What could be wilting my Orange Bell Peppers?

[Spool]

Hi Everyone,

This is my first post and my first vegetable garden.

I have both red and orange bell pepper plants which were both healthy when I transplanted them.
However, with equal treatment, attention and water, my orange bell peppers are wilting away as my red bell peppers are flourishing only 18 inches away.

Any ideas as to what my Orange Bell Peppers may need?
They get ample sun and I've been watering them mid day in addition to the mornings.

I've attached a photo: Red in the background and Orange in the foreground.

 

[Chuck]

Hi Everyone,

This is my first post and my first vegetable garden.

I have both red and orange bell pepper plants which were both healthy when I transplanted them.
However, with equal treatment, attention and water, my orange bell peppers are wilting away as my red bell peppers are flourishing only 18 inches away.

Any ideas as to what my Orange Bell Peppers may need?
They get ample sun and I've been watering them mid day in addition to the mornings.

I've attached a photo: Red in the background and Orange in the foreground.View attachment 38761

What is happening is that the Reds have a little better drainage. You are watering WAAAY to often. When you water, water slowly, deeply and thoroughly. Then when the plants are a little droopy in the AM it will be time to water again, probably in about a week. Don't worry about the plants drooping in the afternoons, its normal. What is that white stuff on the plants? It looks like mildew.

 

[Spool]

What is happening is that the Reds have a little better drainage. You are watering WAAAY to often. When you water, water slowly, deeply and thoroughly. Then when the plants are a little droopy in the AM it will be time to water again, probably in about a week. Don't worry about the plants drooping in the afternoons, its normal. What is that white stuff on the plants? It looks like mildew.

The white powder is Diatomaceous that I applied last week to keep the earwigs I had from eating my leaves.
The soil is a mixture of the backyard soil/steer manure for compost, peat moss to better hold my water in the bed, and topsoil for about 6 inches.

I've been giving extra attention (water/daily) to my tomatoes, basil and orange peppers as they don't flourish in the sunlight like my beans, cucumbers and pumpkins do.
I've also been giving the tomatoes, basil and orange peppers more water as their leaves aren't vibrant green like the others, but appear more dry and yellow.

I've been watering daily as the soil appears very dry after a day. Even when putting my finger in the soil about 2 inches deep; it's also very dry. We've been having about 80degree days here in LA this week.

You really think my plants would be okay if I don't water for a whole week?

 

[TomatoTango]

Use some mulch to help with moisture retention. Mine have straw about 18” around them and can go 10-12 days without water and we’ve hit 90 a few times already. They’re now up to my face and covered in fruit. Before applying mulch add a top dressing of dry fertilizer like bone meal and langbeneite.

 

[Chuck]

The white powder is Diatomaceous that I applied last week to keep the earwigs I had from eating my leaves.
The soil is a mixture of the backyard soil/steer manure for compost, peat moss to better hold my water in the bed, and topsoil for about 6 inches.

I've been giving extra attention (water/daily) to my tomatoes, basil and orange peppers as they don't flourish in the sunlight like my beans, cucumbers and pumpkins do.
I've also been giving the tomatoes, basil and orange peppers more water as their leaves aren't vibrant green like the others, but appear more dry and yellow.

I've been watering daily as the soil appears very dry after a day. Even when putting my finger in the soil about 2 inches deep; it's also very dry. We've been having about 80degree days here in LA this week.

You really think my plants would be okay if I don't water for a whole week?

I am here in Texas where it is HOT. 98-103 everyday for 4 1/2 weeks and not a drop of rain. I water mine about every 9 days.
You only water when the plants show that they need watering and they will show that in the early mornings. If they aren't wilted in the mornings they don't need watering. It will not hurt your plants to be wilted for a couple of days. Commercial growers purposefully stress their plants by withholding water as it makes them produce more.

 

[Spool]

Thank you, Chuck.

I think that might be the answer; water when the plants show they need it.
Considering I transplanted them roughly 10 days ago, they might just need a bit more for now.

With wilting aside, a little more water on my tomatoes and basil to turn them green should do the trick before I begin watering less until needed.

Thank you again.
-Thomas

 

[Spool]

I gave my Orange Peppers more water, and they are very green.
I also noticed, they are raised in the morning but wilt with the sun.

Does this action signify anything?

(Excuse the music. I enjoy it.)

 

[Chuck]

I gave my Orange Peppers more water, and they are very green.
I also noticed, they are raised in the morning but wilt with the sun.

Does this action signify anything?

(Excuse the music. I enjoy it.)

Yes, it means that they don't need watering. If you keep watering too often you will kill your plants with root rot.

 

[Spool]

Thank you, Chuck.
I've notice that my soil was fairly moist the last two days, especially with all the cloud coverage we had.
With that, I haven't watered in 48hours and the plants seem to be doing well.

Thank you, again.

 

[Spool]

I had a neighbor make a suggestion about my very sad looking Orange Bell Pepper Plant.

His theory was the plant was in shock, and his solution was to use some netting to diffuse a bit of the direct sunlight in addition to using Hormex Rooting Powder Number 1.


I understand after researching that rooting powder is for cloning plants from clippings, yet his instructions were to mix a tablespoon of the Hormex Rooting Powder to a gallon of water, mix, and apply (x) amount around the base of the plant.

Has anyone tried this application before for a plant that is seeming in shock?

Here's another picture of the sad pepper plant and a stock image of the Hormex he provided me with.

 

[Spool]

Hey Everyone,

Still struggling with my Peppers, or at least I think I am; They are not performing nearly as well as my other plants.
I have one large Pepper on my Red Bell Pepper plant and nothing elsewhere.

I've attached some photos to see if anyone can spot anything?
You'll see some spider webs that I picked away, as it basically had my pepper in a cocoon.

I've been watering once every other/twice every other day just like my other plants.

The last two photos are actually Beans and Cucumbers, but illustrate the spider web scenario I'm having.

 

[Becky]

That webbing looks like spider mites to me, but then I saw the big spider at the end so I'm not so sure...

If there are spider mites they can be very harmful

 

[Chuck]

No insect problems but from the every other day watering that is way too often to water. Water slowly, deeply and thoroughly about once every 5-7 days.