I'll start this off by saying that I'm very, very new to growing peppers and that I live in zone 3.
About two weeks ago I bought some pepper plants, including three gypsy peppers. Tonight I noticed that while two of them are flowering, they have wonky leaves. The leaves at the bottom are yellow (not blotchy; the whole leaf and stem is yellow) and drooping. The leaves at the top are a bit crinkled - there are similar pictures on this website [url]https://www.ecoseeds.com/Pepper.growing.tips.html[/url] under "bonemeal." One of the leaves had a small chunk missing/shriveled.
The plants are about a foot tall and I have them in 12" wide and 20" wide containers. I think they're crowded so I'll probably be moving them into individual containers when they get a bit larger.
Also, some of the jalapenos and cayennes (between 4-7" tall) are getting dark stems. I can't get a photo right now since it's dark out, but I'll try tomorrow.
I give them a bit of water every day (just enough to dampen the top of the soil) and I fertilize them once a week with some kind of vegetable Miracle Gro that my neighbour gave me. Am I giving them too much or too little water/Miracle Gro, or do they have some kind of mineral deficiency? I haven't checked under the leaves for mites.
The daytime temperatures have been between 20*C - 30*C, but it gets to about 12*C during the night.
I'll try and get some photos up tomorrow. Thanks in advance.
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DoubleDogFarm
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The soil was one of the cheapest ones at the store (I didn't pick it out). This is the product description:
"PC Magic Soil is a pre-moistened, ready-to-use planting medium, ideal for all planting and re-potting needs around the house and garden. Lighter than ordinary soils, it contains a blend of geenhouse-quality ingredients for the establishment of cuttings and transplants and for the early growth of seeds and bulbs. Canadian sphagnum peat moss and perlite have been added to enhance aeration and drainage, vermiculite for improved moisture retention and dolomitic limestone for proper pH balance."
"PC Magic Soil is a pre-moistened, ready-to-use planting medium, ideal for all planting and re-potting needs around the house and garden. Lighter than ordinary soils, it contains a blend of geenhouse-quality ingredients for the establishment of cuttings and transplants and for the early growth of seeds and bulbs. Canadian sphagnum peat moss and perlite have been added to enhance aeration and drainage, vermiculite for improved moisture retention and dolomitic limestone for proper pH balance."
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DoubleDogFarm
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So it has fertilizer built in. You may think about cutting back on the fertilizer applications.Ingredients
Sphagnum peat moss, perlite, vermiculite, limestone, fertilizer containing quick-release and slow-release nitrogen sources and secondary and micronutrients.
Someone with more experience in container gardening should chime in.
Eric
One possibility is that the bottom yellow leaves are the cotyledons and those will yellow and die off as with most plants.
It is also possible that they are over watered and perhaps over fertilized. I am in zone 4 and I do not water every day. Peppers don't like wet feet and may develope yellow leaves if over watered.
Let the plants dry out for a few days and then check the soil for moistness down a few inches into the container.
As for needing bonemeal, I don't use that and my plants are just fine. What I do use is the same fertilizer as for tomatoes and eggplants because the 3 plants are in the same family and have similiar needs.
Peppers should be grown in at least a 3 gal pot but will produce much better in 5-10 gal. To see the difference, grow one plant in a 3 gal, one in a 5 gal and one in a 10 gal - be sure they are all the same variety and planted in the same area. You will be surprised in the difference in growth when you give container plants the root romm that they need to produce a large plant and good harvest.
It is also possible that they are over watered and perhaps over fertilized. I am in zone 4 and I do not water every day. Peppers don't like wet feet and may develope yellow leaves if over watered.
Let the plants dry out for a few days and then check the soil for moistness down a few inches into the container.
As for needing bonemeal, I don't use that and my plants are just fine. What I do use is the same fertilizer as for tomatoes and eggplants because the 3 plants are in the same family and have similiar needs.
Peppers should be grown in at least a 3 gal pot but will produce much better in 5-10 gal. To see the difference, grow one plant in a 3 gal, one in a 5 gal and one in a 10 gal - be sure they are all the same variety and planted in the same area. You will be surprised in the difference in growth when you give container plants the root romm that they need to produce a large plant and good harvest.
Do you have multiple peppers in each pot? I would then them to 1 to a pot. The pot size sounds like it would be big enough, but the bigger the better, just look at this example of a pepper plant root system(30cm = 1ft and 1m =1yd):
[img]https://www.nzdl.org/gsdl/collect/fnl2.2/archives/HASH018f.dir/p010b.gif[/img]
[img]https://www.nzdl.org/gsdl/collect/fnl2.2/archives/HASH018f.dir/p010b.gif[/img]
Thanks for the help!
I had a feeling that I was overwatering... could that also be why the top leaves are not smooth? And yes, I have quite a few peppers in one container. I really like the large ones, but I don't have enough room on my patio to have any more of those. I'll get some more of the smaller ones and some 5 gallon pails (I've never seen 10 gallon pails around here) and move them so there's one per container.
I had a feeling that I was overwatering... could that also be why the top leaves are not smooth? And yes, I have quite a few peppers in one container. I really like the large ones, but I don't have enough room on my patio to have any more of those. I'll get some more of the smaller ones and some 5 gallon pails (I've never seen 10 gallon pails around here) and move them so there's one per container.
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DoubleDogFarm
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They don't. They are pretty big containers - could I somehow put holes in them if they are filled with dirt? 
Here are some of the crinkled/yellow leaves:
[img]https://img197.imageshack.us/img197/8161/dsc04513u.jpg[/img]
[img]https://img838.imageshack.us/img838/3846/dsc04514h.jpg[/img]
[img]https://img827.imageshack.us/img827/2405/dsc04515ei.jpg[/img][/img]
Here are some of the crinkled/yellow leaves:
[img]https://img197.imageshack.us/img197/8161/dsc04513u.jpg[/img]
[img]https://img838.imageshack.us/img838/3846/dsc04514h.jpg[/img]
[img]https://img827.imageshack.us/img827/2405/dsc04515ei.jpg[/img][/img]
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DoubleDogFarm
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jal_ut
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- Location: Northern Utah Zone 5
I don't think you have much of a problem. Those crinkly leaves have had some mechanical damage, possibly from an insect or slug. Nothing to worry about unless it gets worse, then you need to get after the culprit. The yellowing leaves on the low part of the stem are likely the first leaves that formed when the plant was small in the green house. It is not a bit unusual for them to turn yellow and fall off. Your other growth has a very good dark green color as peppers should.
When it comes to watering I prefer to give them a good drink then wait until they are getting quite dry then water again. Of course that will depend a lot on the size of the container and how many and how large the plant is/plants are. Make sure your pots have drainage holes and any excess water will drain out so the plants won't be too wet. Do you have one of those moisture meters? They are great aids to tell when to water your pots. Your plant's roots will invade every bit of the soil in the pot. You need to water deep enough to have all of the soil damp. You should see some come out the bottom. You don't want a lot to run through, but a little tells you you have put enough water on the pot.
When it comes to watering I prefer to give them a good drink then wait until they are getting quite dry then water again. Of course that will depend a lot on the size of the container and how many and how large the plant is/plants are. Make sure your pots have drainage holes and any excess water will drain out so the plants won't be too wet. Do you have one of those moisture meters? They are great aids to tell when to water your pots. Your plant's roots will invade every bit of the soil in the pot. You need to water deep enough to have all of the soil damp. You should see some come out the bottom. You don't want a lot to run through, but a little tells you you have put enough water on the pot.
That's good to know! I haven't seen any insects on the plants except for some type of fly-like thing flying nearby (I didn't get a good look at them) and some spiders, but I'll keep an eye on those upper leaves.
I do have a drill so I'll try and get some drainage holes on the containers tomorrow. I didn't water them today as the soil still looked a bit wet. I'll wait until it's quite dry before I water them again.
I do have a drill so I'll try and get some drainage holes on the containers tomorrow. I didn't water them today as the soil still looked a bit wet. I'll wait until it's quite dry before I water them again.
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ThePepperSeed
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- Location: Midwest
Probably have a mix of too much water and too much fert. Peppers like being dry...I don't water until the plant is wilting. You need some drain holes too...without them your plants probably won't do all that well. I'd lighten up on the ferts too. I've found that when it comes to growing peppers less (in terms of water and ferts) is better than more.
Good luck!
Good luck!