapenos a few years back at the end of the season the stems of the plant were woody almost like trees.

However, i haven't heard of anyone cultivating hot peppers for bonsai. Though it's interesting, I'm not sure if it would work, you'd need the "branches" to turn woody also so that they can retain the shape of a tree...

If you're interested in Bonsai, definitely keep checking out the bonsai forum, and feel free to post before you buy your first tree, everyone is always willing to help.

Joe

[garden5]

I, too, have noticed just how thick and woody the jalapenos get towards the end of the season.

But, to get back on topic, there are several types of "leaf spot" that peppers get, it's a fungal disease like the early blight on tomatoes. You're best bet is to pick off the infected leaves and mulch around the base of the plant. Also, don't put the leaves in your compost or garden, throw them out.

[JoeLewko]

What about treatment with a fungicide? Is there any type in specific i should use? (ive read a copper fungicide should be used to help control Bacterial Leaf Spot)

[applestar]

There has been some question about its effectiveness in some cases of fungal infection, but I still like using the 10% Milk Solution spray for edibles -- i.e. 10 parts milk:1 part non-chlorinated water as preventive, the ratio can be 1:1 in extreme active infection. Adding a small amount of lactobacilus culture such as plain yogurt, yogurt/sourcream/cottage cheese whey can help increase effectiveness since the bacteria outcompetes with and kills the fungus in the phytosphere. It is also thought to provide foliar calcium supplementation to increase plant health.

[JoeLewko]

i actually used a milk solution for my tomato plants last year, i'll give it a shot on these pepper plants and see if it helps

[BP]

Hope you don't mind this Joe.

Here are my Hot Banana Pepper plants. Aren't they quite small and thin for this time of year? Didn't plan on growing them until I saw they were 90 cents at Home depot 2 weeks ago. The instructions said to cut the bottom 3rd of the peat pot off and then plant with remaining pot on. I have read that pepper plants don't handle root disturbance much. I definitely disturbed the roots following instructions.



All there is in this garden is 12 tomato plants and 6 cucumber plants in 2 cages, then my 3 late planted pathetic peppers. Neighbors tree shades this garden until about 2 pm everyday. didn't even bother weeding the whole garden after spring rototilling.
Any suggestions?

[Ozark Lady]

I had some miniature banana peppers last year. They were so tiny, and not much to look at, then they started making peppers, and they were the most productive banana pepper that I have ever had, all 8" of them!
These little guys shamed peppers that were 3 times their size!
Don't count them out, until you see how they do.

[BP]

I plan on keeping them watered and weeded. If they produce that's great, if they don't no biggie since it was a last minute type thing. Just thought they looked weak and far behind.

[JoeLewko]

BP-no problem at all, always nice to see other people's gardens

That was my concern with the plant i posted-it is small for the time of year...though it seems to be producing peppers, so i'll try and control whatever disease it had and take Ozark Lady's advice and see how it does.

Also, one of my other banana pepper plants seems to have its leaves being eaten by something. What kind of pests like to eat the leaves of these plants?

Joe

[Ozark Lady]

I found it!
This is my banana pepper in 2009.
Notice the bed is almost taller than the plant?
Look at all the peppers!
For the space it used, it was a good investment in water, nutrition and space:



Look under the leaves, likely a cutworm. They also like to burrow into the soil right at the base and hide all day, only coming out at night to feed. You may have to go look with a flashlight.

[Ria]

Hi Joe, my few pimento peppers and a bell peppers are looking just like yours with what I call "rust spots" and holes, the leaves are also falling. I have started to pull them up especially as I noticed that the pimentos have dark spots at the base of the branches. They seem more wilted than other plants in this summer heat. I have been putting everything I discard in plastic bags and place in the garbage bin.
Ria

[The Helpful Gardener]

Joe, before you go crazy with the mulch, those "weeds" look suspiciously like purselane, a very shallow rooter that is all the rage on slads among the green sustainable crowd. All the best New York restaurants are killing for it and it makes a great green mulch (very shallow rooted and not terribly competitive). A close-up would help; a good edible I am keeping in places...

Farmer Lon and G5 are right; fungal it is. And AS is right about low level control with milk, although I ramp the content up for a curative dose to 3:1 water to milk... But peppers love heat so it should come into its own...

HG