Why do pepper leaves curl and what to do?

Often, summer residents are faced with such a problem as twisting pepper leaves. This phenomenon can be caused by many different reasons. Let’s consider them in our article.

Why do pepper leaves curl and what to do?

Wrong Care

Improper care is one of the most common reasons why crops have all sorts of problems, and this applies to both young plantings that grow on the windowsill and adults that are grown in the open field.

Too little or too much moisture

Often, it is the wrong watering regime that causes the leaves to curl in sweet peppers. Moreover, if there is not enough moisture, then the plant begins to gradually wither and wither, which quickly affects its appearance. At the same time, the foliage not only twists, but also dries around the edges – this is due to the fact that the culture cannot fully develop without a sufficient amount of water.

If you notice such a problem, just watering the pepper once will not be enough. It is advisable to draw up an irrigation schedule in which it is imperative to take into account the temperature and weather.

Why do pepper leaves curl and what to do?

An excess of moisture can also cause the leaves of bell pepper to curl inward, and from below they are covered with pimples.. Usually provokes a similar fungus, which actively develops in conditions of high humidity. As a rule, it affects all the leaves (both at the top and the bottom), while they begin not only to curl up, but also to soften and darken.

To get rid of this problem, the number of waterings and the volume of water brought under the bush must be significantly reduced, and the plant itself is recommended to be treated with special antifungal agents.

Why do pepper leaves curl and what to do?

Too little or too much fertilizer

Pepper foliage can also suffer from a lack of fertilizer, which is necessary for the plant to maintain the condition of the leaves and build up green mass. As a rule, with a lack of top dressing, pepper greens curl upwards with a boat. In addition, the immunity of plantings also suffers, which makes them more vulnerable to diseases and attacks by harmful insects. This may be caused by a lack of potash or nitrogen fertilizers. To fix the problem, the plant must be fed, and for this it is recommended to use namely complex compositions, after all, the plant may lack other minerals.

Why do pepper leaves curl and what to do?

However, you should not overdo it with fertilizers, because their excess can also harm the plant, for example: cause a burn of the roots or disrupt the balance of trace elements.. As a rule, organic matter contains a large amount of nitrogen – it is its excess that causes problems with foliage. Oversaturation of the plant with this microelement is evidenced by excessively fleshy lower leaves and withered upper ones.

If you notice such signs, then you need to stop applying nitrogen fertilizers, instead, it is better to add to the soil those elements that will contribute to a faster breakdown of nitrogen. In addition, with this problem, it is recommended to arrange watering pepper more often.

Why do pepper leaves curl and what to do?

Bad conditions

Bad conditions also actively affect the plant, due to which its condition can noticeably worsen – this can be especially clearly seen after transplanting pepper into open ground. Incorrect growing conditions can not only cause foliage problems, but also cause plants to grow poorly or not grow at all.

Bad conditions include regular drafts and low temperatures – because of them, not only the leaves, but the entire plant can begin to deform. If we are talking about seedlings, then it is better not to leave it in the aisle or under open windows in order to avoid such problems. If we are talking about adult plants that are grown in open ground, then in this case, when it gets cold, it is recommended to cover them.

Why do pepper leaves curl and what to do?

Lack of light can also negatively affect peppers, because of this, often there is a violation of the photosynthesis process. At the same time, pepper foliage grows unevenly, and its veins begin to stretch more actively than the leaf plate grows. Usually, such a problem affects only young leaves, while the old ones do not change in any way. This can only be corrected by providing the plant with a sufficient amount of sunlight.

Why do pepper leaves curl and what to do?

Inappropriate soil is also one of the causes of pepper foliage problems. As a rule, “unsuitable” refers to land that is not fertile and has a low density. Growing in such soil, the pepper begins to wither, and its leaves spin and fall down. To eliminate this problem, special fertilizers must be applied to the soil.

Unnecessarily dry air also negatively affects pepper, which is usually accompanied by an increase in the temperature of air masses. In this case, the leaves are often wrapped either in a boat or in a spiral.

Why do pepper leaves curl and what to do?

Solving this problem is not difficult: to lower the temperature, you need to put several bowls of water, and move the peppers themselves to the maximum possible distance from the heat source.

Diseases and pests

Various kinds of diseases and parasitic insects cause the most harm to plantings. If they are not dealt with in time, then the plant may eventually simply die, depriving the gardener of the harvest.

Why do pepper leaves curl and what to do?

Let’s start by looking at the most common diseases. Most often, pepper affects mučnistaâ rosa. Because of it, pepper leaves curl and turn white, and it weakens, because of which it ceases to fully bear fruit, since the fruits cannot ripen. This disease can be identified by whitish or serous spots on the underside of the leaf plate. Then they turn yellow and curl, and the plant itself dies. It is necessary to treat the disease at first with the use of fungicidal agents, such as, for example, “Score” or “Fundazol”.

Why do pepper leaves curl and what to do?

Gray mold also often affects pepper, causing deformation of the foliage and the appearance of wet brownish spots on the stem, which eventually become serous. Usually this disease is activated at high levels of humidity and temperature. It is worth considering that fight with gray rot does not make sense. Plants that are already sick must be destroyed, and the rest must be treated with special means to avoid a new outbreak of the disease.

Why do pepper leaves curl and what to do?

Phytophthora – Another dangerous disease that causes deformation of the foliage, as well as the appearance of brown strokes and specks on it. The diseased parts tend to rot, and if it’s hot outside, these parts begin to mummify and then fall off. It is necessary to treat this disease in the first stages with the help of fungicidal agents – for this, a drug such as Fitosporin is perfect.

Why do pepper leaves curl and what to do?

Note that not all diseases of cultivated plants can be treated. So, it would be pointless to fight viral diseases. If the plant has been affected by a virus, then it is best to destroy it so that the disease does not pass to healthy plantings. At the same time, it should be said that, as a rule, viruses do not live in the soil, and therefore, by eliminating a diseased plant, a new one can be grown in its place.

Insects also cause great harm to plantings. Among them, the most common spider mite. This is a small parasite that can cause great damage to the pepper bush, simply by feeding on its juices. It is quite difficult to notice the parasite – due to its size, it looks like a small dot that moves along the stem. At the same time, we note that The pest most often affects those plants that are watered incorrectly.

Why do pepper leaves curl and what to do?

If the bushes are struck by this insect, then its leaves will turn yellow, curl and fall off, you can also see the web on them, which is also found on the stem part.

Another parasite that causes problems with pepper foliage is aphid. It is in many ways similar to a spider mite: it is also a small insect, which, as a rule, has a light, green or black color and feeds on the juices and cells of the plant. In the process, this small parasite secretes a special sweet substance that ants love very much, which is why they often protect aphids, and anthills can often be found near its place of residence. The same sweet substance harms the plant, as a fungus can begin to develop because of it.

Why do pepper leaves curl and what to do?

It is not difficult to identify this parasite: a large accumulation of aphids can be seen on the back side of the leaf plates, and necrotic spots form on the leaves themselves, they begin to curl, and the plant itself bears less fruit, gives deformed fruits.

There are many ways to deal with spider mites and aphids. Many summer residents resort to the help of folk remedies, because they are non-toxic, inexpensive, easy to prepare and, moreover, do not harm the environment. Among these, onion and garlic infusions, as well as a decoction of dandelion, stand out. Processing by such means is carried out, as a rule, several times until the complete disappearance of the parasite.

Why do pepper leaves curl and what to do?

However, we note that if the pests have managed to breed, then folk solutions may be completely ineffective.

In this case, it would be best to immediately use special industrial tools that can be purchased at any store for summer residents. Such drugs are highly effective, but their big disadvantage is toxicity, which is why it is not worth treating plants with them during flowering and fruiting. In addition, when using such compounds, it is recommended to strictly follow the safety rules and use personal protective equipment so as not to harm yourself and your health.

Why do pepper leaves curl and what to do?

Among industrial preparations, the most popular are Actellik, Fufanon, Fitoverm and Akarin. Before using them, we recommend that you carefully read the instructions that are located on the back of the package. Please note that you should not neglect the dosages of chemicals, because this can only harm the plant.

Why do pepper leaves curl and what to do?

Preventive measures

Preventive measures help prevent problems or get rid of them in the early stages of their development. So, for starters, you need to regularly and carefully inspect pepper bushes in order to notice the occurrence of parasites or diseases in time.

Plants also need to provide quality care, which includes: regular application of the necessary top dressing, periodic preventive treatments with special and folk remedies, as well as proper and timely watering. The importance of quality care cannot be underestimated, because the immunity of the plant depends on it, which helps it resist attacks from insects or diseases.

Why do pepper leaves curl and what to do?

Don’t forget to clean up weeds.. They are often carriers of harmful insects, and sometimes fungal spores.

If you are growing peppers in greenhouse conditions, do not forget to ventilate the greenhouse. This must be done regularly, because it is at high humidity and temperature that the fungus develops especially actively.

Why do pepper leaves curl and what to do?

Be sure to remove old foliage from the site by burning. It is under it that parasitic insects, their larvae and fungal spores often hide. There they will spend the winter and, having waited for favorable conditions for themselves, they will become active again, after which they will begin to precipitate young plants.

Pay attention to the disinfection of garden supplies, because it is often with their help that the disease is transferred from diseased plants to healthy ones.

Why do pepper leaves curl and what to do?

Anna Evans

Author-editor

View all posts by Anna Evans →
Exit mobile version