BELL PEPPERS: Sunscald vs. bottom rot - Ask Extension
I found brown spots on the sides of my 4 inch bell peppers. What is the main difference between sunscald (which I think it my problem since the weathe...
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BELL PEPPERS: Sunscald vs. bottom rot #134283
Asked June 14, 2013, 12:52 PM EDT
I found brown spots on the sides of my 4 inch bell peppers. What is the main difference between sunscald (which I think it my problem since the weather has consistently reached 90º or hotter) and bottom rot (which I read online sometimes appears on the sides of peppers?
If sunscald is the problem, would covering the plants with cotton sheets to protect from the sun bring more harm than help?
County Texas
Expert Response
That is sunscald. Something to block the strong rays of the sun would help with the sunscald. Bottom rot or blossom end rot is a calcium imbalance that occurs mainly in dry weather because the plants (the soil) goes from extremes of dryness to excessive moisture (irrigation) that the correct uptake of calcium is disrupted and forms weakened cells at the blossom end of the fruit that start to decay.
