Why Do The Leaves On My Peppers Look Unhealthy?

Are the leaves pale, green and small?

Are the leaves yellow, distorted and sticky?

Are the leaves mottled with yellow and the young growth is malformed?

Are the leaves yellow and the whole plant is stunted and wilts in hot weather?

Are only the older leaves yellow and shoots or whole plant may wilt?

Are the leaves stippled with yellow or bronzed?

Do the leaves have small, sunken, yellow-green spots on them?

Do the leaves have gray-brown spots on them?

Do the leaves have wandering white or translucent tunnels in them?

Do the leaves have small holes in them?

Your peppers are most likely suffering from nitrogen deficiency. Spray leaves with compost tea or fish emulsion and side-dress with compost to correct the deficiency.

Yellow, distorted and sticky leaves are signs of aphids. These tiny insects can vary in color, green, pink, black, gray and white. They cluster under leaves and on growing tips where they feed on plant sap. Leaves, stems, and buds get distorted and later leaves and flowers drop from the plant. You can control them by washing them off the plant with water spray. Insecticidal soap should be used with severe infestations.

These symptoms are caused by the Tobacco mosaic virus or some other viral disease. Destroy diseased plants. Presoak seeds in a 10 percent bleach solution before planting or choose resistant cultivars to prevent problems. Control aphids, because they spread viral diseases as they feed.

Nematodes cause these symptoms. Plants will eventually die. Roots may have swollen galls. Destroy infested plants, do not compost them. To control these pests, apply chitin or parasitic nematodes to the soil.

These symptoms may indicate the fungal diseases Fusarium wilt or Verticillium wilt. Destroy infected plants. Pepper Fusarium infects only peppers, while Verticillium infects a wide range of plant species, making effective rotation control difficult. Prevent problems by presoaking seed in a 10 percent bleach solution.

Leaves stippled with yellow are caused by mites. These tiny, spider-like pests feed by sucking sap from the underside of the plants leaves causing yellow flecking on the upper leaf surfaces. You can control spider mites by spraying plants thoroughly with water 2-3 times a day for several days. For severe infestations, spray plants with insecticidal soap.

The disease bacterial spot causes small sunken spots on pepper leaves. Centers of spots may dry and fall out. Spray infected plants with copper to prevent the development of further symptoms.

Leaves with gray-brown spots on them are caused by the fungal disease Cercospora leaf spot. This fungal disease only occurs in very warm climates. Spots develop a “frog-eye” appearance with light centers and dark edges. Spray plants with copper as soon as symptoms appear to prevent further symptom development.

These symptoms are usually caused by Leafminers. These tiny white, maggot-like larvae feed inside leaves. Prune off and destroy all infested leaves. Cover plants with row cover until flowers open to prevent adults from laying eggs on plants. Certain nematodes can attack leafminer larvae inside leaf tunnels.

Small holes in pepper leaves are caused by Flea beetles. These tiny, black, brown or bronze beetles hop when disturbed. Larvae are small and white and feed mostly on the undersides of leaves. Prevent problems by covering young plants with row cover. Control severe infestations by spraying or dusting plants with pyrethrin.

If the leaves have large holes in them the most likely cause is Hornworms or other caterpillar species. Handpick or spray plants with BTK to control them. Do not spray caterpillars that are covered with small white cocoons; these cases contain the larvae of parasitic wasps that are natural hornworm predators.