[CH] Transpiration and wilting
Pam Rudd (pamrudd@mindspring.com)
Wed, 08 Aug 2001 23:01:17 -0400
> and my cayenne,
>having produced four bright-red pods, is struggling. Pale, narrow, yellowish
>leaves; no further buds that can be detected; and a marked tendency to wilt
>despite partial shade and attentive watering. It's a pot plant in a 12-inch
>clay pot, being cultivated in the steambath which currently is Louisville,
>Kentucky. Any ideas what might be going wrong, and suggestions for fixing
>it, would be welcome.
Could you be over-watering them?
Ok, I'm struggling to remember my botany from <mumble> years
ago, but in really hot weather a plant will sometimes transpire
faster then its roots can take up water. The water pressure in the
leaves drop, giving it a wilted look, and the stomas close, thus
preventing more water lose.
The impulse is to water the plant because it looks wilted, but
it doesn't necessarily need watering. As soon as the conditions
(usually heat, but sometimes wind) that are causing the rapid
transpiration are changed, the leaves perk right up.
Try checking the soil before watering. If it's moist, don't
water. This is especially true if your containers have those
little water catchers under them to hold water. Peppers, in
my experience, don't like to have their feet wet. Remember
too, a little heat stress can make for hotter peppers.
Pam
---
Oh my goodness Pammy, what a potty mouth!
-yesgaz@itcanada.com