I have been really struggling with getting these peppers to grow. Recently I doused them in water top to bottom and they finally began to grow again. They have not been watered for a few days and the meter still says the soil is moist to wet, but they look like this… live in Arizona where it is 105 degrees in the daytime right now. These are under a 50% sage cloth.
by PedigreePeppers
22 Comments
IMO it’s just their response to the heat. Move the under complete shade and see if they bounce back. If they don’t after an hour or so then they may just need more water.
Seems pretty normal/okay but it culd be slight over watering especially with the heat. I wait til my bags feel super light/like Styrofoam then water pretty deeply. Maybe mist lightly in the mornings. I’m in Tucson so I’m keeping a close eye on mine as well!
Looks more heat related than underwatering they don’t look bad though
It hot boss, get them baby’s some shade for the hottest part of the day
30-40% shade cloth and some cord to hang it above them 👌
I started sweating just looking at that picture. All the concrete reflects the sun and it’s cooking your plants. Shade cloth like others have suggested is probably your best bet
They droop in the heat
Gotta prune those bad boys. Those bottom leaves should never be touching the soil in your case the wood chips. Prune them bottom leave for a bigger harvest.
I don’t do grow bags anymore because they kind of suck in hot/dry conditions but when I did use them, I would have to water twice a day anytime it got above 95. Once in the morning and once in the late afternoon/evening.
Im Arizona too. Our full sun is different than most. You need shade cloth or some way to provide shade. Check out growing in the garden in YouTube
Thanks for the responses everyone. I do have a 50% shade cloth over these right now. I just think it is so hot that even that is not doing too much. Hopefully we can make it through the summer!
mine do this in heat
Theyre fine, peppers are dramatic when its hot. They’re trying to trick you into watering them. Watch them perk back up when the sun starts to set
The shade cloth will help. Peppers don’t love extended 90+, contrary to popular belief.
Mine wilt in 70F sunshine! They’re dramatic little plants. As long as they perk up once they’re no longer in direct light, I wouldn’t worry about it (since you mentioned you already have shade cloth)
Throw the moisture meter in the trash where it belongs and use your fingers to assess moisture. I water my peppers in fabric bags daily and I live in MI where it’s not 105°. Not watering daily in the desert has me leaning towards under watering.
Water half and see what happens, plants are hard to figure out if you only had one that’s different but try half
It’s hot
What do they look like two or three hours after sunset?
This is heat exhaustion, not necessarily sun exposure.
How’s the air circulation and quality?
Whats the soil comp at the stalk and roots?
Shade cloth! Also, if you place the grow bags closer together so they’re touching it will really help with the water retention.
Its been 105 degree days and you have them in grow bags. Water them every morning and see how they do.
I live in AZ when my peppers start doing this I know it’s time to bring em inside when It gets too hot the leaf shriveles but the skeleton of the leaf doesn’t really leaving the leaf deformed. This is just a theory of mine.
I’d worry about the sun before anything