• If you need help identifying a pepper, disease, or plant issue, please post in Identification.

nutrients Disease or Nutrients?

sadams

sadams

Please refer to the images below. The first is of a strange yellowing of the newer growth, with very dark veins. Some of the old growth is beginning to show signs of this as well. The second pic is of small holes in the leaves, I think they were made by an insect...any idea what kind? I'm more concerned with the yellowing leaves than the pin holes, but I would like to know the resolve to both...:-). More info, the plant is in Promix BX, added some ferts after this started showing up in hopes the yellowing would correct, its just getting worse and is on two or three different plants. Cayenne, Fooled You Hybrid and Hot Cherry. Ideas and opinions appreciated.

Pic 1
pic1holes.jpg


Pic 2
pic2holes.jpg


Thanks in advance!

Shane
 
Looks like interveinal chlororis. This sounds like what you have there since the growing tip is alive and the symptoms appear to be only on the new growth...

B. Terminal bud remaining alive. Symptoms on new growth.

1. Interveinal chlorosis on young leaves.

a. Interveinal chlorosis on young leaves with larger veins only remaining green. Necrotic spots usually absent; however, with extreme deficiencies, young leaves are almost white and may have necrotic margins and tips; necrotic spots may extend inward. potassium, zinc or copper excess can inhibit uptake of iron. High pH may also induce iron deficiency....iron deficiency

http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/mg/damage/key.html

What fertilizer did you give them and what are the numbers on them, particularly the P number? Seems like excess phosphorus causing an iron deficiency could be the cause. Or possibly a high pH.
 
As for the holes, those are probably from flea beatles, which aren't really much of a problem. They won't really damage decent sized plants. They're mostly a concern with seedlings. They go ham on my tomatillos but don't really phase them.

05592F01-Web.jpg
 
someone had a thread here a week or so ago with similar problems. IMO its best to look at what your are giving them and start there. bX is a soiless peat based mix, it has no organics or any fertilizers to speak of(i think MPX has ferts added).

i agree with avon looks like iron deficiency, but thats not always caused by lack of iron. iron starts at the top like he said from the leaf stem out towards the margin.

what are you feeding it? post the guaranteed analysis if you can. label works too.

Edit:
heres that thread i spoke of:
http://www.thehotpepper.com/topic/22058-big-problems-with-my-bonda-and-aji-habs-help-needed/page__p__458188__fromsearch__1#entry458188
 
I agree with the top photos being a nutrient deficiency and pH problem. The bottom spots /holes look more like a fungal leaf spot disease. Those spots look like they have fungus fruiting bodies (a small black spot) in the center of the spot. If you are watering the wrong time of the day, been having too much rain or allowing the bottom leaves to stay wet, then this could happen. Looks controllable.
 
queequeg152 said:
someone had a thread here a week or so ago with similar problems. IMO its best to look at what your are giving them and start there. bX is a soiless peat based mix, it has no organics or any fertilizers to speak of(i think MPX has ferts added).

i agree with avon looks like iron deficiency, but thats not always caused by lack of iron. iron starts at the top like he said from the leaf stem out towards the margin.

what are you feeding it? post the guaranteed analysis if you can. label works too.

Edit:
heres that thread i spoke of:
http://www.thehotpepper.com/topic/22058-big-problems-with-my-bonda-and-aji-habs-help-needed/page__p__458188__fromsearch__1#entry458188
Click to expand...

+1
 
I used a mild dose of 10-15-10 Schultz plant food concentrate mixed with a quart of water and sprayed on the leaves. I also added bone meal and Epson salt directly on top of the soil and watered. It's been a couple days with no improvements, only getting worse. I will check the pH tomorrow and see what it's at. Would I add lime to lower the pH?
 
Here is the label to the plant food I used on the leaves.

http://www.schultz.com/~/media/Schultz/Files/Labels/All%20Purpose/072845010117.ashx
 
RedtailForester said:
I agree with the top photos being a nutrient deficiency and pH problem. The bottom spots /holes look more like a fungal leaf spot disease. Those spots look like they have fungus fruiting bodies (a small black spot) in the center of the spot. If you are watering the wrong time of the day, been having too much rain or allowing the bottom leaves to stay wet, then this could happen. Looks controllable.
Click to expand...


+1

Never wet the leaves when the sun is strong. Understandably can't do anything about the rain…that part is in god's hands.
 
sadams said:
Here is the label to the plant food I used on the leaves.

http://www.schultz.com/~/media/Schultz/Files/Labels/All%20Purpose/072845010117.ashx
Click to expand...


I'm sorry, but I wouldn't use that stuff. It's way too strong for me.

Last season I used "Pro Gro Organic Fertilizer" which I applied biweekly. My peppers and tomatoes exploded in size with excellent structure and color. I had a hard time staking my Choc Bhuts and Orange Habs…they were too top heavy from the weight of the pods. When you find something that really works you don't want to mess with it too much.

If you want to take a look at it here it is:
http://www.dirtworks.net/Organic-Fertilizer/Pro-Gro.html

Good luck!!
 
Thanks superhot, I will check that out. I used the schultz the last two years without any problems. I normally do not use a full dose, it says 7 per quart I use 4 or 5 most of the time. how do you feel about ferts through foliage vs sprinkle on the soil top? Also, the sun had gone down before I sprayed the leaves the other night. Been there done that with the sun up and the plants don't do well with those sun magnifying droplets.
 
sadams said:
I used a mild dose of 10-15-10 Schultz plant food concentrate mixed with a quart of water and sprayed on the leaves. I also added bone meal and Epson salt directly on top of the soil and watered. It's been a couple days with no improvements, only getting worse. I will check the pH tomorrow and see what it's at. Would I add lime to lower the pH?
Click to expand...

Bone meal is usually 4-12-0 or something similar, the middle number being phosphorus, plus the Schultz is a little high in phosphorus too. Excess phosphorus can lock out iron, it sounds to me like that is what happened since that definitely looks like an iron deficiency.

I doubt it's the pH, Pro-Mix is adjusted to have a pH close to neutral. pH problems aren't all that common, but it wouldn't hurt to test your tap water anyway.

Lime is used to raise the pH of acidic soils. Sulfur is used to lower the pH, that's what I use for my blueberries.
 
Avon Barksdale said:
Bone meal is usually 4-12-0 or something similar, the middle number being phosphorus, plus the Schultz is a little high in phosphorus too. Excess phosphorus can lock out iron, it sounds to me like that is what happened since that definitely looks like an iron deficiency.

I doubt it's the pH, Pro-Mix is adjusted to have a pH close to neutral. pH problems aren't all that common, but it wouldn't hurt to test your tap water anyway.

Lime is used to raise the pH of acidic soils. Sulfur is used to lower the pH, that's what I use for my blueberries.
Click to expand...

But I added the ferts after it started doing this. Prior to that I had used no ferts at all. The promix bag said font use any til 7 days or something like that. Granted, it got worse after. :-(
 
SuperHot said:
I'm sorry, but I wouldn't use that stuff. It's way too strong for me.

Last season I used "Pro Gro Organic Fertilizer" which I applied biweekly. My peppers and tomatoes exploded in size with excellent structure and color. I had a hard time staking my Choc Bhuts and Orange Habs…they were too top heavy from the weight of the pods. When you find something that really works you don't want to mess with it too much.

If you want to take a look at it here it is:
http://www.dirtworks.net/Organic-Fertilizer/Pro-Gro.html

Good luck!!
Click to expand...

I agree, it's really easy to cause problems with excess nutrients using strong chemical/liquid fertilizers. Chile peppers don't need much fertilizer. I've burnt plants using 1/8th doses using liquid/chemical fertilizers.
 
sadams said:
Thanks superhot, I will check that out. I used the schultz the last two years without any problems. I normally do not use a full dose, it says 7 per quart I use 4 or 5 most of the time. how do you feel about ferts through foliage vs sprinkle on the soil top? Also, the sun had gone down before I sprayed the leaves the other night. Been there done that with the sun up and the plants don't do well with those sun magnifying droplets.
Click to expand...


Most people don't believe in magnifying droplets, but I'm still on the fence with that one. I'm just not convinced 100% either way.

I apply the Pro Gro ferts on the top of the Pro Mix BX, so far so good.

You'll find that a lot of them prefer the liquid ferts. If I were to go 100% buckets and had a descent irrigation system the liquid ferts may be the way to go. I'm just not there yet.
 
sadams said:
But I added the ferts after it started doing this. Prior to that I had used no ferts at all. The promix bag said font use any til 7 days or something like that. Granted, it got worse after. :-(
Click to expand...

Sorry, I missed that part in the original post. You might want to check the roots then. Plants with root rot or other root disease and/or poorly draining or overwatered soils also don't take up iron very well, so it might be a good idea to check and see if the roots are mostly white or bown and how moist it is down there, especially if the pH comes out ok. That could also be a possible cause.
 
you are just spraying that on the leaves? granted i don't know the nuances of foliar feeding... ive never sprayed anything onto my plants besides pesticides, but i doubt they can get everything they need through leaves.
the link you posted shows IRON edta as well as other micro nutrients. i dont grow organically so i not familiar with bone meal,but my guess is that its lacking in some things such as available iron.

i would mix a gallon (or what ever is appropriate for your pot size) of dilute nutrient solution using that fertilizer you linked, and water it well. if you have an EC pen i would use that, but i highly doubt you will burn your plants from that recommended dose.

single bottle liquid ferts have to keep calcium and sulphates and other things separate to keep them from precipitating out of solution, thats mostly why you see 2 bottle fertilizer solutions elsewhere for hydroponic setups. this stuff you linked apparently lacks calcium and magnesium, which typically comes from cheep stuff like calcium nitrate and magnesium sulfate(epsom salt), but because they antagonize eachother at high cocnentrations they are not included. you are already supplementing magnesium and sulphate with the epsom salt, but you might want to look out for a calcium deficiency later on. its very possible your tap water has enough calcium already however, or that blood meal does. i honestly do not know what blood meal is tho.

personally i treat promix as an inert hydroponic medium, every watering has nutrients dissolved, and periodically i flush the soil with this hand wand sprayer thing.
 
Ok, I had to leave town for a week or a little better. Again, the ferts were added after these symptoms started.

Now, that said, the pH is at a 7 even.

Advice?

Thanks

SA
 
Did you check the roots? Over watering and/or root disease is the only thing I can think of with a fairly normal pH and since it happened before the fertilizers. And a 7 pH isn't bad, but ideally should be slightly lower (~6.0-6.5).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top