Chilli Dying Back?

[ChilliFlower]

Hi all, first-time poster here!

I got a grow-your-own-chillies bucket from Tesco very early in the year at a great discount. It came with seeds (unidentified), and what looked like coir soil and a metal bucket to grow it in. After ordering some Chilli Focus, my beautiful plant grew and started to give me chillies.

I transferred the huge plant to a bigger container, and I found that when taking the plant out it was pretty much one big ball of roots in the soil, as in, it had completely grown in the container, not surprising considering how big it is.

I noticed over the past couple of days that the leaves seem to be browning. Could it be the plant is dying off? I'll upload pictures of the leaves for a better, closer look.

Species: Unknown
Potting medium: Suspect coir plus Pets at Home coir block (I got it for something else and decided to repot the chilli instead)
Pot size: 40cm
Issue asked: Why the leaves are turning.

Any help would be appreciated! And an identification if possible!

[Mitzi]

You have to make a few more posts before you can post pictures, I believe. Most of the "kit" chillies are either cayenne or birds eye or thai type - do an image search for those and see if any of them look right. This is assuming they are fairly thin and ripen to red. If not then describe the pods and we'll play "guess the chilli" from that.

40cm is a decent sized pot for a single plant, or do you have several plants growing in the same pot?

Where do you have the plant? Outdoors, greenhouse, indoors on a windowsill, etc.

At this time of year the natural light levels are dropping drastically wherever you have it, and in most locations the temperatures will be lower. This naturally causes the plant to slow down and they often drop some of their old leaves. Especially as it's given you a good crop, it probably just needs a rest. It's possible it could be dying (one of mine is, even though it's indoors) but unlikely.

I find coir tricky (especially regarding watering) but as your plant has done well in it up to now then you must be getting something right. I'd recommend reducing feeding and watering and maybe cutting the plant back a bit so it doesn't need to support as much growth. Bear in mind that quite often, if you prune it to a node, chilli plants often die back further from the cut, so allow for this by not cutting back too hard.

Oh, one more question - how long ago did you repot it?

[Scarlet]

Where are you keeping it?

They do "go through the seasons" as any other perennial vegetable plant/tree/flower - in the Autumn the leaves may turn yellow discolour. Depending on what room temp you have it may well drop all its leaves.
Some chilli plants make it through the winter very well, others can go dormant and don't make it through. If you keep it in a very warm room it can continue to grow sappy green growth as there isn't much light and this will encourage aphids.

[ChilliFlower]

Whoops, I can't believe I didn't mention where it is! Initially, it grew on my windowsill, then it lived in an indoor greenhouse in my kitchen window (as I get excellent sunlight coverage in my home), then it grew too big for the greenhouse and sits on the kitchen window. I keep my home at about 22-25c because I have animals to keep in mind, changing depending on the weather.

It is fed Chilli focus once a week in 200ml roughly of water, with added water during the week if needed. Water is filtered through a Brita filter and room temperature (as I have a lot of tropicals and orchids so I use room-temp water)

[ChilliFlower]

Initially, it grew on my windowsill, then it lived in an indoor greenhouse in my kitchen window (as I get excellent sunlight coverage in my home), then it grew too big for the greenhouse and sits on the kitchen window. I keep my home at about 22-25c because I have animals to keep in mind, changing depending on the weather.

It is fed Chilli focus once a week in 200ml roughly of water, with added water during the week if needed. Water is filtered through a Brita filter and room temperature (as I have a lot of tropicals and orchids so I use room-temp water)

Pics are above for better idea of the leaves. This plant is pretty big, I'm still proud of it since it came from seedlings, even if it is dying back now

[Scarlet]

Looks very normal for a plant in the Autumn.
As Mitzi says I reduce watering and keep it very dry. I don't feed at all during the winter. I cut mine back in Spring - but it's a trial and error depending on what variety you are growing.

[Scarlet]

Is that several plants in there?? It looks like many small stems....Did you put all the seeds in one pot?

[ChilliFlower]

Is that several plants in there?? It looks like many small stems....Did you put all the seeds in one pot?

Yes I did At the time, I didn't think I would honestly grow ANY, as I was one of those infuriating 'I kill every plant I own' types. I was shocked when they started growing (hiding under a piece of soil, I might add) and didn't think to split them. It was only when I saw the guides on South Devon Chilli Farm that I realised one seed should be one plant.

[SarrissUK]

Wow, you've done well CF! It looks as if you've got a knack for chillis

I mean... you might wanna go look for more seeds to grow next year :P

You can start chillis in January, so not long now!

[Can the Man]

I bought some chilli seeds from The Devon chilli company without realising they need to be propagated so my grandkids are getting me one for Christmas see https://www.thegardenshop.ie/plug-plant-trainer/

[Scarlet]

I bought some chilli seeds from The Devon chilli company without realising they need to be propagated so my grandkids are getting me one for Christmas see https://www.thegardenshop.ie/plug-plant-trainer/

They will germinate without one but they can be slow and erratic. The heat from a prop makes it a little more consistent and they are more willing to get going.

[burnie]

Last year I over wintered a cayenne and all the leaves fell off like any deciduous plant, it then grew new leaves in the spring. I have not bothered this year with over wintering, the old plant looked tired, so I will grow new this coming spring.

[ChilliFlower]

Thank you so much for all your kind comments, everyone I'm honestly heartened to hear that my chilli looks healthy. I was never into plants or growing too much, it took this chilli and a couple of other plants to really fire a love of growing. I think I will look into growing chillis next year; it's been so much fun! I really, REALLY need to buy a home in the future with my own conservatory/greenhouse with a lot more room to tend to the lilies, orchids, bromeliads, and lots and lots of chillies!

Here's a better picture of the overall plant. That pot is marked as 'Ibby', it says 10" but I somehow get the impression it's a 40cm pot. It takes almost all of the 9ltr of coir I had (I used a little to repot a teeny-tiny aloe hybrid and another plant I THINK). The thing it's sitting in? That's a cauldron loot pot from Tesco! It was only �1, it has little legs for excess water to drain into, and it's hilarious.


I should actually measure it, I'm honestly proud of my big spicy son, even if I did a lot of mistakes in raising him.

I didn't use a propagator; I literally put the seeds in the soil of the kit and watered it. I get amazing sunlight coverage, and it did take a while for them to show themselves, then I fed it chilli focus once it really started to get going.

[ChilliFlower]

(P.S. That cooker is 10000% off, no worries, it's just sitting there to move around all my other plants!)

[Can the Man]

They will germinate without one but they can be slow and erratic. The heat from a prop makes it a little more consistent and they are more willing to get going.

Thanks for the advise Scarlet