Hi,

I transplanted my babies on Sunday and as of yesterday about 1/4 of them had white spots on edges of upper leaves, not just tips and fewer than 1/4 have crispy end tips. Is this blossom end rot and calcium deficiency? What should I do? What quantity to use? They are pretty big plants if that matters in determining quantity, oh about 6-10" tall.

I have been covering them during peak sun hours with the white guaze over hoops as shading. I know this adds heat. Could this be scorching them on days reaching 80-90 degrees?

Thanks,
Julianne

Blossom End Rot affects only the fruit not the leaves. The crisp edges could maybe be scorch which is also caused by wind, not just the sun.

This definitely sound like sunburn. Sometimes this happens to my peppers when I first put them out, suprisingly to habaneros more than any others. You wouldn't think this would happen to them as much, being more tropical than most. Eventually they recover, and the white spots stay on the leaves for a long time without the leaves drying up and dropping off. The covering them at the hot point of he day is a good idea, as long as it is not sealed around them, as this would cause the heat to rise.

Dave

Thank you for the advice. I have been covering them with guaze but holding it down with rocks. Maybe this was too tight. My friend told me I should have transplanted them by putting epsom salts at the base and that I need to water more. Could I do anything about the epsom salts now?

Unless you have a soil test that shows you have a magnesium deficiency in you soil there is no good reason to put Epsom Salts (Magnesium Sulfate) in or on your soil. This can easily create other nutrient problems, ie too much Mg will interfere with Ca uptake and you get Blossom End Rot.

Did you harden the plants up before transplanting? If not that would explain the problem.

HI Peggy,

I only hardened them for 6 days because they were developing buds. Unlike my cauliflower and broccoli plants that I hardened for weeks, I put these out for four hours right away, then five, seven, etc... I do think this was too much too soon. Will they recover well?

Julianne