Peppers are the MVPs of any vegetable garden. Their vibrant colors and explosive flavors make them a standout addition to both the yard and the table. While they’re generally low-maintenance, some issues can arise when growing these superstars. In this section, we’ll explore the most common problems you may encounter while cultivating peppers and offer practical solutions to overcome them.
Pepper Growing Problems to Watch Out For
Growing peppers can be a straightforward experience, but like any plant, they’re not immune to potential issues. Fortunately, peppers are known for their hardiness and adaptability, which means you might only encounter a few of these problems throughout your gardening journey.
Over the course of my 20+ years of growing various pepper varieties, I’ve only had to deal with two of these common challenges.
Even in the midst of a harsh winter, I can proudly display a thriving potted jalapeno plant on my bedside table, a testament to peppers’ resilience.
Insect and fungal pests may target your pepper plants, but by incorporating crop rotation, using soil that suits their needs, companion planting with marigolds and nasturtiums, and keeping them consistently watered, you can minimize the risk of infestation.
Daily inspections are crucial to early detection, which can mean the difference between a bountiful harvest and having to start anew.
By being mindful of these potential issues and taking proactive steps to mitigate them, you’ll be well on your way to enjoying a thriving pepper garden.
Failure to Thrive
When it comes to growing pepper plants, an improper environment can be a major hindrance to their success. These plants require a specific set of conditions to thrive, including slightly acidic soil with good drainage, as well as full sun for extended periods. To achieve this, it’s essential to mix in well-aged compost and either bone meal or blood meal into the soil before planting, along with a draining medium like perlite to prevent waterlogged soil.
If your garden soil falls short of these requirements, consider growing your peppers in raised beds or containers instead, ensuring that the soil is ideal for container-grown plants to avoid compression issues. Crucially, make sure your pepper plants have at least 6-8 inches of good soil depth to allow their roots to develop properly.
Finally, take the time to observe your property’s sun patterns and identify the areas that receive the most direct sunlight – this will help you determine the perfect spots for planting your peppers and tomatoes.
Lots of Foliage, but Few Flowers
One of the most telling indicators of a nutrient imbalance is the way nightshade plants respond to their environment. These plants thrive when they receive adequate phosphorus, which triggers fruiting and flowering. However, if the soil contains an excessive amount of nitrogen (N) and inadequate phosphorus (P), your plants will focus on leafy growth rather than producing fruit. To address this issue, it’s essential to use fertilizers that have a low nitrogen-to-phosphorus ratio.
By doing so, you’ll be able to create an environment that encourages healthy fruiting and flowering.
Pepper Fruits Aren’t Forming
One of the most common issues when growing peppers is their failure to produce fruit due to inadequate temperatures. To avoid this problem, it’s essential to ensure that the plants receive sufficient heat and sunlight. If temperatures drop below 60°F (15°C), pepper plants simply won’t develop. As someone who gardens in zone 4b, I’ve experienced this issue firsthand a few times.
The key is to plant your peppers at the right time – wait until seasonal temperatures don’t dip below 60°F at night before planting. If you have a short growing season, start your seeds indoors six weeks before optimal temperatures are expected. Alternatively, obtain more mature seedlings from a local garden center and transplant them as the season heats up. For gardeners with shorter growing seasons, choosing smaller pepper varieties can be beneficial.
Miniature bell peppers or compact species like filius blue, jalapenos, or cayennes are ideal for these conditions. Additionally, if you live in an area prone to random hailstorms or sudden temperature drops at the peak of summer, consider growing your peppers in a greenhouse to provide them with a stable and protected environment.
Stunted or Shriveled Fruits
When inspecting your peppers, you may notice that they’re smaller or irregularly shaped than expected, lacking seeds when cut open. This issue often stems from poor or incomplete pollination. To overcome this challenge in the future, consider implementing a simple yet effective technique: companion planting with herbs and flowers that attract pollinators.
By strategically placing borage, basil, and oregano near your nightshade plants (peppers and tomatoes), you’ll entice honeybees, bumblebees, and other beneficial flying creatures to assist with the crucial task of pollination.
Peppers Aren’t Changing Colors
When peppers fail to transform into their expected vibrant colors, it’s natural to feel frustrated. However, the key is to adopt a patient approach, allowing your peppers to reach full maturity. This process typically unfolds as they progress from green to their final color. To expedite the transformation, harvest them at the onset of color change and then let them ripen naturally in a sunny spot. With a little time and care, your peppers will eventually reveal their true colors.
Hot Peppers Aren’t Hot
When it comes to growing peppers, many gardeners inadvertently create the opposite of what they’re aiming for. This is often due to overindulgence in fertilizers or water, which can lead to a surplus of phosphorous and potassium. As a result, peppers grow large and juicy, rather than compact and fiery. To achieve those coveted hot and spicy flavors, it’s essential to strike a balance and allow your pepper plants to experience a touch of stress.
This allows them to focus on producing smaller, more flavorful fruit instead of massive, sweeter ones.
Blossom End Rot
If you notice wet-looking, rotting patches on the bottoms of your fruit, it’s likely a case of ‘blossom end rot’. This common issue arises where the blossom falls off, and is caused by inadequate calcium intake during the flowering period. While it may seem logical to rectify this problem by adding more calcium to the soil, the root cause lies in your plants’ inability to absorb existing calcium. Until you address this issue, pouring calcium into the soil won’t make a difference.
The key to resolving blossom end rot is ensuring that your plants are receiving the right amount of water. If they’re not getting enough moisture during their growing period, or if the water supply is too plentiful, they’ll struggle to transport calcium throughout their system. Additionally, forcing rapid plant growth through fertilizer can hinder calcium absorption.
For a more comprehensive approach to managing blossom end rot, explore our guide on the subject.
Plants are Cut Off at Soil Level
Cutworms are often to blame for this issue. These pesky insects reside in the soil and emerge at night, feeding on everything in their path. To combat them, you can venture out under the cover of darkness with a flashlight and manually capture them by dropping them into a bucket of hot soapy water. Alternatively, a simple yet effective approach is to wrap cardboard tubing around your seedlings’ stems before planting. I find empty toilet paper rolls work perfectly for this purpose.
Simply cut the roll in half, poke the stem through, and ensure the roll is buried about an inch deep in the soil to deter both cutworms and slugs.
Curled Leaves
When pepper leaves curl, it can stem from various issues. Insufficient or excessive watering, as well as insect infestations, are common causes. For instance, aphids and mites can suck the sap from your pepper plants, causing the leaves to curl. To diagnose the problem, inspect your plants carefully, looking for signs of pests. If you find any, treat them with neem oil or organic pesticides, while also ensuring a healthy ladybug population in your garden.
If insect damage isn’t the culprit, examine the soil moisture instead. Stick your finger into the soil about an inch deep, several hours after noon. If it feels damp to the touch, you might be overwatering your pepper plants. On the other hand, if the soil feels dry, it could indicate that your peppers aren’t receiving enough water.
Yellow, Falling Leaves
Mosaic viruses and spotted wilt virus can lead to the demise of your plants if left unchecked. While neither condition has a cure, early detection allows you to salvage some or all of your plant’s health. To contain the infection, carefully remove and destroy any affected leaves, then eliminate nearby weeds that might be hosting thrips or cucumber beetles. Another preventative measure is to choose varieties of your crop that have natural resistance to tobacco mosaic virus.
Unfortunately, there’s no treatment for cucumber mosaic virus beyond pulling and burning infected plants.
Scorched-Looking Leaves
When you think about pepper plants, sun usually comes to mind as a vital component for their growth. However, what if I told you that too much sun can actually be detrimental? In regions with extremely high temperatures, like zone 10 or higher, peppers can suffer from ‘sunscald’, a condition characterized by white blisters forming on the young, tender fruits. These blisters can peel away, leaving behind holes and causing the fruits to shrivel up and eventually fall off the plant.
To prevent this issue, it’s crucial to provide your pepper plants with some shade during the hottest part of the day, typically between 11 am and 3 pm. One effective way to achieve this is by companion planting near taller species that can naturally block out the intense sunlight.
Leaves are Covered in Yellow-Ringed Holes
The scourge of bacterial leaf spot is a widespread menace that propagates through simple contact. Its presence manifests as unsightly, gnaw-like holes on the leaves, ultimately leading to their withering and premature drop-off. If detected at an early stage, this affliction can be effectively treated with a copper-based bacterial fungicide, thereby preserving the health of your entire plant collection.
Defoliation
If you’re noticing that the leaves on your pepper plants look like they’ve become a snacking hotspot, it’s likely due to an infestation of tomato hornworms, flea beetles, or slugs. To tackle these unwanted visitors, consider planting catnip around your beds and spraying your plants with neem oil to deter flea beetles. For the hornworms and slugs, a hands-on approach may be necessary – try picking them off early in the morning or after dusk.
You can also scatter diatomaceous earth liberally around your plants to help keep them at bay. Alternatively, consider allowing your chickens, ducks, or Guinea fowl to graze on these pests in your pepper beds. Just remember to ensure their safe return to their coop to avoid attracting predators.
White Foam or Froth on the Stem and Leaves
As you enter the world of spittlebugs, one unexpected solution emerges as a top deterrent: a homemade insecticide powered by hot peppers. To create this potent potion, combine 2 cups of water with 1/4 cup of jalapeno or habanero peppers, 6-8 garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons of ground cayenne pepper, and 2 teaspoons of liquid Castille soap in a blender. Transfer the mixture to a spray bottle and thoroughly mist your pepper plants.
Allow the solution to sit for 24-48 hours before gently wiping down your plants with a cloth.
Brown Stripes on Stem/Plant Wilts and Falls Over
Verticillium wilt is a fungal disease that afflicts pepper plants without a cure, rendering affected plants unusable and requiring their removal through burning. To avoid this issue, crop rotation becomes crucial. Never replant nightshades in the same spot for consecutive years, nor follow them with cucurbits such as cucumbers, squashes, pumpkins, or melons. Instead, deeply till the soil to eradicate as much of the fungus as possible through solar exposure.
The following season, choose disease-resistant legume or green varieties to replant in that area.
Black or Brown Spots
Early blight, also known as Phytophthora blight, is a common issue that arises when high temperatures combine with humid weather conditions. This affliction is particularly prevalent in regions with high levels of rainfall and temperatures above 75°F. Unfortunately, there is no available treatment for early blight, and any affected plants will need to be removed from the environment entirely.
Preventing early blight is crucial, and one effective approach involves practicing regular crop rotation. When dealing with affected beds, it’s essential to remove peppers and replace them with brassicas (such as kale or cabbage) and grains. After this process, it’s recommended not to plant nightshades in the same area for at least four years to minimize the risk of reoccurrence.
White Fuzz Beneath Leaves
When living in regions characterized by scorching heat and humidity, you may encounter the unwelcome presence of powdery mildew. This type of fungus can also manifest when plants are subjected to excessive overhead watering. To combat this issue, consider employing a soil-level drip irrigation system or water your plants early in the morning, allowing ample time for moisture evaporation throughout the day.
