Minor Nutrients For Summer Stress In Chiles

Regardless of where you are, the stress of summer can take a toll on our chile plants.  As we approach the Fall harvest season, this is a really important time to give a little extra attention to our prized chile crop, particularly if we have gotten a little lazy with the Summer doldrums.

Whether you have been growing in the ground or in containers, the watering schedule may have depleted nutrients that the chile plants can really use right now.  If you want to stay organic, fish/kelp emulsion applied foliar or to the root zone offers an excellent boost to the NPK.  There are also some great organic granular feeds available but you may have to quest further than the box stores or order online.  If you don't mind stepping aside from the organics, there is nothing wrong with a balanced formula of Miracle-Gro.

There a couple of minor nutrients that we can add that can help the chile plants along (and tomatoes, if you still have them).

Epsom Salts (magnesium sulfate) will supply two crucial nutrients important to Capsicum, sulfur and magnesium.  While sulfur is more readily available to plants, especially in synthetic fertilizers and acid rain, magnesium can be depleted from the soil.  Magnesium deficiency (as seen in this photo) may be exhibited with chlorosis, leaf curl, stunted plants and fruit, among other symptoms.  Magnesium builds the cell walls, aid in photosynthesis and aids in fruit production.

Epsom salts are readily available at box stores, drug stores, even your grocer.  Apply a tablespoon or two to the root zone or foliar feed at a rate of 1 - 2 tablespoons per gallon of water.

Calcium is needed for cell division and plant growth. Its buffering characteristics are critical to soil balance and largely determine the availability of other nutrients. Lack of calcium results in yellow or pale leaves, and causes blossom-end rot on tomatoes and pepper, as seen in this photo.  BER is accelerated when the deficiency is paired with water stress, too much and too little in the grow season.

Application of dolomite lime or bone meal at the root zone along with a consistent watering schedule can help this unwanted problem.  Either should be available at a reasonable price at your local home improvement center.  Apply at the labeled rate.

Just remember, the chile childs have had a long, hot summer and the season still has life left for us all.  Give them a little TLC now and you may be amazed what you may get by your season's end.

Happy Harvest!
Beth in Texas