I posted this question on the pepper forum but the only responses I got were other people with the same question. What would cause peppers and eggplant to drop their leaves? They don't turn yellow the leaves just fall off.
I potted up a bunch of eggplant and a day or 2 later they were just stalks with few if any leaves. Most of them regrew leaves and are fine.
I planted out and shipped some Golden Cal Wonders and when they got to their destination 2 days later (the other plants I shipped with them were fine) they were naked. The ones I planted out are getting new leaves and are doing fine.
Does anybody know why they would do this?
Peppers and Eggplant dropping leaves
did you fertilize them if you did you shock-em and ko -em
Could just be some kinda transplant shock or finicky-ness, like when you move a ficus and it drops all its leaves...If they grew back, don't worry about it...
Bottom water as they are water hogs, but don't like wet leaves. And feed 'em regularly. Check periodically for flea beetles which munch little holes in the leaves. You run into them around dusk when they fly up off the plant like a cloud.
Pick your fruit when they are very shiny -- the get bitter when they turn dull...
Ok. Bye.
Linda
I fertilized mine a few weeks back and some of them immediately dropped pretty much all but their very top leaves. But they've all rebounded. I've either got peppers or flowers on all of them now.
That's great news! Probably just a little shocking going on, and they've settled down. Some plants/veggies are just plain finicky.
I have a feeling it some kind of stress, from shipping or transplanting. These where still starter plant size. It was weird to see eggplant that look fine, pot them up, and then they drop their leaves. Some of my Hab. peppers dropped beautiful green leaves right into my hands.
What did Daddy Bush call it? Shock and awe? Well I shocked 'em all right and now they're "aweing" me with a bunch of wonder peppers.
I gave up on ficus after vacuuming leaves from the floor for at least three years. You can't BREATHE on those things without them dropping every leaf they have. Easily the most neurotic plant in the universe. OMG, there's a dust mite...abort leaves! abort leaves!
ROFLMBO, STOP i cant breath been there still got the T Shirt says YES I KILLED THE FICUS TREE ! on the back it says GET OVER IT LOL thats one plant i can NOT grow for sure. I'll admit it !
So SAID the Sarge.
You said it, Trixie grrrrl!
That's funny I never had trouble with my ficus tree.
i think i have had 6 in 8 years and they are all in tree Heaven . I hope !
Sarge
I have not had a problem with my fig tree either. I put it outside as soon as it warms up and then put it in the basement and let it go dormant in the winter. It is making tons of figs right now even after getting serious cold damage earlier in the spring, when we had some 20F nights. I have "Chicago Hardy." This is its third year.