Stressed Peppers

Blake_HTX · May 24, 2016

Hello all!
I have 2 jalapeno, 2 sweet banana and 2 California wonders that I started in root cubes then recently planted in small containers about 4/5 days ago. The seedlings started indoors in a window and stayed there til they were 3" tall. Then I moved them to an apartment patio that doesn't get direct sunlight (moved in with my GF).. Now I have an indoor grow tent with a 4' 4 bulb T5 light for them and they've been in there for 3 days now. Even without circulation it only reached 92*F or so degrees and that was only for a couple hours. But my plants are still stressed and the curling looks and more plants are starting to curl as well as the tomato clone I have in there. For the last 36 hours its been 78*F with plenty of circulation. I'm thinking its just the shock of being brought back to the indoors as I live in Texas and the climate change from indoors to out is drastic. But I just wanted to get other opinions from you guys. Thanks!

dmforcier · May 24, 2016

I don't think they like the dirt they're in. What is it?

An observation, btw: They are uniformly pale. This tells me that the indoor/outdoor issue has nothing to do with it - that the problem has been wwth them their whole lives.

How close are the grow lights? [side issue - probably not an immediate cause]

AlittleSalt · May 24, 2016

I have never grown peppers in containers - other than planting them in cells and transplanting them into solo cups.

A strange way of looking at it = I think of pepper plants being somewhat like a cat. It wants to be outside to do/grow however it wants, but it needs our help too. Pepper plants grow slow for a long time after being planted outside, and then they suddenly grow and produce a lot for a very long growing season here in Texas.

But that is growing them in-ground.

I wish I could give you help on growing them in an apartment and/or in a container.

There is one thing that might help - I've noticed that hybrid peppers produce pretty early on smaller plants.

If you look at my av picture - those are heirloom (1848) tabasco peppers. I'm learning there's a place and reason for both heirloom and hybrids.

Starlight · May 25, 2016

I too am asking what type of soil are you using? Besides maybe the soil issue, looks like they got some wind and sun burn. Peppers like the heat, but they also like to be on the dry side. Do you have some drainage holes on the side of the plants too? I see your plants sitting in that tray, but the bottom of your container is flat on the tray, which makes me think they are not able to drain well and the bottom of the soil in the container may be too wet for the plants and stressing them out.

You might put a little like bakery cooling tray to lift them up so water can drain out the bottom.

I move plants in and out all the time depending on weather with no problem. I wouldn't give up on them yet. If it is from too much water and wind burn, they will come out of it in a few weeks.

May 24, 2016	#2
dmforcier Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 3,825	I don't think they like the dirt they're in. What is it? An observation, btw: They are uniformly pale. This tells me that the indoor/outdoor issue has nothing to do with it - that the problem has been wwth them their whole lives. How close are the grow lights? [side issue - probably not an immediate cause] __________________ Stupidity got us into this mess. Why can't it get us out? - Will Rogers Last edited by dmforcier; May 24, 2016 at 11:15 PM.

May 24, 2016	#3
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	I have never grown peppers in containers - other than planting them in cells and transplanting them into solo cups. A strange way of looking at it = I think of pepper plants being somewhat like a cat. It wants to be outside to do/grow however it wants, but it needs our help too. Pepper plants grow slow for a long time after being planted outside, and then they suddenly grow and produce a lot for a very long growing season here in Texas. But that is growing them in-ground. I wish I could give you help on growing them in an apartment and/or in a container. There is one thing that might help - I've noticed that hybrid peppers produce pretty early on smaller plants. If you look at my av picture - those are heirloom (1848) tabasco peppers. I'm learning there's a place and reason for both heirloom and hybrids.

May 25, 2016	#4
Starlight Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: AL Posts: 1,993	I too am asking what type of soil are you using? Besides maybe the soil issue, looks like they got some wind and sun burn. Peppers like the heat, but they also like to be on the dry side. Do you have some drainage holes on the side of the plants too? I see your plants sitting in that tray, but the bottom of your container is flat on the tray, which makes me think they are not able to drain well and the bottom of the soil in the container may be too wet for the plants and stressing them out. You might put a little like bakery cooling tray to lift them up so water can drain out the bottom. I move plants in and out all the time depending on weather with no problem. I wouldn't give up on them yet. If it is from too much water and wind burn, they will come out of it in a few weeks.