What to do when the leaves of pepper seedlings turn yellow and fall

The unique taste characteristics of pepper quickly turned it from an exotic product into a garden culture, which today grows on the site of each gardener.

However, not everyone manages to feast on its fragrant fruits, as peppers are rather picky and demanding to care.

The fact that the plant requires special attention, gardeners are convinced from the first days of cultivation, because often the leaves fall off the pepper. What to do in this case, and what are the reasons for such capricious behavior? Let's try to find the answer.

Irrigation errors

92% of the pepper is water, and the root system of its seedlings is not deep at all. This suggests that the plant needs a lot of moisture, so you need to water it often and plentifully.

The earth should be moistened 15-20 cm deep. Insufficient watering and drying of the soil can adversely affect your "pupil".

Vegetable "tell" you about the lack of moisture in their appearance: the pepper will begin to turn yellow and shed the leaves. The next signal - the fall of flowers and ovaries.The seedling looks depressed and lethargic, its stems become soft and pliable.

Even if the fruits grow on it, they will not be distinguished by presentable, healthy appearance and taste. A long period of drought can pose a deadly threat to seedlings and adult units. Experienced gardeners are advised to water the plant daily in the morning.

On rainy days it is necessary to reduce moisture to once a week. It should be remembered that excessive soil moisture is also fraught with seedlings for peppers and can lead to blackening of leaves, rotting of roots and stems.

Wrong lighting

Improper lighting is the main reason why pepper leaves fall., landed, both on a windowsill, and in a greenhouse, or in open ground.

Pepper - light-loving culture. Poor or insufficient lighting can cause many problems.The plant needs light 12 hours a day. At the same time a direct hit of sunlight on it is also unacceptable - the light must be diffused.

The lack of light is the main reason why seedlings begin to stretch first, and then the pepper begins to shed its leaves.

To solve this problem is to make some effort. First, provide seedlings with diffused light during the day. Secondly, you need to take care of the backlight. For these purposes, fluorescent lamps with a power of 40-80 watts are used. They must be placed above the seedlings at a distance of 8-10 cm. The effectiveness of such lamps is that they supply the cultures with light, but they do not burn them.

Thirdly, it is necessary to ensure that the seedlings are not planted too thickly, as the struggle for survival will begin between them.

Temperature drops

One of the main whims of pepper - thermophilic. Vegetable is afraid of cold, does not tolerate drafts. The optimum temperature for its cultivation is + 22-30 ° С during the day and not lower than 14 ° С at night.

Sharp temperature fluctuations lead to the fact that seedlings begin to weaken, they do not have enough strength to feed on nutrients from the ground. The only source of strength of the peppers are the leaves, from which they draw the substances necessary for the functioning. As a result, the leaves begin to turn pale, turn yellow and fall off.

Gardeners with experience are advised to provide the plant with the optimum temperature regime: in the daytime to make in penumbra, in the evening - to cover. If necessary, feed with substances that contribute to the development of cold resistance (for example, ash).

The temperature is too high, fraught with overheating of the vegetable, after which the leaves turn black.

Soil depletion

Properly selected soil - one of the pledges of high yield of pepper. Vegetable prefers substrate, which includes humus, earth and sand in a ratio of 2: 1: 1.

In addition, the soil should be rich in nutrients, since the depleted soil is one of the main catalysts, due to which the leaves turn yellow and fall off the pepper.

To avoid such an unpleasant phenomenon will help crop rotation.Planting pepper after eggplants, tomatoes, potatoes, or 2 years in a row at the same place is strictly prohibited. Cucumbers, onions, cabbage are good predecessors of the vegetable - a rich harvest and juicy fruits are guaranteed in this case.

Pests and diseases

Improper or inadequate compliance with the rules of seedling care and the omission of preventive measures is one of the main causes of pepper diseases. Recognizing a diseased plant is quite simple.

Among the main symptoms of diseases and the presence of pests are leaf peeling, yellowing or blackening of the stems, foliage and fruits, wilting, depression. Pepper is a fragile plant requiring special care.

Main diseases and pests of culture:

1. Stolbur. The cause of the disease - insects that suck the juice from the plant. The consequence of the disease is yellowed foliage, dwarf growth, twisted fruits, a non-viable type of vegetable. It is possible to overcome the problem in the process of constant weeding, loosening the soil, if necessary, chemical planting should be carried out.
2. Bright yellow and constantly withering pepper seedlings indicate the presence and progression fusarium - your cultures are infected with fungi. This is one of the most deplorable diseases, since sick seedlings will have to be disposed of. Uninfected can try to save. The main method of resuscitation is moderate watering.
3. Late blight reports about the appearance of dark spots on the culture, as well as the instantaneous thickening of the affected parts. You can overcome it by resorting to the help of sprayers Barrier and Barrier.
4. The drug "Barrier" is also effective in the process of combating black leg - a disease that causes rotting and drying of plant stems, provokes yellowing and falling foliage. It should protect the vegetable from the cold and excessive watering.
5. Aphid - an insect that not only harms the culture, but can even lead to its death, as it sucks out all the vital juices. It breeds instantly and lives on seedlings in whole colonies. As a result, the seedlings are depleted, the foliage turns yellow and falls. To eliminate pests by using chemical sprayers (Keltan, Karbofos), or by resorting to popular wisdom.Aphids are afraid of tobacco dust and wood ash, therefore they are advised to make a "cocktail": in 10 liters of water, dissolve a glass of dust, or ash and spray the seedlings with it.
6. Do not mind to eat vegetable juice and spider mitewhich settles under the leaves. You can get rid of such an inhabitant with the help of Actellic, Karbofos, Fufanon.
7. In hot weather, the pepper is attackable. whiteflies (an insect like small moths). The whitefly provokes the appearance of mold on the surface of the culture. To eliminate moths use the drug Commander.

Lack of fertilizer

Often, with its yellowed foliage and a faint look, pepper signals you that it is depleted and needs feeding. The need for each mineral and organic matter has its own indicators that are displayed on the appearance of the culture:

• Iron deficiency manifested through pallor and fading of foliage. Prolonged unmet need for iron leads to yellowing and falling leaves, freezing the viability of seedlings.It is possible to foresee and prevent such a problem at the planting stage: if you have chosen clay or calcareous soil for seedlings, you must treat it with complex fertilizers.
• The need for potassium is particularly evident during the fruiting period. To feed the culture directly at this time is not advised. But a similar phenomenon can also be foreseen: sandy and peaty soils for pepper planting should be supplied with potassium in advance.
• The awl-shaped leaves, the slowing down of the growth and development of the root system, the appearance of gray-yellow spots on the foliage, the rotting of the tops of the peppers fruits indicate the need for calcium fertilization and overdose with nitrogen and potassium.
• Even an aspiring gardener knows that the main reason for the yellowing of leaves and shoots of pepper, the appearance of thin, curved fruits is a consequence lack of nitrogen in the soil. To prevent such a phenomenon will contribute slurry. It is worth paying attention to in which parts of the seedlings the foliage turns yellow: yellowing of the lower leaves indicates a lack of phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and nitrogen; the need for iron, manganese, boron, zinc is manifested in the yellowing of the upper young leaves.

The best step to prevent nutrient deficiencies during the planting of pepper will be the introduction of complex fertilizers directly in the process of planting or soon after.

Properly organized process of planting and caring for pepper, compliance with all preventive measures will be the key to a stunning harvest.

It should be remembered that the culture is too whimsical and demanding, the plant will immediately tell you about its problem with its appearance. Therefore, the successful cultivation of juicy and fragrant fruit depends on the stock of your attention and patience.