Chili Plant Growing Problems

Question

I have had this same problem with all my chili pepper plants, all different varieties. They start off healthy and green and growing fast, once they make their first sets of flowers and chilies, things start to turn. I usually get one group of 5-6 chilies that grow and ripen but after that the plant gets worse. you can see in the pictures the degression. Goes from healthy green – yellowing new growth with green veins – basically dead. I thought maybe a calcium or magnesium deficiency so I mixed in some bone meal to the soil 3 weeks ago. I left for 10 days and had somebody water for me. When I came back, my chilies had grown zero, while other plants and grasses had actually grown taller than the chili plants in the 10 days
I use organic fertilizers like I had for many years growing plants in California. I used to get more chilies than I could possibly use. Now I moved to a more humid and tropical area and cant seem to keep the plants healthy.

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Answer 1

There is quite a bit to address, here.

Before adding any nutrients to soil, it will be necessary to find out how much, and of which nutrients you need to add.

Adding without knowing what is needed can lockout soil making them unusable.

These articles will help you to test soil:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/testing-soil.htm

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/soil-ph-plants.htm

The next thing that I notice is the amount of uncomposted hay. When growing in this manner, it is very important that your medium stays rich in the proper microbes to keep it from rotting from more sinister plant diseases. It is also quite difficult to maintain the pH and nutrient content of uncomposted hay.

This article will help you with composting: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/composting/basics/ultimate-beginners-guide-composting.htm

I would recommend trying an organic potting soil mixed with topsoil or compost, next time. Using them together will offer naturally occurring microbes, and an already balanced nutrient profile and pH.

This article will help you to grow peppers in container: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/pepper/growing-peppers-container.htm