Diseased Pepper Plants???

Question: Hello, happy day!

I believe my pepper plants are sick and I need some help please!

It would be great to speak with a Master Gardener about my problem. There's a saga behind this with to much info and detail to put in an email. 

The short: I planted from seed Wiri Wiri's, Carolina Reapers and Trinidad 7 Pot. Reapers and 7 Pot good, Wiri Wiri got sick. I transplanted to 6" pots using a mix I used last year and the Wiri's came back around. I transplanted all to large pots and everything went great for about a week. They were amazing! Then I added Caribbean Reds, Thai Dragons and Cayanne's from the Mpls. Farmers market. 

Right away all Market plants started looking sick. Then we moved to Cold wet nights in the North Metro and everything went sideways. I left for three days, got home this morning to a horrifying sight. Everything but 6 of the 7 Pot peppers There are only 7 of them) look horribly diseased. 

There is so much more to this regarding my process, dirt mix and additional detail. Would it be possible to speak with a Master Gardener? I'm new to this and am excited to learn. And I need help. There is so much on the internet and I did some reading at the U of M Extension site. A conversation would help so much.

I've attached a pic of my layout and a couple pics of plants to show the malfunction. Your help would be so appreciated. Some day I hope to grow peppers in mass...

Thanks and have a great day!

Thanks and have a great day

responder: MJ Replied June 19, 2024, 11:08 PM EDT
response: Hi, I'm sorry, this is an email service. If you want to talk to a master gardener in person, look for events where Anoka County Master Gardeners are answering questions. Here's their page: https://anokamastergardeners.org/ My suspicion is that plants were somehow infected with a leaf spot and the excessive rain helped it run wild. Peppers want heat, and we haven't had much of it this year. This may be bacterial leaf spot, which thrives in wet, humid weather.  https://extension.umn.edu/disease-management/bacterial-spot-tomato-and-pepper It would be wise to discard infected plants to save the rest. If you want to save plants that are mildly affected, pull off and bag the bad leaves and put them in the garbage. Also remove any dead leaves from the area.  I hope this helps. Good luck.

responder: The Question Asker Replied June 20, 2024, 8:07 AM EDT
response: Hello, Thank you for the insight and direction. You’ve confirmed my suspicions.   Have a great day!   SteveSent from my iPhone On Jun 19, 2024, at 10:08 PM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:   ﻿

responder: MJ Replied June 20, 2024, 8:21 AM EDT
response: Sorry for the bad news Steve. I hope the rest of your plants do better.

responder: The Question Asker Replied June 20, 2024, 11:56 AM EDT
response: Great learning experience. Thanks again, MJ.Sent from my iPhone On Jun 20, 2024, at 7:22 AM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:   ﻿

responder: The Question Asker Replied June 30, 2024, 9:38 PM EDT
response: Hi MJ, One more question: what about the dirt?  I’m writing all of the plants off; a total loss. Weather is not cooperating enough to breathe life back in them. They just keep getting worse. No problem, lessons learned. Just an excuse to get a greenhouse.  However, I still will be reusing the soil mix. This year I amended last years with some compost and manure, and add more new mix. The cycle will continue. Is my soil now contaminated? I did my best to remove and dispose of leaves as they went bad. But there has been some minimal decomposition into the soil. Should I be concerned? I will be emptying the pots into a pile soon for the season since it’s a bust. Is there anything special I should be doing with it due to this years malfunction?  Thanks, MJ!  SteveSent from my iPhone On Jun 20, 2024, at 10:53 AM, Stephen Anomalay <<personal data hidden>> wrote:   ﻿Great learning experience. Thanks again, MJ.Sent from my iPhone On Jun 20, 2024, at 7:22 AM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:   ﻿

responder: MJ Replied June 30, 2024, 9:59 PM EDT
response: Hi Steve, That U page I sent you says the bacteria lives on in the soil for one or two years. See below:  Biology Four closely related bacteria cause bacterial spot: Xanthomonas vesicatoria, X. euvesicatoria, X. gardneri, and X. perforans. Different strains infect either tomato or pepper or both. All strains prefer high temperatures (75°F to 86°F), high humidity, and frequent rainfall/overhead irrigation. Bacteria survive on plant debris in the soil for one to two years, but will not survive once plant debris breaks down. Introduction is primarily on infected seed or infected transplants. Even seedlings that do not show symptoms may be infected and will show symptoms later in the growing season. Bacteria can spread from plant to plant by tools, growers’ hands, or through splashing rain or irrigation water. Between rotations, the bacteria may survive on tomato or pepper volunteer plants.  Remember that when you start your pepper seeds, it should be in a sterile mix. You can use other soil when you move the plants to larger pots. Be careful about using too much manure. It can raise salt levels in soil. https://extension.umn.edu/nutrient-management-specialty-crops/correct-too-much-compost-and-manure You should sterilize your tools and the grow bags too. Here's a link: https://learndirt.com/learn/how-to-clean-grow-bags/ Good luck Steve.

responder: The Question Asker Replied June 30, 2024, 11:46 PM EDT
response: Thank you for your help. Your direct input was so beneficial as I’m just getting started with this type of gardening. All the answers I need moving forward, the extension has published. Thanks again.Sent from my iPhone On Jun 30, 2024, at 8:59 PM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:   ﻿