Should I trash this pepper & start new?

kristinz 6/19/2013, 6:52 pm

This is one of my hot peppers (either jalapeno or tabasco)... not sure what's going on with it.... Can this be saved? I was thinking of cutting off the curled portion (which is the top) and seeing what happens. At one point there was a blossom or 2 there, but the dried up and are gone. We've had plenty of rain (too much maybe?) and I keep up with watering when it doesn't rain... everything else seems to be coming along good...maybe a little slower than I thought (except the bush beans - growing like champs!)... Sorry, not the best pic to see, but the best one I took...

Should I trash this pepper & start new? Image10

Should I trash this pepper & start new? Image10

Yardslave 6/19/2013, 7:19 pm

Pepper leaves can curl up like that from calcium deficiency, or (if you are a smoker and handle your plants) tobacco viruses, and it may be insects munching on the bottom of the leaves. Some plants respond with curled leaves from excessive pinching back- like my tomato did when I trained it into a 9' vine.

**camprn** 6/19/2013, 7:22 pm

This does not look like mosaic. It may be viral, but the rest of the plant looks ok. Have you found any pests on the plant, like aphids? How long has this been going on?

Are you overwatering the plant? Let it dry out a day or two unless your temperatures are in the 90s and the mix dries out. It may bounce back. Whatever you do , do one thing at a time so you know what is effective.

I do see little peppers on the plant. That's a good sign.

kristinz 6/19/2013, 7:38 pm

I noticed this when I planted it (we bought it at a local nursery a few days before). I figured once it got in the ground, it would bounce back. I think I will see what happens when it soil dries a little. The weather will be clear the next couple of days.. I will just monitor the moisture. I did not see any pests around or on the leaves. I even checked some of my other plants (tomatoes, beans) to see if anything was on those and have not spotted anything, but will keep an eye out on that as well. If it doesn't bounce back in the next few of days after allowing it to dry out, I will try something else.
Thank you for your help and insight... this is my first SFG and I know I have a lot to learn!
thanks

**camprn** 6/19/2013, 7:44 pm

hmm.. if you bought the plant locally, take this photo and ask if you can get a new plant...... the worst thing that will happen is they may say no.... Wink

GWN 6/19/2013, 8:29 pm

With regards to peppers, I recently watched a video on youtube where this guy just cut the tops off the plants.... JUST LOPS THEM OFF. What a Face

To allow the plant to focus its resources into building a strong stem, and it seems to work
I have several pepper plants, as I grew the from seed and so decided to lop the top off of a few of them and they seem to be doing quite well, the stem is growing stronger and new branches are coming out.

You have not too much to lose.... give it a try

Yardslave 6/20/2013, 12:04 pm

I like GWN's thinking- lopping it down to the healthy leaves may invigorate the plant and force more lateral growth. I pinch all the peppers back when they have at least 4 leaves, and they have grown very dense. I have even pinched back a Tai Dragon pepper after it produced fruit and it survived a winter to pop back in the spring.

**camprn** 6/20/2013, 12:43 pm

Pinching the terminal end and lopping off a good 4 or more inches of a plant this small are quite different things... and in this case it may or may not be beneficial.

Kristi, did you have any luck with the Extension service? Or the store where you bought the plant?

Sponsored content

Should I trash this pepper & start new?

Should I trash this pepper & start new?

Re: Should I trash this pepper & start new?

Re: Should I trash this pepper & start new?

Re: Should I trash this pepper & start new?

Re: Should I trash this pepper & start new?

Re: Should I trash this pepper & start new?

Re: Should I trash this pepper & start new?

Re: Should I trash this pepper & start new?

Re: Should I trash this pepper & start new?


	Hello Guest! Welcome to the official Square Foot Gardening Forum. There's lots to learn here by reading as a guest. However, if you become a member (it's free, ad free and spam-free) you'll have access to our large vermiculite databases, our seed exchange spreadsheets, Mel's Mix calculator, and many more members' pictures in the Gallery. Enjoy.