Looks like too much water or ferts. Could also be bug infestation. How often do you fertalize and what kind of dosage are you using. You could flush the root system and leave it alone for several weeks. Usually that works for me that is if you are containor gardening.

Hi, thanks for the reply.

The soil was reused from last year. The soil was fertilized at the end of the season last year, and a few times at the start of this season. I stopped using fertilizer about a month ago for the most part due to it attracting aphids, and then suspicion of over-fertilization.

I haven't been watering that much lately. The soil has been fairly moist consistently... about as moist as potting soil fresh out of the bag it was sold in. For some reason, it isn't drying up. I removed the plugs at the bottom of the containers before I planted. I nearly stopped watering them 3-4 weeks ago, when I probably was over-watering. The soil is still moist due to lack of scorching hot and dry weather, but I wouldn't call the soil saturated.

How do I flush the root system?

if they are in pots you flush by slowly watering till water comes out the bottom then you keep going, that way the new water is "pushing" all the salts/buildup in the soil out. what kind of potting soil is it? where do you live? i am in Sd and i was able to go 14 days between watering!

Eric

I am having the exact opposite problem. It has been so hot here in Florida I cannot keep them hydrated enough. Sounds like your roots are staying saturated too long. I would try repooting into a less soil retentive mix. You may want to visit the container gardening site. Very helpful indeed.

I live in Washington DC. The temps broke 100 at the height of summer last year and I couldn't give my pepper plants enough water, and maybe they needed lots of water because the plants were bigger at that point? This summer has been pretty mild so far... 80s and low 90s. Anyways, that's why I over-watered this year, they just don't seem to need as much water as they did last year.

Who knew growing peppers could be so difficult? It's hard to diagnose anything. Disease, fungus, aphids, over-fertilization, under-fertilization, over-water, under water... the symptoms are almost always the same! By luck, I had a great harvest last year... this year I have to learn the science behind growing peppers. Thanks everybody for the help :)

i am right there with you! this year is like growing for the first time, i am at a new place, new soils, different plants, 10 degrees cooler on average. so i bought a journal and am documenting everything i do and to each different plant/flower/tree. so that i can look back and as a reference. last year i over watered and had a very bad season with the 3 peppers i grew. best of luck

Eric

Hey, Spongey, I suggest you start a blog on your growing efforts. That way, you have a narrative of what you are doing and how things are going this year in chronological order and you can add photos where appropriate. It is basically a diary but handily it is online and can be added to and even edited as you see fit.

This is my first year growing peppers from seed and I decided to do that from day one. I keep going back even this year to see when certain things happened such as the first time I saw blossoms, or the first day I got them outside or the day I transplanted the seedlings into larger containers, etc....

Next year, I will be able to see just how big the plants are in the photos of this year to see how it compares to the current year and it will give me dates as to when certain milestones were achieved. Hopefully, it will also keep me from making the same mistakes over.