I've got a lovely ornamental*** hot pepper that I brought in from the balcony a few weeks ago, but it's just not doing well. Leaves are gradually shriveling and dropping off. I suspect that it's...
I've got a lovely ornamental*** hot pepper that I brought in from the balcony a few weeks ago, but it's just not doing well. Leaves are gradually shriveling and dropping off. I suspect that it's more than just inadequate light, but I was going to try supplemental lighting anyway. Any other ideas would be appreciated.
Edit: So I actually did my homework, and it's probably just a variety that's prone to enter dormancy. If I don't supplement lighting, the leaves will drop, and I should remove any fruit, but as long as the stems remain green and it's watered when the soil dries, it should put forth new leaves when the days lengthen again.
***Just because "ornamental" peppers are nuclear spicy, doesn't mean they're inedible. This variety was a prolific rainbow of green, yellow, orange, red, and dark violet fruit which I'd really like to keep alive for next year, and meanwhile, hot sauce.
I haven't applied specific fertilizer. My dirty secret for successful houseplant maintenance is using the coffee pot, including any remaining coffee dregs and grounds, for regular watering....
I haven't applied specific fertilizer. My dirty secret for successful houseplant maintenance is using the coffee pot, including any remaining coffee dregs and grounds, for regular watering. Avoiding added fertilizers means that the potting soil doesn't salt up as quickly, so I only re-pot when there's evidence of root-binding.
The pepper plant has good drainage, there's no root binding, and I'm disinclined to add fertilizer until the plant has sufficient light to need growth support.
I haven't overwintered in my house in many years, mostly because I can't keep the temps up for heat loving crops. Everything just sort of languished. Have you overwintered indoors before? If so do...
I haven't overwintered in my house in many years, mostly because I can't keep the temps up for heat loving crops. Everything just sort of languished. Have you overwintered indoors before? If so do you have any tips?
I've got a lovely ornamental*** hot pepper that I brought in from the balcony a few weeks ago, but it's just not doing well. Leaves are gradually shriveling and dropping off. I suspect that it's more than just inadequate light, but I was going to try supplemental lighting anyway. Any other ideas would be appreciated.
Edit: So I actually did my homework, and it's probably just a variety that's prone to enter dormancy. If I don't supplement lighting, the leaves will drop, and I should remove any fruit, but as long as the stems remain green and it's watered when the soil dries, it should put forth new leaves when the days lengthen again.
***Just because "ornamental" peppers are nuclear spicy, doesn't mean they're inedible. This variety was a prolific rainbow of green, yellow, orange, red, and dark violet fruit which I'd really like to keep alive for next year, and meanwhile, hot sauce.
I haven't applied specific fertilizer. My dirty secret for successful houseplant maintenance is using the coffee pot, including any remaining coffee dregs and grounds, for regular watering. Avoiding added fertilizers means that the potting soil doesn't salt up as quickly, so I only re-pot when there's evidence of root-binding.
The pepper plant has good drainage, there's no root binding, and I'm disinclined to add fertilizer until the plant has sufficient light to need growth support.
I haven't overwintered in my house in many years, mostly because I can't keep the temps up for heat loving crops. Everything just sort of languished. Have you overwintered indoors before? If so do you have any tips?
My house is just never warm enough. Nice set up there. I hope you get to enjoy peppers soon!