Is this yellowing/burnt tips on my chilli plant chlorosis?

mugwog

Hi there.

I am cross-posting because I received great advice from this forum.

I am a bit of a novice gardener/veg grower, someone who 'discovered' gardening during the COVID lockdown. I was given a set of chilli plants (a kit) to grow from seed in little biodegradable pots, indoors on a window sill. All the seedlings came up and I transferred them to pots outside. 
I used normal compost, perhaps I should have used something with more bespoke nutrients for chillies because because one variety looks like this...another may be going that way.  One is a bit leggy. No mildew, insects any such thing...


Note...yellowing of the newer leaves and tips a little burnt.

I sprouted tomato seedlings and pepper (capsicums) from seed in the same place...same light ...window sill etc etc. Only difference - I did not use the biodegradable pots that I used for the chillies. Tomatoes and peppers are thriving outside.

I also have a fire mix of 3 chilli plants that I bought ready in a pot. Healthy. I now have masses of chillies. Doing great.

So essentially same garden, same conditions.

These chillies from the kit look like they could thrive. I just have to tweak something. Could it be chlorosis...perhaps iron deficiency? How best to solve...?

Please help.

Pete.8

Chillies don't need any special compost.
If you treat them the same way as tomatoes they should be fine.
Your little plant is missing something for some reason...
It does look like chlorosis.
Are you feeding it with anything?
Underwatering or overwatering could also cause problems that look like chlorosis.
If it's somewhere getting full sun it should be happy.
I try and keep the compost just on the damp side of dry for my potted chillies.
Seaweed extract contains all the micronutrients that your plant may need (including iron, magnesium etc) so it may be worth feeding with that every couple of weeks.
Once flowers appear use a tomato feed every week

It's a small plant, so I doubt you'll get any chillies from it this season though.
You could overwinter it and get an early crop next year though

Lyn

I would split them and put one in  each pot of compost, fill the pots to the top ridge of the pot. If they are in those module things, I would remove them,  they can restrict young roots. 

Don’t be tempted to put them in bigger pots,  just put them in small pots and pot on gradually as you see the roots at the bottom of the pots.  Then put in a slightly bigger pot.
As Pete says,  you can overwinter indoors and get some chilli’s next year. 

mugwog

Thank you Pete.8 and Lyn. 

Chilli plants still in their original pots moved to veg patch in the garden (my pride and joy). We've had spinach beets and chard since June, and soon beetroot. Very sunny.

Pete.8 you may be right. I may have over watered. Compost a bit wet. I will let it dry out and then after a bit of rain split the plants in the variety/pic I shared (the only pot with 2 seedlings, because that is how it grew...) Thank you for that tip Lyn.

So, about overwintering. Does that mean leave them on the patch till the weather gets colder/first frost, then take them indoors? Keep watering them indoors? Bring them out in Spring?

Sorry to sound like I need my hand held. But the varieties look so lovely in the leaflet I am so keen to get chilies.

Obelixx

@mugwog I would bring chillies into shelter once night time temps hit 10C or below or you'll check their growth and maybe lose them.  They need a sunny position to do well and, if indoors, will appreciate misting especially if near a radiator.  I have over-wintered them indoor successfully in the past but these days I don't bother, preferring to start new plants off by sowing seed on heated mats inearly Feb and then growing them on in the polytunnel once it's warm enough.

As I understand it, chlorosis is a form of plant anaemia which causes foliage to go pale and yellow when the plant is unable to take up iron and magnesium because of the presence of calcium in the soil, compost or water.  That weakens the plant as they can't photosynthesise prperly.  It usually affects ericaceous plants.

I very much doubt it's a problem wth your chillies and suggest you follow the advice of @Lyn and @Pete.8 re potting and watering. 

mugwog

Thank you Obelixx. Very clear.