Bell Pepper Problems

Question

I have read on this site about wilt in peppers and it said most of them die. Ours don’t die but they wilt and get a tar-like substance on the top of the leaves, and are slow producing peppers. This problem just seems to have occured in the last couple of years. Had the ground tested and pH is 6.8, phosphorus is high, potassium is high, magnesium is high and everything else seems normal. Our garden space was a hog lot for 40 years and before that a cow pasture. Could the fertilizer be the problem, or do you think the problem might just be some type of wilt and how can we treat it? Everything else in garden grows excellent except for peppers. Also, could it be a problem of what we plant it next to?

Answer 1

It sounds like an insect infestation. Check the bottoms of the leaves for whiteflies or aphids. Address that issue first. The sooty mold caused by the honeydew will dry up and flake off. The plant is wilting because the insects are sucking the juices and the sooty mold is decreasing photosynthesis.

Hope this helps!