Bell peppers are fruits in the nightshade family that are also related to tomatoes, chili peppers, and breadfruit. As easy as the pepper plant is to grow, there are still some common problems it faces. Pepper plant problems are what we will discuss.
Bell peppers are fairly easy to grow, so they can be a great addition to your garden. All of them are native to Central and South America. You can enjoy pepper in your various cooking recipes as well as in salads.
However, there are some problems with pepper plants that you may face and diseases of peppers are common problems associated with them. You can also take into account some other pepper problems besides pepper diseases. So, let’s dive into some common problems associated with growing bell peppers.
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Bell pepper plants do not grow: what are the reasons?
Different pepper plants wilting problems can arise and cause your bell pepper to slow down in growth or even stop growing. Some of the reasons include:
- Excessive watering.
- Insufficient watering.
- Growing pepper with an undersized container.
- Dry soil.
Pepper Growing Problems
We will look at common bell pepper problems and this will fall into two categories. The first part will be on topics associated with pepper diseases and pests. The other topics related to bell pepper will be related to other diseases. So, read below to get some knowledge about them.
A. Bell Pepper Plant Diseases
So, below are some of the pepper pest and disease problems you may face:
Mosaic viruses
This is a type of pepper disease characterized by yellow spots, wrinkled leaves, stunted growth, and poor or lower quality fruit.
This disease is transmitted by aphids that transmit this virus. It is common during periods when aphids are most active and this is when temperatures are around 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
To properly deal with this bell pepper problem, uproot or remove infected plants and burn or dispose of them. The virus has been known to survive for up to one year. Therefore, avoid composting uprooted plants but burn or dispose of them.
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Bacterial leaf spot
Bacterial leaf spot is quite common on pepper plants in general. This disease is characterized by yellowing spots on the leaves of your pepper plant. These yellowish spots can end up turning brown and cause the leaves to fall.
Powdery mildew
Powdery mildew is associated with warm, humid conditions. It usually appears on the underside of pepper plant leaves.
Aphids
This is a tiny insect that sucks and feeds on pepper plants. They can eat a good portion of your pepper plant overnight.
If you notice or suspect an aphid infestation on your pepper plant, you can use soapy water and wash them off. Or you can use a strong force of water (eg a hose) to dislodge them from your plant. The use of Novobac Beveria WP Bio Insecticide can also prove effective against aphid organic control.
Horned Worms
Hornworms are another type of pest that can cause problems for your pepper plant. These worms are so large that it is easy to pull them off or remove them from your plant.
B. Non-disease Bell Pepper Problems
Insufficient watering
This problem is common during the hot seasons. So if you don’t provide the plant with adequate water during this period, you may start to notice some problems with the growth of your pepper plant.
Pepper plants normally love full sun and require adequate watering. So when you slack off with the watering needs of the peppers, they won’t flower properly, and problems arise.
To reduce the chances of facing this problem, you should strive to water your pepper plant early in the morning and at night. The best time to water is after the sun has set.
Overwatering
Although pepper plants generally like to be watered adequately, you should avoid overwatering. Overwatering your pepper plant can cause problems. This is common with potted pepper plants that do not have proper drainage holes.
So, if you find yourself overwatering your potted pepper plant, simply stop watering and allow the soil to dry out. It is crucial that you fix this problem in time to improve the pepper plant’s chances of recovery.
Scalded by the sun: problems with the pepper plant
Although pepper plants thrive in the sun, they still need time to adjust before being moved outdoors. Potted pepper plants are especially susceptible to this. But this shouldn’t be a problem with pepper seeds sown outdoors early on.
Pepper seedlings started indoors need a transition to outdoor conditions that are often prone to sunburn.
Outdoor conditions like direct sunlight, wind, and changing temperatures can be harsh on seedlings started indoors. To help them adjust, it’s important to harden them off gradually by introducing them to these conditions over time. Therefore, avoid the abrupt transition to full sunlight.
Tips to revive pepper plant problems
A pepper plant can die for various reasons, including lack of water, abundance of it, or some disease. In case you have been out for two weeks and you did not leave any irrigation systems, if they are in the sun, they will not last that long. However, if you want to revive a dry plant, you can follow these tips:
- Remove all wilted stems and leaves. If the dehydration has been severe, it may need more aggressive pruning. Fear not, this step is vital so that the plant can focus the few remaining forces on its healthy parts. If you keep sending nutrients to its withered parts it will never recover, and remember to always disinfect pruning tools before you start or else it could be counterproductive.
- You should also check that it has not been attacked by any pest and carefully remove the superficial part of the substrate. The substrate tends to become caked and does not allow irrigation water to penetrate it or reach the plant well.
- When you have removed the top layer of soil, remove the root ball of the plant from its pot or from the ground without damaging the roots in the process.
- Once outside, submerge the root ball in warm water for 10 minutes or so to rehydrate the plant. Warm water is more effective at penetrating the substrate than cold water, so it is important to use warm water when watering plants.
- When peppers show wilting, they might be infested with pathogen disease such as Fusarium, Rhizoctonia and Pythium. Apply the Novobac Trianum Shield bio fungicide for soil borne disease control during pepper organic production.
- Leave the root ball in a dish where excess water can drain and replant it in a pot with a new substrate.
- Place the plant in a spot that receives plenty of indirect sunlight.
Finally, it is very important that you keep in mind that this method of reviving pepper plants has a good chance of working, but only the first time. If the same plant has already been exposed to a critical state on some occasion, it will partly lose its recovery capacity and it will be very difficult for it to survive another critical situation again.
Conclusion
Pepper plant problems can arise in a few different ways. Problems associated with peppers can be pests, diseases, or even other environmental factors.
We have listed some of these problems that can arise when growing peppers and how to mitigate them. Therefore, we hope that this article can be of great use to you regarding pepper plant problems.
