Is this Aphids on my peppers?

[The Nichols']

Hi everyone,

Attached are a couple of pictures of my peppers.





I wasn't all that worried by it until my lovely small peppers started falling off but now, I want to know what it is and how I stop it!

Using the search button it seems I may have aphids or something equally bad but if someone with more experience at growing peppers than me (this is the first year I've managed to get fruit without the slug / snail / cold weather getting them first), then it would be greatly appreciated.

Steve

[rustylady]

The damage to the leaves looks like they've been scorched (water left on the leaves and then followed by bright sunshine). If you had aphids you would find little green/pink "lice" on the plants. From the look of the plants I would suspect erratic watering, and from above not to the roots. The fruit dropping off suggests that the plants aren't getting enough water. Where are your plants? Inside or outside? In containers or in open ground?

[The Nichols']

They're indoors in a conservatory though I do try to move them outside when it's sunny so they get proper sun rather than the UV double glazed filtered type.

[Demeter]

Mine looked like that when they got too hot one day and wilted. I don't think it was from water on the leaves (could be wrong, but I was quite careful!), it was just that they got really hot and wilted. They did recover, and yours look like mine did after they recovered i.e. some damaged leaves but otherwise basically OK.

Fruit might be dropping off just because not pollinated? (some of mine dropped off, which I assume was just because they hadn't set - but I have quite a few set now. Mine are outside where the insects can get at the flowers)

If it was aphids you would see them - inspect the growing tips as that seems to be where they congregate, you should see something in there, or under the leaves, or on the stems. They like to be on younger growth where it is sappy. Your plants look clean in the pics but do inspect them closely, to rule it out if nothing else.

[smallblueplanet]

...I wasn't all that worried by it until my lovely small peppers started falling off but now, I want to know what it is and how I stop it!

Looks like leaf scorch. Interesting leaf shape there, what kind of peppers are they?

[unconcerned]

I'm with smallblueplanet - those don't look like peppers to me.
The smaller one on the right in the first photo is a pepper, but not convinced by the tall one you are talking about with the wonky leaves. What type of pepper do you think it is? What was the variety name?

[Two_Sheds]

Yep, I'd say scorched leaves too.
Stand your pots in water to water them, don't get water on the leaves. After all, it's the roots that take up water, not the foliage.

[The Nichols']

Mine looked like that when they got too hot one day and wilted. I don't think it was from water on the leaves (could be wrong, but I was quite careful!), it was just that they got really hot and wilted. They did recover, and yours look like mine did after they recovered i.e. some damaged leaves but otherwise basically OK.

I'm pleased about that. Like you, I've been careful about getting water on the leaves and certainly haven't covered them that much. They are in a pot in the conservatory and I work till 5:30 so they have been known to look wilted when I get home. Hopefully, they'll be okay.

I'm with smallblueplanet - those don't look like peppers to me.
The smaller one on the right in the first photo is a pepper, but not convinced by the tall one you are talking about with the wonky leaves. What type of pepper do you think it is? What was the variety name?

Now you've got me all paranoid that they're not peppers at all though I'm sure they are. I just can't find the label I made when I first planted the seed!

[Two_Sheds]

I work till 5:30 so they have been known to look wilted when I get home.

Sitting directly in hot sun isn't doing them any good. Light is good, but not direct sun.
Also, stand the pots in saucers of water to stop them drying out while you're at work. If they still dry out in a day, perhaps they need bigger pots (ie more compost, less drying out)

[Demeter]

Sitting directly in hot sun isn't doing them any good. Light is good, but not direct sun.
Also, stand the pots in saucers of water to stop them drying out while you're at work. If they still dry out in a day, perhaps they need bigger pots (ie more compost, less drying out)

Mind you sometimes the problem isn't that the compost is wet, but just that the leaves can't take up enough water to replace what is lost through transpiration - i.e. they may recover overnight when its cooler.

If dry compost isn't the problem and it is purely the heat - could you try moving them a little bit away from the window if the forecast is for sun, or even leave them outside? I guess it depends on the variety but certainly mine (marconi sweet peppers) are outdoors full time and are thriving.

[The Nichols']

Thanks to everyone for your help. I had a good look at the leaves and there doesn't seem to be any kind of infestation so I'll take your other advice and hope that everything turns out okay.

[zazen999]

The first thing I thought was 'peppers???'

You say the fruits fall off; if any more grow, can you post a close up piccie - they just don't look like peppers to me.