What Is Curling – Causes – Treating A Pepper Plant – Caring for A Pepper Plant – Common Problems – Tips And Tricks – FAQ
When a pepper plant, or any plant has leaves which are sparring to curl up then you have some issues on your hands. The plant is being stressed and needs some help to get back on track again. There are a variety of different issues that cause the plant to act like this.
It could be all from too much sunlight to a soil where there isn’t enough water to support the growth of the plant. This issue causes stress to the plant since it can no longer support itself properly. Below we dive a little deeper on this issue and learn about the solutions to it as well.
What Do We Mean By Curling
When we say that the leaves are curling we mean that the outer parts of the leaves are beginning to dry up a little bit and curl up backwards into itself. Sort of like it’s unfolding backwards.
This often happens when the plant is being stressed and doesn’t have access to enough nutrients in the soil. It’s a pretty serious issue that needs to be remedied quite quickly. Thankfully most pepper plants are quite resilient and sturdy and can manage through tough times like this pretty well.
What Causes Leaves To Curl
There are a number of different things that can cause the leaves to begin to curl on the pepper plant. But to put it quite simply, it’s often about the plant not getting enough water causing the roots to be stressed. But it could also be that the plant has been exposed to too much sunlight. This can cause some pretty severe issues as the leaves dry out as well as curling up.
Other issues could be that the soil has been overwatered and is more like a sludge and mud texture. The key to growing and cultivating any plant is really balance. Without that there is a big chance you run into issues like this.
How To Treat Pepper Plant Leaves Curling
Since the pepper plant is relatively sturdy and can manage through hard times like being underwatered and overwatered or burnt by too much sunlight it’s not too hard to get the plant back on track again.
Begin by identifying the issue. Is the soil under watered and dry on the top and throughout. Then you should add water in small amounts until you have a damp texture on the top. If the plant has instead been overwatered you should find a warmer and sunnier spot to quickly dry out the soil. The impact won’t be noticed instantly and the leaves might stay curled up, but you will hopefully not see any more of them curling up again.
How To Care For A Pepper Plant
Just like any plant the secret to having a healthy growth path is balance. That means a good balance in the amount of sunlight it gets, the amount of water it gets and also the nutrients in the soil.
With the pepper plant we strive for it to have about 8 – 10 hours of sunlight when growing indoors. This will help create the ideal conditions for it. In terms of watering, we like to keep the soil slightly damp to dry at most times. This lets oxygen travel through the soil and reach the roots. If there is too much water and oxygen can’t get through then you might run into some issues such as root rot.
Common Problems With Pepper Plants
With pepper plants there are quite rarely any issues with disease or pests, or insects for that matter too. Instead we find that most of the issues gardens have stems from not watering the soil properly.
The pepper plant family can generally be said to like a soil which is between dry and damp in texture. This ensures the roots have enough nutrients to give to the rest of the plant, but they also receive enough oxygen to stay alive and not drown.
Tips And Tricks When Growing Peppers
Some of the things we have learned throughout the years of growing and cultivating pepper plants is that rotating the plant is very important as well as using fertilizers effectively.
Rotating the pot about once a week seems to give a more even growth pattern for the plant. It means the leaves get an equal amount of sunlight exposure and are able to perform photosynthesis. Using fertilizers every other month or so is also quite effective and boosts the health of the plant.
FAQ
How Do You Know If You Are Overwatering Pepper Plants
If you are scared you are overwatering your pepper plant you should look at the soil first and foremost. It should not be a puddle of water on it, that would indicate there is bad drainage. If the leaves curl or change color, that could also be a sign of overwatering.
When To Transplant Pepper Seedlings
The best time to transplant pepper seedlings is usually when they are about 7 – 8 inches tall. At this point they are ready to be in a larger pot and indulge in more space.
Brown Spots On Chili Leaves
If you are seeing brown spots on your chili plant then you might be overwatering the soil. Too much water causes root rot, a common sign of that is brown spots on the leaves.
