Why peppers turned purple: determining the cause and effectively combating it
Purple spots on the leaves, stem or fruit are a common problem for peppers, caused by a lack of phosphorus, metabolic disorders or the action of aggressive external factors. If you do not figure out the cause of the changes in time and do not start treatment, the vegetable may weaken and die.
Why peppers turned purple - possible reasons
Darkening of leaves in nightshade crop can be triggered both by the gardener’s mistakes and by the unforeseen influence of external factors, for example, a sudden change in weather.
It is worth taking action only after the cause of the color change has been established: haphazard application of fertilizers and preparations is dangerous for the plant.
Temperature changes
Most often, the leaves and fruits of peppers acquire a purple hue due to a sharp drop in temperature.. The frozen leaves curl and gradually change color to lilac, and then to dark purple. Darkening caused by a sharp cold snap often occurs due to premature planting in open ground.
Attention! Discoloration of greenhouse peppers can be caused by poor greenhouse insulation. Rapid cooling is a serious stress for the plant, so it is important to quickly normalize the temperature regime.
Anthocyanosis
Under anthocyanosis understand plant disease caused by phosphorus deficiency in the soil. The microelement is necessary for pepper growth and development, and its lack leads to rapid degradation and death of the bush.
Main functions of phosphorus:
- stimulation of flowering;
- development of the root system;
- fruit set;
- regulation of metabolic reactions;
- accumulation of sugar in peppers.
With anthocyanosis, the lower leaves and stem darken first. The upper ones sometimes retain a green tint. Another symptom is leaves curling inward. With advanced phosphorus deficiency, the stem will lose its hardness, the roots will weaken and stop absorbing micro- and macroelements from the soil.
It can be useful:
Errors in crop rotation
Another reason for darkening of leaves is ignoring crop rotation. You cannot plant seedlings in the same place every season., otherwise the soil will be depleted and the seedlings will no longer receive the necessary nutrients.
When planting peppers in places where other vegetable crops were planted last year, pay attention to the information from the table:
| Forbidden predecessors | Allowed |
| Pepper | Zucchini |
| Tomato | Carrot |
| Eggplant | Cucumber |
| Potato | Onion |
Vegetables that absorb the same micro- and macroelements from the soil are prohibited., necessary for the development of pepper. Additionally, gardeners need to monitor the herbs growing in the neighborhood: plants from the nightshade genus take up phosphorus, which is important for peppers, and thereby provoke the appearance of purple spots.
Dryness
Heat, which causes the soil to dry out, negatively affects the root system of plants.. Peppers suffering from dehydration cannot absorb and assimilate nutrients in the required volume.Keep in mind that in overdried soil the salt content increases, which negatively affects the health of the bush.
Poor soil composition
Not every soil is suitable for growing peppers. If there are not enough nutrients in the soil, then the problem of darkening of the leaves appears..
Optimal parameters for growing peppersthings to consider when choosing a site:
high breathability;- content of potassium, iron, phosphorus and nitrogen;
- high percentage of humus;
- water passage without hardening the surface;
- looseness and porosity;
- low soil acidity: optimal pH is 5-7;
- minimum salt concentration;
- heat supply.
To prevent dark spots from appearing, peppers are additionally fertilized with superphosphates.. At the same time, you cannot simply sprinkle fertilizer over the beds; it is diluted in warm water, and then watered at the root.
Why do they turn purple?
Localization of purple spots will help determine the cause of color changes. The leaves and stem are more often subject to darkening, and less often the fruit itself. At the same time, lilac or dark purple areas on the pepper do not always indicate a plant disease.
Fruit
Purple areas on the skin of the fruit appear due to increased concentration plant substance anthocyanin. Each variety of pepper contains this pigment in different quantities. The highest concentration is observed in the following varieties:
Altai Chameleon;- Violet Star of the East;
- Bagheera;
- Purple bell (pictured).
Because purple spots on the fruit may be a feature of the variety. Anthocyanins often manifest themselves under stress: for example, a sharp drop in temperature, drought, or lack of fertilizer.
At the same time, fruit with purple dots can be eaten regardless of the cause of the color defect. Anthocyanins are beneficial to the human body and have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the immune system.
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Leaves
The cause of darkening of the leaves is determined by localization of spots:
- change in color of all leaves - hypothermia;
- lethargy and darkening of the lower leaves of the pepper - a lack of micro- and macroelements, feeding is necessary;
- discoloration in combination with leaf curling and general lethargy indicates a lack of moisture;
- a purple stem indicates a lack of nutrients.
It is dangerous to start treatment without finding out the exact cause of the changes.: There is a high risk of deteriorating the condition of the plant. Therefore, it is necessary not only to inspect the pepper bush, but also to evaluate the weather conditions and soil composition.
Treatment methods
After establishing the cause of the changes, they move on to restoring the peppers:
- Root feeding. The growing bush is given fertilizer up to three times a month. Recommended composition: 10 grams of nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus are dissolved in 6-7 liters of water. If the bush is completely covered with purple spots due to severe anthocyanosis, you need to dissolve a glass of superphosphates in boiling water and leave for 10-12 hours. Then the infusion is diluted in a bucket of plain water. One bush will need 1 liter of liquid.
- Spraying with copper sulfate. The procedure is carried out once a season. The measure is more of a preventative nature and will not help completely cure darkened peppers, but will improve metabolic processes. For spraying, use water at room temperature. One bush requires 1 liter of mixture.
- Temperature normalization. To regulate the temperature in the greenhouse, special devices are used, ventilation or heating is carried out using improvised means. To avoid hypothermia, the greenhouse is covered with additional layers of film. You can help peppers in open ground by covering the ground with mulch. The bushes are insulated with special fabric flaps.
- Regular watering. Water volumes increase during drought periods.
In the fight against purple spots, it is important not to overdo it.. Excess phosphate fertilizers provoke yellowing of foliage, slower growth and deficiency of the following nutrients:
- copper;
- iron;
- magnesium;
- cobalt;
- zinc.
High temperatures can cause burns, therefore it is necessary to warm up the greenhouse gradually, monitoring the reaction of the pepper. You also need to monitor the temperature of the earth. Optimal values are +23-24°C.
Preventive measures
You can prevent color change if you start acting immediately after planting the seedlings.. Basic rules from experienced gardeners:
- correct choice of site, taking into account crop rotation;
- constant inspection of the bushes, since the earlier the darkening is detected, the easier it is to stop the disease;
- surface treatment of growing peppers with a solution of copper sulfate;
- regular watering;
- use of phosphorus fertilizers.
Pepper requires constant feeding. The first fertilizers are introduced immediately before planting.. To process 1 sq. m of soil will be required:
- 8 kg of humus;
- 2 cups of ash;
- 1 tbsp. with a pile of superphosphate;
- 0.75 tbsp. l. sodium sulfate.
The second time feeding is introduced after 18-20 days. You can use the previous composition, but increase the proportion of phosphorus.
Tips and tricks
Planting of seedlings in open soil is carried out only when the temperature reaches +21°C. The optimal period is from early to mid-May. It is recommended to pre-germinate pepper seeds in order to grow the bush faster, but this is an optional step. The most suitable depth for planting is 3 mm.
You should choose a bright and warm place. Peppers cannot be left to grow unattended; the bushes require constant formation.
Conclusion
Purple spots on peppers are a signal for gardeners that require attention and decisive action. If the cause of the deviation is determined at the initial stages, nutrition, water and temperature conditions are normalized, the bush will quickly return to its former green color, and the fruits will not be damaged.