Why pepper leaves turn yellow and fall off: what to do to save your harvest

Pepper is a picky crop when it comes to care and environmental conditions. The most common problems include yellowing and falling leaves. If you do not act on time, you may lose your harvest altogether.

To avoid this trouble, study the causes of leaf shedding, methods of prevention and treatment - this is exactly what our article is about.

Possible causes of leaf falling

When studying the reasons that cause the loss of leaves in pepper, pay attention to its type and growing conditions.

Different types of pepper

Bell peppers are primarily sensitive to nutritional deficiencies, especially such as potassium, calcium, nitrogen and phosphorus. In addition, it needs plenty of sunlight. In a region with often cloudy weather, it is better to grow sweet peppers in a greenhouse, as additional lighting can be created there.

For decorative peppers you need a bright and well-ventilated place. Hot (bitter) peppers also need plenty of sunlight.

Under different conditions

The development of the pepper is closely monitored at every stage of its development. If leaves fall or turn yellow, evaluate the conditions in which the vegetable is grown.

In the greenhouse

There are a number of reasons why greenhouse peppers lose leaves:

• lack of light;
• the action of insect pests;
• humidity level is too low (norm - 75%);
• activity of bacteria and fungi;
• the air temperature in the greenhouse is below 15°C.

In the open ground

The reasons for yellowing of pepper leaves in open ground may be as follows:

1. Disruption of root nutrition due to their intertwining. When transplanting, the roots are straightened, returning to normal.
2. Insufficient moisture or watering with stagnant water.
3. Depleted and improperly prepared soil. The optimal ratio of humus, sand and soil in the soil is 2:1:1.
4. In a shaded place, plants' metabolism decreases, which also leads to leaf fall.
5. Sudden temperature changes harm seedlings - pepper is heat-loving.

Why leaves may fall

The reasons leading to the yellowing and falling of pepper leaves are divided into several categories: environmental factors, agricultural errors, the influence of insects and diseases.

External factors

External factors include:

1. Temperature regime. Pepper loves warmth and does not like cold and drafts, since it itself comes from Central America. The optimal temperature balance is +24-27°C during the day and +14-17°C at night.
2. Lighting. Peppers love sunny places for the same reason that they love warmth. And if there is a lack of light, the seedling will first quickly stretch out and then shed its leaves. Providing at least 12 hours of diffuse light is optimal. The abundance of direct sunlight harms the bushes.
3. Ventilation mode. Peppers in a greenhouse need ventilation. In the warm season, the room is ventilated twice: in the morning and in the evening. They release cold air accumulated during the night and excessively hot daytime air. In the spring, while it is not warm enough outside, the room is not ventilated.

Errors in agricultural technology

The cause of yellowing and falling leaves can be flaws in plant care. Let's take a closer look at them.

Soil waterlogging

As a result of excessive watering, the roots begin to rot.If the soil is light, water only as needed. If the soil is dense, when watered it will retain moisture for several days, while the root will experience oxygen starvation, which will also lead to its rotting. In this case, dry watering is used.

Reference! Dry irrigation is a technique used in agricultural technology to reduce moisture evaporation. If a dense crust forms on the ground after precipitation, the top layer of soil is loosened to a depth of 4-5 cm.

Insufficient soil moisture

Pepper is 93% water, but it has a small root system, so it needs frequent and abundant watering. The earth should be saturated with moisture at a depth of 16-20 cm. The plant signals a lack of water in a certain way: first the leaves turn yellow and fall off, then ovaries and flowers, after which the stem itself becomes soft.

Nutritional deficiencies

Each plant reacts in a certain way to a lack of nutrients, and pepper is no exception. If the bush looks exhausted, although all other conditions are met, it is given organic or mineral fertilizer.

How does a lack of nutrients manifest itself?

1. A lack of nitrogen in the soil causes the stems to bend and the leaves to turn yellow.
2. A lack of potassium will appear only during the fruiting period. Fertilizing is not carried out directly at this time, so throughout the plant’s growth, its potassium intake is taken into account and regulated.
3. The need for iron can be satisfied already at the stage of planting seedlings. If the soil on the site is calcareous or clayey, it is initially enriched with complex fertilizers. Long-term iron deficiency causes leaves to fade.
4. If the growth of the root and stem of the pepper is slow, the leaves have acquired an awl-shaped shape and an uncharacteristic gray-yellow color, this indicates a lack of calcium or an overdose of potassium or nitrogen.

Toxins

If crop rotation is not observed and peppers are grown in a place where other nightshades were previously planted, soil depletion or toxin poisoning may occur. Harmful substances accumulate in the soil as a result of plant activity.

Intertwining of roots

Intertwined roots that are unable to absorb nutrients can interfere with normal nutrition. This situation occurs as a result of active growth of roots and can lead to their death.

Poor soil

Soil plays a fundamental role in the formation of a healthy plant. Nutrition, flowering and development of ovaries depend on it. For nutritional value, the soil is enriched with vermicompost.

Dense plantings

Pepper seedlings are very sensitive to close proximity. When planted close together, vegetables begin to compete with each other for nutrients and light, which leads to leaf fall.

Pests and diseases

Often the cause of curling, yellowing and falling leaves of peppers is the activity of pests, for example, aphids and spider mites. They use plant sap for nutrition. The most favorable conditions for these pests are low humidity and high temperature.

Important! Already at the first signs, the plant is carefully inspected for the presence of harmful insects. Aphids are visible to the naked eye; mites are identified by the presence of white cobwebs on the leaves.

Falling leaves may be a signal that the plant is affected by disease. Late blight causes thickening of the affected parts and dark spots on them.Bright yellow color and continuous withering talk about fusarium.

In some cases, leaf drop may be caused by the leaf's central vein growing faster than the leaf itself. This situation is considered normal and does not require intervention.

What to do

There is a set of measures to save pepper. It is an integrated approach, including correcting errors and proper feeding, that will ensure the normal development of the vegetable.

What to feed

Nutritional deficiency in peppers is eliminated in several stages. First, determine which substances are missing:

1. With a lack of potassium and nitrogen, the leaves turn yellow and fall off. Due to a lack of nitrogen, the leaves of the plant turn pale.
2. With a deficiency of iron and manganese, the leaves turn yellow. Potassium deficiency causes leaves to dry out.

After this, fertilizing is carried out. Applying a complex of mineral fertilizers will stop the pepper from falling leaves. There is a special method of feeding: only the leaves are sprayed with the nutritional composition.

What errors to fix

The water temperature for irrigation should be heated by the sun to 24°C. If you water the pepper with cold water at least once, it will begin to shed its leaves. Water it in the morning and evening until the ground cools.

Normalize the flow of light. It is recommended to plant peppers in an unshaded area. However, light-loving varieties in the midday heat they are protected from excessive sun rays. If the weather in the region in which the plant is grown is often rainy and cloudy, the pepper is planted only in a greenhouse.

Peppers are inspected for the presence of spider mites and aphids. Regular inspections will help keep the pest population in check. If their obvious negative impact is noticeable, purchase insecticidal preparations and act strictly according to the instructions.

Peppers do not grow in acidic soil. It is necessary to provide them with neutral soil.

Before transplanting, peppers are adapted. Within two weeks before transplanting, the seedlings are placed on the balcony during the daytime and returned back at night.

Why do the leaves of pepper seedlings turn yellow and fall off?

Often the leaves of seedlings also fall off. To save it, they act quickly: determine the cause and take appropriate measures.

Causes

The reasons why the leaves of young peppers begin to turn yellow and fall off are similar to the reasons for adult plants:

• incorrect lighting;
• sudden change in temperature;
• malnutrition;
• activity of pests and diseases;
• improper watering.

If only the lower leaves of the seedlings become yellow, there is no cause for concern - natural death occurs. If both the lower and upper leaves begin to turn yellow, the plant is urgently saved.

The following also have a negative effect on pepper seedlings:

• too acidic soil;
• deep planting of plants (peppers must be planted to a depth of 1 to 2 cm).

What to do

How to fix the situation:

1. The main reason for yellow falling leaves in pepper seedlings is improper lighting. The plant is given a lot of diffused light during the day and provided with illumination at night. For night light, fluorescent lamps with a power of 40-80 W are used.
2. The most suitable temperature for growing seedlings is from +20°C to +30°C during the day and not lower than +15°C at night.
3. Nutritional deficiency is eliminated by applying complex mineral fertilizers.
4. Leaves turn yellow and fall off due to diseases, some of which are caused by pests.To get rid of harmful insects, special means are used: for aphids - tobacco dust and ash, for spider mites - “Fufanon”, “Aktellik”, “Karbofos”. When treating late blight, use the Zaslon sprayer. With fusarium, it is impossible to save infected plant parts, so they are disposed of.
5. Water the pepper seedlings frequently and abundantly, using dry watering if necessary. Check the degree of soil moisture at depth.
6. If the leaves of the seedlings begin to turn yellow, the soil is enriched with fertilizers that contain potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus. If yellow color The top leaves have also been acquired; zinc, iron and boron are added to the fertilizing composition.

Preventive measures

To prevent yellowing and falling leaves of seedlings, a number of preventive measures are taken:

• watering with warm water;
• hardening of seedlings before planting;
• choosing a well-lit area for planting;
• regular application of fertilizers;
• maintaining optimal temperature in the greenhouse and maintaining ventilation

Conclusion

To cope with yellowing and falling leaves, preventive measures are taken. Using warm water for irrigation, fertilizing, cultivation at a temperature of +20...+30°C and hardening of seedlings will prevent the loss of leaves from the plant.

A thorough examination of the plant, identifying the reasons that caused the negative effect, and eliminating them will help save already yellowed leaves.