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7 Reasons Why Your Pepper Plant Is Drooping

Pepper plants are the easiest to grow during the summer because they thrive in warm environments. When a pepper plant starts to droop, it might be a sign that it is not getting the right care it needs.

Some of the prime reasons why your pepper plant is drooping include dehydration, cold temperatures, plant disease, or transport shock. So, it is essential to keep your pepper plant watered and in good, loamy soil.

In this article, we will outline seven reasons why your pepper plant may be drooping. We will also touch on ways you can restore a wilted pepper plant and how to prevent it from withering further.

Photo of a plant with exposed roots soaking in a fishbowl half full of water
Photo by Kids Nord

Water Issues

One of the main reasons pepper plants start to droop is dehydration. If you observe the leaves wilting first, this is most likely the issue. Peppers must get a minimum of 1 inch (2.5 cms) of water every week. It is suggested to water your pepper plants three times a week for the plant to receive adequate moisture.

A good general rule is to moisten soil up to six inches by gradually adding water. A common test is to use your finger to check. Simply put your finger down into the soil. If your fingertip is dry when removed, give your pepper plant some more water. Repeat this step until you feel your fingertip get moist.

Temperature Issues

Pepper plants grow best in hot, sunny environments. A withering pepper plant is often the result of a shift in the weather from warm to cold. When the temperature falls below 60 degrees Fahrenheit (16 degrees Celsius), pepper leaves will begin to fall. All remaining leaves will slowly start to wither until the temperature rises.

Consider placing your pepper plants in the sunniest areas you can find during the winter months, and if you live in places with cold winters you might need to overwinter your pepper plants.

Excessive Heat

Similar to extreme cold, pepper plants will also wilt in extreme heat. In only a matter of hours, overheated pepper plants will start to droop, so it’s important to not expose them to excessive heat.

It’s easy to tell when the sun is negatively affecting your crops. In cases of intense heat, pepper plants will start to lose leaves and have sparse stems.

Transplant Shock

Transplant shock occurs when your pepper plant enters a new environment. The most common causes of transplant shock will occur when:

  • Moving your plants from indoors to outdoors
  • Switching your plants to a new, larger pot
  • Transferring the peppers from a pot to garden soil

If you have recently done one of these three things and noticed that your plant started to droop, this is normal.

Your pepper plant will adapt to the environment at its own pace. You can assist with the plant’s adjustment by hardening it off, which refers to slowly introducing your pepper plants to its new environment a few hours at a time, to avoid shocking it.

Pests

Harmful insects can chew your peppers and damage their leaves. Once the pepper plant starts getting attacked by bugs, it will respond by drooping plus losing its leaves and fruit.

To discover if pests are interfering with your peppers, examine the leaves and stems for signs of biting. Jagged holes are a sure sign that an insect is consuming your pepper plant to its detriment.

Common insects known to harm pepper plants include:

  • Whiteflies
  • Slugs
  • Spider mites
  • Thrips
  • Aphids

Try to keep your garden free from these pests with a natural insect repellent so your peppers can grow without interruption.

Bacteria

Drooping that results from bacterial wilt is easy to recognize. If you water your plants regularly but are still noticing it wilting, this is most likely caused by bacteria.

This is the most dangerous problem for your peppers. Bacterial wilt spreads rapidly and affects plants that are nearby. The only solution to this problem is to unroot the infected plants fully, and any other plants that are infected.

Photo of white mushrooms growing out of compacted woodchips
Photo by Hirav Patel

Fungus

Several fungal diseases can make their way to your pepper plants and force wilting. The most common of these diseases are Fusarium wilt and Verticillium wilt.

You will know if your peppers are affected by disease if you notice these things:

  • Large, yellow spots on the leaves
  • Drooping that starts at the bottom of the plant
  • Brown or black-spotted leaves
  • Unnatural yellow lines on the leaves and stems

Always plant your pepper plants with enough room for them to grow. This will help in irrigation and with sun exposure. Fungal infections are typically present in over-watered plants and can be prevented by checking the soil’s moisture levels before watering. To prevent your pepper plants from fungal diseases, you can use an organic fungicide.

Can You Fix Your Plant After It Has Started to Droop?

It is possible to restore pepper plants that have started to droop due to watering issues, transfer shock, or overheating. On the other hand, peppers that have withered due to diseases cannot be saved, and the only solution is to throw them out. The best way to deal with disease in pepper plants is to prevent them.

Photo by Viktor Kovtun

Solutions for Drooping Pepper Plants

Proper watering can easily restore wilting pepper plants within a few weeks. Water your pepper plants at least three times a week or install a drip irrigation system to reverse the drooping.

If your pepper plant is withering from excessive heat, relocate its pot to a spot with lots of shade. Shielding your peppers from the harsh sun rays is the easiest way to restore their leaves. If your plant is set in garden soil, consider using a shade cloth to protect it.

Conversely, you should place a pepper plant that is drooping because of low temperatures in to a warmer, sunnier area. Alternatively, you can use heating pads to heat your plants. We recommend the Relassy Full Spectrum Grow Lamp to keep your plants warm and encourage faster growth.

Pepper plants that are wilting from shock will heal in time. Continuing to water the plant regularly will aid in its healing.

Ways to Prevent Pepper Plants From Drooping

There are four general things that you can do to prevent drooping:

  • Water the pepper plant frequently, but make sure not to overwater them
  • Place the plant in a sunny, warm area, but don’t let it overheat
  • Choose high-quality fertilizers
  • Take advantage of healthy, loamy soil

Also, there are specific things you can do to prevent insects and the spread of plant diseases:

  • Spray your pepper plants with a mixture of neem oil, water, and mild soap to ward off insects. This organic insecticide is safe to use on all the plants in your garden. It is highly effective at keeping away pests. Here are some other organic ways to prevent insects.
  • Consider trimming off low hanging leaves that touch the soil. These leaves are the most susceptible to diseases, so removing them will save your plant.

Closing Thoughts

Drooping pepper plants are often the result of natural causes. With this in mind, pepper plants need a particular routine to keep their leaves and stems healthy.

Keeping your pepper plants well hydrated, in a warm, sunny location, and protected from pests and diseases will go a long way in keeping them healthy.

Here are Some of my Favorite Gardening Products and Tools

Thank you for reading this article. I hope you found it helpful for growing some new plants in your home or garden. Here are some products I like that I hope you’ll also find helpful. These are affiliate links, and I am compensated for referring traffic. But in all honesty, these are the exact product that I use or recommend to everyone.

Soil: For high-quality soil, I really like Fox Farm Ocean Forest. I do all my growing in containers and this soil has worked great for me. I like how they use nutrient-rich contents like earthworm castings, bat guano, and composted crab and fish.

Fertilizer: Currently I am using a seaweed-based organic fertilizer call Neptunes Harvest. This is a great milder fertilizer option if you want to use something organic. If you want a more powerful fertilizer, I recommend Fox Farm Liquid Nutrient Trio, lots of people have had great growing success with this product.

Pruning Shears: Pruning shears are one of the most useful gardening tools to have because it’s important to prune your plants to keep them healthy. The pruning shears I recommend are the Gonicc 8’’ pruning shears. I like them because they are built sturdy and work both on bigger and smaller plants, so you don’t need to have multiple pruning shears.

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