Tom,

Are you growing in pots or inground?

Which two varieties went down with wilting and which ones did not? Were the two varieties next to each other or in any way associated?

Was the wilting rapid, as in ASAP and did the foliage stay green or was it gradual with just one or two branches at a time?

And was there any change in foliage color to yellow and then to brown and then death? How long did it take them to die after you first saw the wilting?

Were there any spots on the leaves?

If there were any other symptoms or circumstances I didn't ask about would you please share?

Carolyn

Thanks Carolyn-

Both are Celebrity and there is a another Celebrity between them not affected yet.

Wilting over the past two weeks - plant started with just a few wilting.

Yes, I have brown spots - just a few, on the leaves.

Only one side of the plant seemed affected at first, but now it is spreading.

They are mainly still green just very wilted, although some have totally died and turned brown.

I have another question for you: If I create raised beds in boxes on top of the soil next year, using soil from outside my garden, will this disease simply climb up into the new beds on top or would I be safer?

PS: All my pepper plants are unaffected and healthy if that helps.

Carolyn

Just pulled up THREE plants now - leaves have some brown spots otherwise they were green - checked the root systems after I pulled them and they looked deep and strong.

Another hint that might help 'us' - all the fruit was unaffected by whatever malady this is. They were smooth and firm and healthy looking. So I've lost two Celebrity's and one Super Sioux now. It's been hot, but the other 8 plants are looking fine! What to do?

Thank you in advance,

Tom

Tom,

There's more than one thing going on here.

Brown Spots on the leaves is a foliage infection which we can pursue if you wish and try to find out if it's bacterial or fungal so you can treat for it. No varieties have tolerance to foliage infections. And foliage infectioons do not have wilt associated with them/

But you've been talking abnout some kind of wilt disease and I'm not clear on why you're pulling up the plants.

It could be Fusarium or Verticillium of something like that, and fruits wouldn't be affected with systemic wilt diseases/

For now, there's nothing you can do with plants that develop systemic wilt diseases. There is treatment available if you want to go ahead and try to determine what the leaf lesions are.

Celebrity is tolerant to Verticillium and races 1 and 2 of Fusarium and while tolerant doesn't mean resistant I am a bit surprised to plants die from either of those two so early in the season, or where would you say you are in the season?

Could be another systemic disease, too.

other than what you've said re symptoms do you see any distorted foliage, any purpling/bronzing of the foliage?

Carolyn