Unhappy Chillis leaf curl and crinkled new growth

[woody21]

All started off well with these chilli seedlings and growth has been normal at first while they were growing in peat plugs. They have been potted on into MPC mixed with a bit of perlite about 10 days ago and ever since new growth has been crinkled and a little deformed.

Some chilli strains are showing it more than others, the 7 pots are all looking terrible and have been getting worse quite quckly with new growth very distorted and old leaves curling a lot, One moruga scorpion showing it in new growth and 2 more that could be starting it too. The butch T not looking bad but possibly beginning to have it too.

the small weak 7 pot chilli got depotted earlier and root growth seems ok for a short time in the pot and its a weak plant so others should have slightly better growth. i checked the roots as i had the same chilli problems last year but very poor root growth in peat free compost.

is this some kind of deficiency or problem caused by the feed thats already in the MPC ?, i have not fed the plants with anything just whats in the compost and tap water.
Its j arthur bowers mpc with added john innes and seems ok but does have a fair bit of finely shreaded wood and bark in it. Nothing on the bag to indicate whats in it and no nutrient information other than enough food for 4-6 weeks.

[SarzWix]

I can't quite tell what you think is wrong with them? There doesn't look to be anything wrong with them that a bit more growth won't sort out. The only thing I would say to change is that your jiffy pot are protruding from the soil in the bigger pots. They should really be either level with, or below, the new soil.

[zazen999]

Aminopyralid?

Looks just like it to me. Crinkled new growth because the plant can't take nutrients up properly.

[Buleste]

I had this on a few chillis last year and never did work out what it was but the plants went on and thrived. If I remember rightly it was due to it being a little too cold for the plants.

[chilli_grower]

Wow, those are nice size plants, when did you sow them?

I see what you mean about the leaf curl. I have also noticed that some of your leaves are a light shade of green, rather than dark green.

My chilli seedlings are only just developing their 2nd set of true leaves. And I actually noticed last night that these leaves are also light green and not dark green.

In my sutuation, the only reason I think could be the cause of the pale leaves is possible over watering. But it is quite hard to judge it!

Are your plants under lights?

And what is the average room temperature?

Perhaps yours are being watered too much as well?

I usually water from the bottom. But I am going to stop doing that now. As I believe this could possibly be starvingthe roots of oxygen a little bit. So for the next week or so, I will water from the top and see what happens.

The problem with growing under lights, is that the compost dries fairly quickly.....

Good luck...

[woody21]

Aminopyralid?

Looks just like it to me. Crinkled new growth because the plant can't take nutrients up properly.

I really hope it isnt but its sure possible looking at pictures on google i have a load of seeds sown into this compost so i will be losing a lot more.
I will have to see if its widespread in all the other chilli seedlings in a few weeks and see if i can find a lab that will test this mpc at a sensible price

i hope for all of our safety it isnt as this has come from bagged and branded mpc from a garden centre and no manure has been added by me just perlite!.

[woody21]

I had this on a few chillis last year and never did work out what it was but the plants went on and thrived. If I remember rightly it was due to it being a little too cold for the plants.

I had it last year as well but it did not progress nearly as fast or as severe and this was again after potting on healthy peat plug plants but into westland peat free compost.
I put it down to the compost last year as after a month i depotted them and roots were awfull and unhealthy and plants had barely grown. Tomato, cucumber and chilli hated this stuff.

cooler temperatures may have been part of the issue last year but this year they are comfortable indoors, last year plants were brought in at night to keep them from geting too cold in the tunnel in the early part of the year.

Plants did after quite sometime perk up and go on to grow healthy once repotted into grow bag compost for a bit then into the ground but it set them back so much.

[woody21]

All new growth since potting them on has been deformed and twisted and very light green with yellowing appearing. Older previously healthy growth is also going downhill with slight yellowing and leaves culing up around the edges.
The seedlings grew 3-4 perfectly flat and even sized healthy green sets of leaves while in peat plugs but not at all the same in mpc.

in this picture you can really see the opposing leaves are different sizes with one being very small and all twisted up and it happening with the next set of leaves.



These were sown on 22 or 23 of december in a heated propagator CG, a bit early but more a test of some seeds i had bought from ebay.

Temperatures have been very good and so far i have recorded 12.8c as the lowest and higest has been just under 24c.
I was using a 4 tube t5 light like you CG so you can expect big plants before long too and yours will soon zoom along once that second set of leaves gets established.

No overwatering here as i got the feel for all that last year, i have a bit of perlite mixed in which really does help to loosen the soil and prevent it compacting as well as holding air and stopping waterlogging.
I allow excess water to drain then place pots onto an old bath towell which wicks any excess out and it works excellently and means roots wont be too wet for the first few days after watering.
So far they were watered in when potted on then watered 10 days later when quite dry yesterday

i too water from the bottom but in a shallow tray allowing them to wick it up rather than drown in a deep tray.
But roots can be submerged in water for a short while with no issues 15 mins is fine but most importantly its draining excess water out you need to worry about.
Roots will grow happily underwater if theres enough dissolved oxygen.

The heat from the lights does indeed dry them out quite quickly when theres only a small amount of soil but once potted on its not something you have to check on so often.

[rustylady]

Can't open your attachment Woody

[woody21]

Can't open your attachment Woody

Its fixed now, wouldnt work for me at first but seems to be fine now i have re-attached it

[chilli_grower]

I will keep my fingers crossed for you Woody. Please let us know what happens.

Maybe it is the compost? To be honest, I find it hard to believe I am over watering mine. But I do not know why else some of the leaves would be a pale green.

I just checked again, and some of my leaves are now curling as well!!!! But this is only on the habanero orange plants.

The fatallis, nagas and red savina are fine....

[redser]

Could it be environmental? Have you enough ventilation? Maybe try misting the leaves when the lights are off? Any chance it could be tiny pests? Is there much heat coming off the bulbs?
Maybe try something fast growing in that compost to see once and for if it is dodgy?

[redser]

Just a thought, are the roots bound up inside the peat pellet net things? Maybe you should remove that and spread them out in fresh compost

[chris]

Nothing further to add, but: blimey those leaves are large!

[chilli_grower]

Yes I thought that Chris, they are huge!!!!!!