Is there a borer that invades green pepper plants and makes them wilt and die like the squash vine borer does to squash plants? I've lost two green bell pepper plants to this wilting and now I am concerned for the other bell pepper plants in the vicinity. I've grown bell peppers for years but have never seen this happen.
What made my bell plants wilt and die?
Sorry, can't help. Did you happen to see this thread http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1188005/
Eggplant are in the same family..hmm. Anyway, worth a look until someone comes along with the right answer ;0)
How big were the plants? What type of planting medium were they in? Do you have pics of them?
stephanietx
The green pepper plants were planted from transplants back in March when they were four inches high and had only grown to about six inches when they decided to die on me. They were planted in a organic soil mix I bought but have since discovered is too sandy with not enough compost so the water goes right through it probably leaching out all of the fertilizers and soil amendments. I am working on this problem as it it affecting the plants in all ten of my raised beds and containers. I bought two new plants to replace the dead ones and I was going to plant them in the same spot, after adding a few soil amendments. Is that a bad idea? The largest green pepper that I have been able to grow was no longer than two to three inches long. I have never been able to grow nice sweet bell peppers, but the hot ones are a breeze for me to grow.
Oops, I was distracted by my daughter asking me for money to buy a ticket to the Shakespeare in the Park performance tonight and I forgot to attach the picture. What? At least she wasn’t asking me for money to buy a ticket to a Lady Gaga concert!
I hope you can make something out from the picture.
Oops again. That was my squirrel ravished corn, not two dead bell pepper plants.
Well, I enjoyed the pic of the corn! LOL
It does look like they weren't getting enough water. I would add in lots of compost and some good soil and plant again. It's coming up on fall veggie planting, so you've still got plenty of time.
It looks like fusarium wilt: I don't grow bells, but this link says it's possible
http://www.semena.org/agro/diseases4/fusarium-wilt-e.htm
You can check:
"When the stem and roots are cut diagonally, reddish-brown streaks are visible in the vascular tissues."
This message was edited Jun 16, 2011 6:43 PM