time to fertilize.

May I ask what is the variety, and when you planted the seeds?

I would think that it is norma for the new leaves to be like that. I could be wrong.

This post was edited by seysonn on Sun, Nov 10, 13 at 2:15

Frankly, I don't know the variety. I picked it up from the local garden shop.

I had seen newer leaves before. They were a bit pale green but not so wrinkly. They newer leaves have started to appear like this after the buds have shown. Even the bigger leaves donot get back to normal shape.

I have one other ornamental pepper plant also with a lot of fruit developing which also I bought from the nursery. Leaves around that are also looking wrinkly.

Just another possibility: INSECTS
Any aphids, white fles, mites ? check the backside of the leaves closely.

Yet another possibility: CALCIUM DEFICIENCY

Yet another possibility: TOO MUCH WATER, maybe too much fertilizer too.

You are in a better position to evaluate the above possibilities.

Seems very much like this problem. Suggesting Epsom salt.
Any comments?

Here is a link that might be useful: Pepper leaf curling problem

What's the potting mix consist of? Leaf curl can be caused by many things, but I've noticed lack of Calcium or aphids seem to be the reasons much of the time.

Did you add lime or gypsum to your mix prior to planting? If not, then it's "kind of" too late. You may look into a water soluble form of it(calcium) or google "smokemaster witch's brew." He makes a soluble form of it using lime and vinegar.

Kevin

This post was edited by woohooman on Sun, Nov 10, 13 at 12:52

Cyclamen mites?

I checked the back side of many leaves carefully. No sign of any insect or mites.

I still am not sure as to what to do.... Leaf curl, as I research, may be because of psychological stress as well. I dont know what stress this plant is in. The only thing that I can think of is that this plant was not watered for around 25 days because of being heavily overwatered in a very water retentive soil. It got its first water supply after 25 days and a little bit of fertilizer too. 1/4th of the recommended feeding. After which it had started to show those flower buds but with such wrinkled leaves.

I asked you about the variety. But did no know it.
The reason I asked was because some variety of HOT peppers with big leaves like that tend to curl a bit. If I remember it right, Habanero is like that. This does not happen the ones with small narrow leaves.

check out this one

Also check the video. The claim it is calcium deficiency . But I doubt that. On the plant similar to yours has bumps.

Here is a link that might be useful: bumpy leaves

This post was edited by seysonn on Mon, Nov 11, 13 at 5:21

Saood:

This condition is quite common and plants normally grow out of it and produce well. So, don't stress...your plant, otherwise, looks very healthy.

However, you didn't answer my questions of the soil mix and whether there's sufficient calcium in it. Lack of Calcium CAN affect fruiting.

Kevin

Even though the plant may grow out of it, or your fertilizer supplies what the plant is telling you that it wants, the curled leaves will remain. So pay attention to the new foliage and ignore the now-curled older leaves. FWIW, my C.chinense almost all did the same this year, and now they are huge. Don't worry.

Dennis

Thanks Seysonn for the picture and video. Why do you doubt about calcium deficiency?

Thanks Dennis and Kevin for the comfort. I believe the potting mix has calcium. In addition, the liquid fertilizer also has a a bit of calcium so I believe calcium would not be the issue. Having said that - since this is my first try at any sort of gardening, it might turn out that calcium was short or excess.

I believe the potting mix has calcium. In addition, the liquid fertilizer also has a a bit of calcium so I believe calcium would not be the issue
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Saood,
you already supported my belief that calcium deficiency is not the problem. This same thing happens to tomato plants in the form of BER. Two tomato plants are often growing side by side. One develops BER , the other doe not.

In the video that I linked, there were other peppers with normal leaves but just that particular one had bumpy leaves.

So, my conclusion is that it is in the genetics of certain plants.
Calcium is often present in the soil. Also some fertilizers have supplemental calcium and magnesium.

So that means that I stick to what I have been doing. Fertilize as usual and this should go away hopefully - for newer leaves.

Thanks.

Yep. Should be fine. Just make sure your fert has some Ca and Mg -- those are 2 nutes that a lot of All-purpose soluble ferts seem to lack(for some odd reason).

You may want to up your feeding to 1/2 strength weekly also. But other than that, nothing to stress over.

Btw, most potting mixes don't contain any Ca. That's why so many container gardeners add lime or gypsum and/or bone meal.

Kevin

This post was edited by woohooman on Tue, Nov 12, 13 at 13:30