Thought Anaheim Pepper plant had calcium deficiency but... - Ask Extension
I'm not sure anymore. I gave it calcium in the form of bone meal and then started thinking that wouldn't work cause I've read it takes months for ca...
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Thought Anaheim Pepper plant had calcium deficiency but... #373992
Asked October 31, 2016, 5:03 PM EDT
I'm not sure anymore. I gave it calcium in the form of bone meal and then started thinking that wouldn't work cause I've read it takes months for calcium to break down, so I fed it some liquid calcium through the leaves. None of it seems to have made any difference, though. That was all about a month ago and none of the new leaves are uncrinkled. I'm growing indoors underneath a very good 100 watt grow light from Advanced LED. I keep the environment about 70-75 degrees constantly with a humidy around 60%. The soil PH looks to be around 7.0 exactly. I've sprayed it with Neem oil once and sulfer twice over the past 2 months because a plant next to it had a fungus and I wanted to prevent it from getting the same. What else could be wrong with my plant? It doesn't seem to have a bug problem, although there are some bugs in the soil. There aren't any on the leaves. It's producing lovely, long green peppers. it is losing some of the older bottom leaves. They're turning yellow and dropping off. Could it be another type of deficiency? Or a tobacco mosaic virus? Although it doesn't have a mosaic yellowing pattern. Please help. There is so much info on the net that I'm not sure is reliable. Could you recommend a good book, too, for gardening problems like this? Thanks!
Hamilton County Indiana
Expert Response
Thanks for your question. The first 'culprit' in upward leaf curling in peppers and tomatoes is aphids, but you said you checked for insects. Aphids are often hard to see, but they leave honeydew that attracts ants. Neem oil will kill both of those types of insects, but it has to coat them (and suffocate them), and aphids are on the underside of the leaf, where the oil wouldn't cover them.
Although the leaves are curled, tobacco mosiac virus causes the leaves to be mottled and streaked yellow and green, and the leaves in your photo show none of that.
Here's a link to a reasonably reliable resource, with the best known leaf curl problems. It's probably getting to the end of growing season, but it might be worth your while next year to purchase virus resistant strains just to be sure. Good luck!
Although the leaves are curled, tobacco mosiac virus causes the leaves to be mottled and streaked yellow and green, and the leaves in your photo show none of that.
Here's a link to a reasonably reliable resource, with the best known leaf curl problems. It's probably getting to the end of growing season, but it might be worth your while next year to purchase virus resistant strains just to be sure. Good luck!
