Help with sick hatch chili plant

[Scott75h]

It gets really hot and humid in the summer here, around 30-34 degrees. But spring isnt warm enough to get the seeds really going and by the time it gets warm enough there isnt enough time for them to fully grow. Its really best to start with small plants that had a proper green house somewhere. Japanese houses arent big enough to dedicate any part of them to warming up for plants.

[Scott75h]

Eirish, I guess I should have said Tex Mex, or Cali Mex, or whatever you want to call it. Regardless, I make a pretty mean green chile stew, whether its authentic or not I havent a clue, but it destroys all other "Mexican" food in Japan!

[Philthy]

I'd have to concur with Rusty Lady and Scarlet: spent compost is a good candidate as a cause of your poor quality leaves. An exposed balcony with cold winds won't help either. Could you move the plants to where they are sheltered by your building?

Your main stems look very healthy, which is of most importance. I'd re-pot the plants into fresh compost, give a light prune and remove the spindly leaves, and re-site the pot somewhere out of the wind but in direct sunlight.

[Philthy]

Sorry, you've already re-potted, I missed that bit..

[Scott75h]

Woke up this morning to curly leaves flattening out and healthy leaves getting bigger! Pruned off the bad leaves as Philthy suggested, but it looks like fresh compost is helping.

Unfortunately we cant put them anywhere with direct sunlight other than where they are. But these plants sprouted like mad once the Japanese summer kicked in last year from tiny little things to full on chile machines, so they should be ok.

Thanks everyone for the soil advice, pretty basic thing really but its our first time wintering a plant and there is zero advice in Japanese about raising hatch chiles, and its the wife who does the growing (me who does the cooking!), so there was a bit of a lost panic when the leaves looked sick. Will keep you posted over the next couple days how things are looking...