Leaves dropped off healthy looking chilli plant

[SherbetLemon]

Hi my boy friend and I are puzzled by the leaves dropping off of seemingly healthy plants.
They're potted in John Innes No.2 and perlite.
The one in the pic was perfect yesterday, we found it like this this morning. Does anyone have any advice please?

[nickdub]

That's a strange one - almost looks like they've been nipped off by something, rather than the plant shedding them. Perhaps someone-else will be able to suggest a sensible explanation, short of a malevolent ghost with a very small pair of shears.

[SherbetLemon]

I've noticed the very bottom of the stem is turning brown, sort of woody. Is this damping off disease?

[Snoop Puss]

Pepper plant stems go brown and woody as the plant matures. That's entirely normal. Not to worry about that.

The leaves are strange. Perhaps a bird has pecked them off, though it's a surprisingly neat job for that. Leaves do sometimes drop off plants, but it's unusual to see so many all at once. As you've got smaller leaves still on the plant, I don't think it'll be held back that much. Maybe move both of them in case whatever did it comes back for seconds. Possibly even consider covering them, if only with fleece, for a couple of days.

Hello and welcome, by the way.

[Scarlet]

Have you just repotted them?

[SherbetLemon]

The browning is definitely not the maturing of a chilli plant and a bird didn't peck the leaves off. I'll take some pics of the bases of the other chillies with the same problem.

[SherbetLemon]

The chilli in the pic was re-potted about a week ago.

I'll post some clearer pics of the brown stems.

[SherbetLemon]

Another couple of chillies that are failing.

[nickdub]

Um - wouldn't describe myself as a chilli expert by any means, but the base of the stems in your photos don't look right to me - hopefully as the plants are growing, they will right themselves.

[Scarlet]

I’m just wondering what your potting mix is? It’s a strange colour?

[veggiechicken]

It looks like sand or demerara sugar!!