Pepper leaves browning and dying

chancethegardener · October 16, 2011

I have a problem with almost all of my pepper plants that I transplanted into raised beds early September. Same plants were very happy and healthy with big and dark green leaves when they were in the pots filled with Ocean Forest potting mix, so I think this is a problem in the soil in the beds. The problem is that the leaves on the plants turn brown, shrink and eventually dry. New leaves don't grow at all and the little flower buds on the plants also dry and die. I am posting some pictures here (I planted some of them back into pots). Does anyone know what the problem is and if it is not too late to save the plants, what is the treatment? Thanks...

ddsack · October 20, 2011

It's really hard to say what the problem is just by looking at the pictures. I noticed some of the leaves have shrunken margin curling which I see if I get an aphid infestation during dry summer weather. Have you checked the undersides of the newest leaves for aphids? I squish what I can with my fingers, and then use a soap spray, let dry, then followed by a clear water spray with the hose. I'm no pepper expert, though.

chancethegardener · October 21, 2011

Thanks for the response ddsack. I had checked undersides of the leaves for aphids before and even though on some plants I had found a few of them, it wasn't like an infestation. Then I sprayed the plants for aphids but browning never stopped. Do you think it might be some kind of a fungus and is soil-born?

ddsack · October 22, 2011

I guess anything's possible. I don't know where all the pepper experts have disappeared to.

Have you noticed your plants are better after putting back into pots? I don't know if these links are of any help - http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pp122
http://www.freshfromflorida.com/pi/e...orida_viruses/

In my personal experience, young pepper plants are much fussier about cold temps and watering than tomatoes. My problem every spring is just a few pepper seedlings that turn pale yellow fairly suddenly before planting out time. Eventually, most will recover after being in the garden for a few weeks. I sometimes worry that they have something systemic similar to aster-yellows, but most do grow out of it. Your problem though, looks different. Sorry I can't be of more help.

October 20, 2011	#2
ddsack Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Northern Minnesota - zone 3 Posts: 3,231	It's really hard to say what the problem is just by looking at the pictures. I noticed some of the leaves have shrunken margin curling which I see if I get an aphid infestation during dry summer weather. Have you checked the undersides of the newest leaves for aphids? I squish what I can with my fingers, and then use a soap spray, let dry, then followed by a clear water spray with the hose. I'm no pepper expert, though. __________________ Dee **************

October 22, 2011	#4
ddsack Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Northern Minnesota - zone 3 Posts: 3,231	I guess anything's possible. I don't know where all the pepper experts have disappeared to. Have you noticed your plants are better after putting back into pots? I don't know if these links are of any help - http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pp122 http://www.freshfromflorida.com/pi/e...orida_viruses/ In my personal experience, young pepper plants are much fussier about cold temps and watering than tomatoes. My problem every spring is just a few pepper seedlings that turn pale yellow fairly suddenly before planting out time. Eventually, most will recover after being in the garden for a few weeks. I sometimes worry that they have something systemic similar to aster-yellows, but most do grow out of it. Your problem though, looks different. Sorry I can't be of more help. __________________ Dee **************

October 21, 2011	#3
chancethegardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: WV Posts: 604	Thanks for the response ddsack. I had checked undersides of the leaves for aphids before and even though on some plants I had found a few of them, it wasn't like an infestation. Then I sprayed the plants for aphids but browning never stopped. Do you think it might be some kind of a fungus and is soil-born?