HelpfulGardener.com

Hi everyone! This is my second year growing fruits and veggies so with all the information out there for each plant it's been a little overwhelming for me to try and learn as much as I can for the best techniques to care for them and get the most out of the harvest. I love peppers and last year I had great luck with a couple chili plants. So this year I decided to try jalapeños and habaneros, I started the plants a little late and it's nearing the fall season and they're just now starting to fruit a couple peppers. So I decided to transplant them to pots just in case I need to bring them indoors if the weather starts change. So the problem is with transplanting my habaneros started to look a little puny outside, so I brought them in to put under a grow lamp I have too help rejuvenate them from the stress of transplanting. With that they rebounded well, my issue is once they're looking happy and perky I put them back outside to soak the sun and warm the pot, but after they've been outside for a few hours they start to look puny again. Any answers or suggestions to why this is happening?

I think it was just transplant shock -- lost some feeder roots and the upper growths were needing/losing more moisture than roots could take up. Now that they have been inside a while, they need to be re-acclimated to the sun and wind. So shade/sheltered spot for a couple of days -- and gradually accustom to wilder outdoor elements -- is the way to help them recover after potting up, and go ahead and ruthlessly trim off wilty upper foliage. You want more compact plants to bring inside before the frost anyway.