2

I have this healthy chili plant with 7-8 fruits in it. since last 2 or 3 days I can see a couple of branches of the plant are drying up. Fruits are okay but the branches, leaves and flowers of some branches are drying up.

Could any one please identify what the problem is ?

here is an attached image of the plant.

enter image description here

Information:

  1. This plant is a houseplant. so, it is never outdoor.
  2. I searched for white flies, yet not found.
  3. I usually water the plant once a week.
  4. once a week fertilization as per instruction.
  5. I keep the plant in window , it gets morning sun. Did not change the position in a long time.
  6. The plant looks healthy except the top of some branches.

Adding some more images:

enter image description here

enter image description here

Srijani Ghosh
  • 487
  • 1
  • 5
  • 21

1 Answers1

2

Around this time of year this looks common. Has this plant been out of doors over night? This looks like freeze damage based on this one picture. Please send other pictures and think about what changed just recently.

I also see possible white fly on your plant, not at all a huge problem. What have you used for fertilizer, how much and how long ago?

Water only when the pot and soil and plant feel light to lift. Feel what the weight is like right after watering. 8 pounds per gallon...you'll always know when to water and when not to water using this method. The plant and pot and soil are remarkably light when the plant needs water. Then soak it and do not water again until that potted pepper is obviously lighter than when watered.

Does the plant look like this? Just the tips and exposed leaves are browning or damaged like this? Is the rest of the plant normal, healthy?

A few more pictures, please. Thank you.Frost damaged potatoes

Your plants at the size I am seeing need a treatment of NEEM. Fill a 5 gallon bucket 4/5th full and add the amount of Neem on the directions to the water. Take your plant and holding your hand over the soil turn it upside down and SWISH and couple of times in the solution, shake and replace to it's normal spot. Sprinkle some of the Neem solution on top of the soil.

Check your other plants for white fly and/or spider mite (usually happens atst). If small plants that you can dunk, go ahead and use the same solution, Swish Swish, Shake and put back in their normal spot. If you decide to spray Neem, do it at night and take your plant out of doors to spray. Do this even if you dunk. Neem is stinky and I am not assured that Neem doesn't hurt bees, butterflies and beneficial insects. Wear gloves and long sleeves. Even though Neem is considered Organic, and it is, this should show you the power of chemistry in the natural world. Organics are some of the most toxic substances we know and use.

Clean the surfaces of the furniture and floor and carpet and window sills.

Allowing plant leaves to touch the windows when it is freezing outside will cause this as well. Even when it is really hot outside, this can damage the epidermis of plants.

Note: If there is white fly I don't think that white fly is the cause of the tips. Do take off the peppers before dunking or spraying with Neem. Try to not spray the flowers if possible. Use a magnifying glass and look beneath the leaves and on stems as well and tell me what you find. Perhaps I just need to clean my glasses? Otherwise I think you might have over fertilized? What is the formulation?

over watering

over fertilizing

stormy
  • 40,098
  • 3
  • 31
  • 75
  • Thanks for the reply. I have added some information that you needed and some more images of the plant. Also, I think my plant looks like the image you provided. The tips of the branches look damaged. But, they are not browning till now. – Srijani Ghosh Sep 20 '18 at 06:51
  • You also have a white fly problem, I think by what I see in your images. Keep plants in a stable spot, don't move them out of doors from indoors to enjoy some sunshine and sunburn and if there is any chance of freezing the plants do not go out of doors any more that year. I am amending my answer... – stormy Sep 20 '18 at 23:15
  • After cells freeze it is actually the speed of thawing that ruptures cells to cause this die back. Your problem is white fly. You should be harvesting those peppers as soon as they are the size you expect. They will continue to ripen, turn red. Taking them off the plant allows other fruits to grow and mature. – stormy Sep 20 '18 at 23:30
  • Thanks for the comments :) . But, did not find any white flies yet :( .I am not sure if it is the actual reason – Srijani Ghosh Sep 21 '18 at 12:18
  • Can it be a sign of overwatering ? – Srijani Ghosh Sep 21 '18 at 12:24
  • Srijani, yes it might be over watering. High salts in the soil? Your plants look like they have almost too much fertilizer, that dark green. Do you see tiny little white spots on the leaves of your plants and the fruits? Do you have a magnifying glass? Look beneath the leaves as well. A problem with plants is rarely a singular problem. And it is tough trying to SEE using photographs. Am I seeing little white spots on your plants? Did you try feeling the heft of your plant? Go ahead and pop your plant out of its pot and look at the roots and soil. If it is soggy, too much H2O. – stormy Sep 21 '18 at 20:39