What Are The Bell Pepper Plant Problems?

Bell peppers are nightshade family fruits that are also related to tomatoes, chili peppers, and breadfruit. As easy as the bell pepper plant is to grow, there are still some common problems it faces. Bell pepper plant problems are what we will be discussing.

Bell peppers are pretty easy to grow so they can be a great addition to your vegetable garden. They are all native to Central America and South America. You get to enjoy pepper in your various cooking recipes as well as salads.

However, there are some bell pepper plant problems you may face and pepper diseases are common issues associated with them.  You may also factor in some other pepper problems apart from pepper diseases. So, let’s delve into some common issues associated with growing bell peppers.

Brief On Bell Pepper

Bell pepper also referred to as sweet pepper is a type of fruit that belongs to the nightshade family. This sweet pepper can be eaten raw or cooked.

Unlike other peppers that tend to produce capsaicin (a chemical responsible for that strong burning sensation when it comes in contact with our tongue): bell peppers are the only member of the pepper plant that does not produce this capsaicin chemical.

Capsaicin which is absent in bell pepper is due to the fact that there is a recessive gene that eliminates capsaicin. For this reason, bell peppers are usually referred to as sweet peppers.

Bell Pepper Plants Not Growing: What Are The Reasons?

Different issues may arise and cause your bell pepper to diminish in growth or even stop growing. Some of the reasons include:

• Over-watering.
• Under-watering.
• Growing pepper with an undersized container.
• Dry soil.

Growing Peppers Problems

We will be looking at the common bell pepper problems and this will be in two categories. The first part will be issues associated with pepper diseases and pests. The other bell pepper issues will be related to non-diseases. So, read below to get some knowledge on them.

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A.   Bell Pepper Plant Diseases

So, below are some of the bell pepper disease and pest problems you may face:

1.    Mosaic Virus

This is a type of bell pepper disease characterized by yellow spots, wrinkly leaves, stunted growth, and poor or less fruit quality.

This disease is transmitted by aphids that transfer this virus. It is common during the periods aphids are mostly active and this is when the temperatures are around 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

To adequately deal with this bell pepper problem, uproot or remove the infected plants and burn or throw them away. The virus has been said to live up to a year. Therefore, avoid composting uprooted plants but burn or discard them.

2.    Bacterial Leaf Spot

Bacterial leaf spot is quite common in pepper plants generally. This disease is characterized by yellowish spots on the leave of your pepper plant. These yellowish spots may end up turning brown and it causes leaf drop.

3.    Powdery Mildew

Powdery mildew is related to warm and humid conditions. It usually shows up on the undersides of the pepper plant leaves.

4.    Aphids

This is a tiny bug that sucks and feeds on pepper plants. They can eat a good portion of your pepper plant overnight.

If you notice or suspect aphid infestation in your pepper plant, you can make use of soapy water and wash them off. Or you can use a strong force of water (e.g. hose) to displace them from your plant. the use of neem oil can also prove effective.

5.    Hornworms

Hornworms are another type of pest that can cause problems to your pepper plant. These worms are so large that it’s easy to just pluck or pick them off from your plant.

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6.    Flea Beetles – Bell Pepper Plant Problems

Flea beetles may look small in size but they can cause serious harm or problems to your bell pepper plant when you have a severe infestation. Their symptoms of an infested flea beetle pepper plant tend to show some distinct holes in the leaves of your plant.

You can solve the problem of flea beetles by dusting your pepper plants with talcum powder as this can help repel flea beetles.

• So, we have looked into some pests and diseases that may affect your bell pepper plants. Now here are the bell peppers that are non-diseases related:

B.   Non-diseases Related Bell Pepper Problems

1.    Under-watering

This issue is common during hot seasons. So if you don’t supply the plant with adequate water during this period, you may begin to notice some issues with the growth of your bell pepper plant.

Normally, pepper plants love full sun and require adequate watering. So, when you slack with the watering needs of bell peppers, they will not flourish appropriately so problems set in.

To reduce the chances of facing this issue, you should endeavor to water your bell pepper plant early morning and evening. The best time to water is once the sun has gone down.

2.    Over-watering

Even though pepper plants generally like to be watered adequately, you should however avoid overwatering. Over-watering your pepper plant can cause problems. This is common with potted pepper plants that don’t have adequate drainage holes.

So, if you find yourself overwatering your potted pepper plant, simply cease watering and allow the soil to dry out. It is crucial you fix this problem on time to improve the chance of the pepper plant recovering.

3.    Sun Scalding – Bell Pepper Plant Problems

Although pepper plants are sun-loving plants, they still need time to adjust before they can finally be moved outdoors. This is especially common with potted pepper plants. But this shouldn’t be an issue with peppers seed sown outdoors from the start.

The seedlings of pepper started indoors need a transition to outdoor conditions are the ones usually prone to sun scalding.

This is why it is crucial you harden off the seedlings started from indoors by gradually introducing them to outdoor conditions such as direct sunlight, wind, as well as changing temperatures. So, avoid the abrupt transition to full sunlight.

Bell Pepper Plant Problems: Final Say

Bell pepper plant problems can arise in different ways. The problems associated with bell peppers can be in form of pests, diseases, or even other environmental factors.

We have listed some of these issues that may arise when growing bell peppers and how to mitigate them. So, we do hope this article can be of great use to you regarding bell pepper plant problems.

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