Are you seeing black spots on your pepper plants? Don’t panic but don’t ignore them either.
Start knowing the cause of these black spots and then take steps to treat them before it’s too late. Luckily, you’re on the right page!
In this article, we’ll guide you through the different causes of black spots on pepper plants and teach you how to prevent or treat them. Read on to learn all the information you need to save your pepper plant.
1. Inconsistent Watering
How To Fix: Practice drip irrigation.
Pepper plants need a constant supply of water. Too little or too much water will stunt its growth or cause its leaves to curl up, turn black and fall off.
Generally, pepper plants need regular watering and should be kept dry during their growing season. They should not also be left soaking wet because this will only smother their roots.
As they say, do everything in moderation, including watering your pepper plants. So, follow a watering schedule and hydrate your pepper plants moderately.
Solution: Practice drip irrigation.
| Difficulty | Average ●●●○○ |
| Speed | Slow-acting |
| Things You Need | • Pepper plant • Pipe or hose • Hole punch • Tubing cutter • Plastic ground stakes • Pipe end clamp |
Drip irrigation involves the delivery of water onto the soil at low rates, usually 2 to 20 liters per hour, through small pipes. This method conserves water and allows it to seep directly into the roots of the pepper plant.
Check out the steps below on practicing drip irrigation to keep your pepper plants healthy!
How To Do
1. Connect your pipe to an outdoor faucet.
Make sure that the hose or pipe is tightly screwed into the faucet to prevent water contamination.
2. Lay out the pipes or hose.
Attach a length of the hose or pipe that is long enough to reach the plant beds and directly onto the plant roots. Keep each tubing line at least 12 inches apart.
3. Punch holes in the pipes or hose.
Using a hole punch, pierce a half-inch hole in the tube. Make sure there’s a hole for every plant in your garden.
4. Install the ground stakes.
Use plastic ground stakes to keep the hose or pipes from falling to the ground.
5. Close the end of the hose or pipe.
Once all the pipes are in place, turn on the water to flush out all the dirt and seal the end of the pipe with an end clamp.
6. Test the drip irrigation system.
Turn on the water, check for leaks, and ensure the water flows according to your desired rate.
2. Overfertilizing
| How To Fix: Use the correct type of fertilizer for each planting stage. |
Too much fertilizer will burn your pepper plants, with their leaves turning black on the edges, curling and falling off, and their stems developing black or brown patches.
Although peppers are heavy feeders, moderation is still a must, and you should still introduce the correct type of fertilizer to the soil for each planting stage.
Solution: Use the correct type of fertilizer for each planting stage.
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Speed | Slow-acting |
| Things You Need | • Pepper plant • Fertilizer |
You must introduce the right fertilizer at the right growing stage of your pepper plant.
Adding nitrogen-rich fertilizers to the soil during the growing season is ideal because it will help the plant grow strong roots, stems and leaves.
After the plant matures, introduce phosphorus and potassium-rich fertilizers to encourage the pepper plant to flower and produce fruits.
3. Bacterial Spot
How To Fix:
Option 1: Remove the pepper plant immediately.
Option 2: Avoid splashing water on leaves.
Option 3: Apply fungicide.
Bacterial spot is a destructive pepper plant disease caused by the bacteria Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria. It produces necrotic holes on leaves and black spots on its stems.
At first, the bacterial spot looks like a water-soaked area on the underside of the leaves. But don’t get fooled because these areas will expand and produce necrotic spots on leaves with a beige center and a dark brown-to-black border.
Option 1: Remove the pepper plant immediately.
| Difficulty | Average ●●●○○ |
| Speed | Fast-acting |
| Things You Need | • Pepper plant • Garden Spade • Plastic bag • Alcohol |
Uproot the whole pepper plant. The bacteria can survive in the plant debris, so getting rid of them will prevent future bacterial spot infections.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to safely remove your pepper plant.
How To Do
1. Identify the infected pepper plant.
Check the pepper plant, which has developed necrotic holes and spots on its leaves and stem.
2. Uproot the pepper plant.
Remove the pepper plant using a garden spade from the pot or garden bed. Make sure all the roots and other plant debris are also removed.
3. Dispose of the pepper plant.
Place all the pepper plants and their debris in a plastic bag and dispose of them in the garbage bin.
Do not place the uprooted pepper plant in your compost because it will spread pathogens once used in the soil.
4. Sanitize gardening tools.
Wipe your garden spade and other gardening tools with alcohol to prevent the transfer of pathogens to other plants or the soil.
Option 2: Avoid splashing water on leaves.
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Speed | Slow-acting |
| Things You Need | • Pepper plant • Water |
The bacteria which causes bacterial spots can spread from one plant to another by splashing rain or water on the leaves. To prevent this, water the pepper plant directly onto the soil to keep the leaves dry and your plant hydrated.
Option 3: Apply fungicide.
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Speed | Slow-acting |
| Things You Need | • Pepper plant • Fungicide |
Regularly spray copper-based fungicide, neem oil or even baking soda to your pepper plant to prevent the buildup and spread of the bacteria. These chemicals effectively kill or prevent the growth of bacteria, fungi and spores that damage the pepper plant.
4. Blossom End Rot
How To Fix:
Option 1: Apply calcium fertilizer.
Option 2: Prune excess leaves.
Blossom end rot produces peppers with sunken black spots at the bottom of the fruit. This condition begins with a light green or yellow sunken spot which will later expand and turn black.
Because of calcium deficiency and irregular watering, the pepper plant roots absorb excessive magnesium or nitrogen in the soil.
Unfortunately, you’ll only know that your plant is infected with this disease once the first fruit sets and by that time, it’s already too late.
Blossom end rot is common in nightshade plants like tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes, pumpkins, and squashes.
Option 1: Apply calcium fertilizer.
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Speed | Slow-acting |
| Things You Need | • Pepper plant • Calcium-rich fertilizer |
Calcium is an essential nutrient that helps in the healthy cellular development of the leaves and fruits of your pepper plant. All you have to do is to amend your soil by adding calcium fertilizer.
Option 2: Prune excess leaves.
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Speed | Slow-acting |
| Things You Need | • Pruning shears • Alcohol |
Pruning excess leaves will help your pepper plant deliver more calcium to its fruits and prevent the sunken black spots on its bottom.
For this quick fix, just prune the excess leaves on the top of the plant and sanitize your pruning shears to prevent the spread of bacteria or fungi to and from other plants.
4. Anthracnose
How To Fix:
Option 1: Remove affected plant parts.
Option 2: Apply fungicide.
Anthracnose is a common pepper plant disease caused by the fungi Colletotrichum lagenarium.
It begins with water-soaked lesions on the fruits, which become soft and sunken black centers. Multiple lesions can appear on peppers as they continue to ripen, eventually causing them to rot.
Unfortunately, anthracnose can infect an entire crop of plants and stay in the soil for at least two years. So once your pepper plant is infected, you cannot grow anything in that area for two years.
Option 1: Remove affected plant parts.
| Difficulty | Average ●●●○○ |
| Speed | Fast-acting |
| Things You Need | • Pepper plant • Pruning shears • Plastic bag • Alcohol |
You should remove the affected leaves, stems and fruits once the black lesions appear to prevent its spread to the pepper plant and others.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to safely remove the infected parts of your pepper plant.
How To Do
1. Identify the infected pepper fruits.
Check which pepper fruits, leaves, and stems have developed water-soaked lesions with soft, sunken black centers.
2. Remove the contaminated plant part.
Remove the pepper plant’s contaminated fruits, leaves or stems using your pruning shears.
3. Dispose of the pepper plant.
Place all the contaminated plant parts and their debris in a plastic bag and dispose of them in the garbage bin.
Do not place the plant debris in your compost because it will spread pathogens once used in the soil.
4. Sanitize gardening tools.
Wipe your pruning shears and other gardening tools with alcohol to prevent the transfer of bacteria to other plants or the soil.
Option 2: Apply fungicide.
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Speed | Slow-acting |
| Things You Need | • Pepper plant • Fungicide |
Regularly spray fungicide with copper sulfate or thiophanate-methyl to your pepper plant. Fungicides will work best to prevent the plant from being infected by any fungi or spreading its spores.
5. Sunscald
How To Fix: Plant pepper plants in partially-shaded locations.
When pepper plants receive intense and prolonged exposure to the sun’s heat, sunscald is inevitable.
You’ll see white or yellow blisters or cracks on the side of the fruit most exposed to the sun. Eventually, black mold will grow on these blisters causing black spots on the fruit’s skin.
Solution: Plant pepper plants in partially-shaded locations.
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Speed | Slow-acting |
| Things You Need | • Pepper plant • Phosphorus and potassium-rich fertilizer |
You should immediately remove the affected pepper plant showing signs of blisters and cracks and transfer them to a partially-shaded location. You can also add phosphorus and potassium-rich fertilizer to boost the pepper plant’s recovery.
Additionally, the next time you plant peppers, grow them in partially-shaded locations or provide row covers during summer. You can also put complementary plants near your peppers so they can give shade to their fruits.
6. Wet Rot
How To Fix: Remove affected plant parts.
Wet rot is another pepper plant disease caused by the fungi Choanephora cucurbitarum. This pathogen develops in areas with high humidity or excessive rainfall.
Once this fungal pathogen infects your plant, you’ll see gray to black mushy lesions on the leaves, stems and fruits that quickly rot.
Like anthracnose-infected plants, wet rot fungi can stay in the same spot for a long time. To be safe, do not plant anything in the infected area for at least two years.
Solution: Remove affected plant parts.
| Difficulty | Average ●●●○○ |
| Speed | Fast-acting |
| Things You Need | • Pepper plant • Pruning shears • Plastic bag • Alcohol |
Remove the affected leaves, stems and fruits once you see the mushy lesions to prevent them from spreading to other plants in your garden.
Below are steps to safely remove the infected parts of your pepper plant.
How To Do
1. Identify the infected plant parts.
Check which pepper fruits, leaves, and stems have developed black mushy lesions and are slowly rotting.
2. Remove the contaminated plant part.
Remove the pepper plant’s contaminated fruits, leaves or stems using your pruning shears.
3. Dispose of the pepper plant.
Place all the contaminated plant parts and debris in a plastic bag and throw them in your garbage bin.
Never add plant debris to your compost because it will bring back the pathogens to the soil and continue its spread to other plants.
4. Sanitize gardening tools.
Wipe your pruning shears and other gardening tools with alcohol to prevent the spread of bacteria, fungi and other viruses to other plants in your garden.
7. Cucumber Mosaic
How To Fix:
Option 1: Remove infected plants.
Option 2: Remove aphids in your garden.
The cucumber mosaic disease is caused by its namesake virus with aphids as its carrier.
Pepper plants infected by this virus develop mottled, yellow and curling leaves and fruits with necrotic ringspots. The ring spots begin with a pale tan color before turning black.
Sadly, there is no cure for the cucumber mosaic disease. It can even infect a whole crop and other plants in your garden.
Option 1: Remove infected plants.
| Difficulty | Average ●●●○○ |
| Speed | Fast-acting |
| Things You Need | • Pepper plant • Garden Spade • Plastic bag • Alcohol |
You should immediately remove the infected pepper plant to prevent the virus from spreading to other nightshades and plants in your garden. Here’s how to safely uproot your pepper plant.
How To Do
1. Identify the infected pepper plant.
Check the pepper plant, which has developed mottled, yellow and curling leaves and fruits with necrotic ring spots.
2. Uproot the pepper plant.
Uproot the whole pepper plant from the soil using a garden spade. Make sure all the roots and other plant debris are also removed.
3. Dispose of the pepper plant.
Place the uprooted pepper plant and its debris in a plastic bag and throw them in the garbage bin.
Do not add the infected pepper plant to your compost because it will only continue spreading pathogens once used in the soil.
4. Sanitize gardening tools.
Wipe your garden spade with alcohol to prevent the transfer of pathogens in your garden.
Option 2: Remove aphids in your pepper plant.
| Difficulty | Easy ●●○○○ |
| Speed | Fast-acting |
| Things You Need | • Pepper plant • Insecticidal soap |
One of the best ways to prevent the cucumber mosaic disease is to remove its carrier by spraying insecticidal soap over aphids and their eggs.
Insecticidal soap directly kills aphids upon direct contact, so apply them as frequently as possible to remove aphids altogether. Make sure to spray on the undersides of the leaves, where aphids love to hide.
8. Sooty Mold
How To Fix:
Option 1: Spray dish soap solution.
Option 2: Place companion plants that repel aphids.
Sooty mold is brought to pepper plants by aphids. Black powdery mildew, like soot from chimneys, rapidly spreads on the pepper leaves and stems.
As these pests feed on the leaves, they leave a honeydew on which the black sooty mold grows. Eventually, the sooty mold spreads and covers the leaves and stems of the pepper plant.
Option 1: Spray dish soap solution.
| Difficulty | Easy ●○○○○ |
| Speed | Fast-acting |
| Things You Need | • 1 cup of water • One tablespoon of dish soap • Spray bottle |
Make a solution of water, dish soap, and alcohol and spray it on the pepper plant to get rid of aphids in your garden. Check out these easy steps on how to create a dish soap solution.
How To Do
1. Pour 1 cup of water into the spray bottle.
2. Add one tablespoon of dish soap to the spray bottle.
3. Shake the bottle until the ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
4. Spray the dish soap solution on your pepper plants.
5. Repeat spraying every other day until the aphids or other pests are gone.
Option 2: Place companion plants that repel aphids.
| Difficulty | Easy ●●○○○ |
| Speed | Slow-acting |
| Things You Need | • Pepper plant • Companion plants |
Some very effective plants in repelling aphids are basil, dill, thyme, cilantro, lemongrass, lavender, petunia, garlic, chives, marigolds, rosemary, catnip and mint.
9. Fusarium Wilt
How To Fix:
Option 1: Remove infected plants.
Option 2: Plant peppers in a new location.
Fusarium wilt is caused by the soil-born fungi Fusarium oxysporum, which can live in the soil for up to five years. It will first attack lower leaves, turning them yellow and black. The infection will work its way up and attach newer, upper leaves as they fall off.
But that’s not the end of the problem. This fungal infection also blocks the pepper plant’s water vessels, leading to wilting, nutrient deprivation, dehydration and death.
Option 1: Remove infected plants.
| Difficulty | Average ●●●○○ |
| Speed | Fast-acting |
| Things You Need | • Pepper plant • Garden Spade • Plastic bag • Alcohol |
Immediately remove the infected pepper plant to prevent the fungi from spreading to other plants in your garden. Below are steps on how to safely remove the infected pepper plant.
How To Do
1. Identify the infected pepper plant.
Check the pepper plant, which has leaves turning yellow or black and falling off.
2. Uproot the pepper plant.
Remove the whole pepper plant from the soil using a garden spade.
3. Dispose of the pepper plant.
Put the uprooted pepper plant and its debris in a plastic bag and throw them in the garbage bin.
Never add pepper plant debris to your compost to prevent the spread of the fungi back into the soil.
4. Sanitize gardening tools.
Wipe or dip your garden spade with alcohol to prevent the transfer of pathogens in your garden.
Option 2: Plant peppers in a new location.
| Difficulty | Average ●●●○○ |
| Speed | Fast-acting |
| Things You Need | Pepper plant |
Avoid planting the pepper in the location you used to plant eggplant, potato, or tomatoes for 4 to 6 years. These plants can all be infected by Fusarium wilt, so planting them in the exact location will only help the fungi to thrive.
10. Bacterial Leaf Spot
How To Fix:
Option 1: Apply fungicide.
Option 2: Practice drip irrigation.
The bacteria Pseudomonas cichorii causes the bacterial leaf spot. This disease causes brown to black water-soaked spots on the leaves and lesions or streaks on the stems.
These black lesions will further weaken the stems with wet rot, causing them to fall over and die.
Option 1: Apply fungicide.
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Speed | Slow-acting |
| Things You Need | • Pepper plant • Fungicide |
Spray copper-based fungicide, neem oil or baking soda to your pepper plant. These chemicals prevent the buildup and spread of bacterial leaf spot disease to other plants in your garden.
Option 2: Practice drip irrigation.
| Difficulty | Average ●●●○○ |
| Speed | Slow-acting |
| Things You Need | • Pepper plant • Pipe or hose • Hole punch • Tubing cutter • Plastic ground stakes • Pipe end clamp |
Drip irrigation ensures that water seeps directly into the roots of the pepper plant. It also prevents diseases by minimizing water contact with the leaves and steps and preventing their build-up in moist areas of the plant.
Here’s how to apply drip irrigation in your garden.
How To Do
1. Connect your pipe to an outdoor faucet.
To prevent water contamination, keep the hose or pipe tightly screwed into the faucet.
2. Lay out the pipes or hose.
Attach a length of the hose or pipe enough to reach the plant beds and directly onto the plant roots. Keep each tubing line at least 12 inches apart.
3. Punch holes in the pipes or hose.
Using a hole punch, pierce a half-inch hole in the tube. Dedicate a hole for every plant in your garden.
4. Install the ground stakes.
Using plastic ground stakes, keep the hose or pipes from falling to the ground.
5. Close the end of the hose or pipe.
Turn on the water to flush out all the dirt. Seal the end of the pipe with an end clamp.
6. Test the drip irrigation system.
Turn on the water and check for leaks. Set the flow rate according to your plant’s needs.
11. Phytophthora Blight
How To Fix:
Option 1: Remove infected plants.
Option 2: Practice drip irrigation.
Phytophthora blight is a destructive pepper plant disease caused by the pathogen Phytophthora capsici. It attacks all parts of the pepper plant and can even kill a whole crop of peppers in a snap.
Once your pepper plant contracts Phytophthora blight, you’ll see wilted leaves and black lesions on its stem and fruits. Eventually, the plant will begin to rot, collapse and die.
Option 1: Remove infected plants.
| Difficulty | Average ●●●○○ |
| Speed | Fast-acting |
| Things You Need | • Pepper plant • Garden Spade • Plastic bag • Alcohol |
Get rid of the whole pepper plant and its debris in your garden. Dispose of them entirely and never add them to compost.
Here are essential steps when removing infected pepper plants from your garden.
How To Do
1. Identify the infected pepper plant.
Check the pepper plant with wilted leaves and black lesions on its fruits and stems.
2. Uproot the whole pepper plant in your garden.
3. Dispose of the pepper plant.
Place all the plant debris in a plastic bag and throw them in the garbage can. Do not add them to your compost to prevent the pathogen from re-infecting your garden.
4. Sanitize gardening tools.
Wipe or dip your garden spade with alcohol to prevent the transfer of pathogens to other plants in your garden.
Option 2: Practice drip irrigation.
| Difficulty | Average ●●●○○ |
| Speed | Slow-acting |
| Things You Need | • Pepper plant • Pipe or hose • Hole punch • Tubing cutter • Plastic ground stakes • Pipe end clamp |
The drip irrigation method ensures that water is applied directly onto the soil and leaves remain dry, not becoming a breeding ground for fungi or bacteria. Here’s how to use drip irrigation to keep your pepper plants healthy and disease-free.
How To Do
1. Connect your pipe to an outdoor faucet.
To prevent water contamination, keep the hose or pipe tightly screwed into the faucet.
2. Lay out the pipes or hose.
Attach a length of the hose or pipe enough to reach the plant beds and directly onto the plant roots. Keep each tubing line at least 12 inches apart.
3. Punch holes in the pipes or hose.
Using a hole punch, pierce a half-inch hole in the tube. Dedicate a hole for every plant in your garden.
4. Install the ground stakes.
Using plastic ground stakes, keep the hose or pipes from falling to the ground.
5. Close the end of the hose or pipe.
Turn on the water to flush out all the dirt. Seal the end of the pipe with an end clamp.
6. Test the drip irrigation system.
Turn on the water and check for leaks. Set the flow rate according to your plant’s needs.
12. Sclerotinia
How To Fix:
Option 1: Remove the infected plant.
Option 2: Apply fungicide.
Sclerotinia is a fungal disease caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, which develops in moist soil and overcrowded plants, usually every summer and early autumn.
Sclerotinia causes black lesions on the stem’s bottom part, spreading to its leaves. A white mold will cover these lesions while the leaves suffer from chlorosis, drop and die.
Unfortunately, the sclerotinia fungus produces black, seed-like structures (sclerotia) that can survive for long periods in the soil, so do not grow anything on the infected area for at least two years.
Option 1: Remove the infected plant.
| Difficulty | Average ●●●○○ |
| Speed | Fast-acting |
| Things You Need | • Pepper plant • Garden Spade • Plastic bag • Alcohol |
Uproot the whole pepper plant and its debris. Dispose of them thoroughly to prevent future sclerotinia infections.
Here are steps for removing infected pepper plants from your garden.
How To Do
1. Identify the infected pepper plant.
Check the pepper plant with black lesions and white mold on the stems and leaves.
2. Uproot the whole pepper plant in your garden.
3. Place the contaminated plant in a plastic bag and dispose of them in the garbage.
Do not add plant debris to your compost to prevent the pathogen from spreading again in your garden.
4. Sanitize gardening tools.
Wipe or dip your garden spade with alcohol to prevent the transfer of pathogens to the soil or other plants in your garden.
Apply fungicide.
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Speed | Slow-acting |
| Things You Need | • Pepper plant • Fungicide |
Spray fungicide with copper sulfate or thiophanate-methyl on the pepper plant to prevent the growth of the fungi. Cooper sulfate works to bind the proteins in the fungi and damages its cells, causing them to leak and die.
13. Tobacco Mosaic Virus
How To Fix: Remove the infected pepper plant.
The tobacco mosaic virus is passed through infected seeds, contaminated plant sap or debris. It causes the development of mottled black areas on leaves and causes them to shrink, curl and fall off.
Unfortunately, this virus has no cure, spreads rapidly, and thrives for weeks or months in the infected material.
Solution: Remove the infected pepper plant.
| Difficulty | Average ●●●○○ |
| Speed | Fast-acting |
| Things You Need | • Pepper plant • Garden Spade • Plastic bag • Alcohol |
Remove the infected plant and dispose of all of its plant debris. Additionally, avoid touching your pepper plant after working with tobacco products such as cigarettes or chewing tobacco.
Below are easy steps to remove infected pepper plants from your garden safely.
How To Do
1. Identify the infected pepper plant.
Check the pepper plant with mottled black areas on leaves and shrinking foliage.
2. Uproot the whole pepper plant in your garden.
3. Place the contaminated plant in a plastic bag and dispose of them in the garbage.
Never add plant debris to your compost to prevent the pathogen from spreading again in your garden.
4. Sanitize gardening tools.
Wipe your garden spade with alcohol after use to prevent the transfer of pathogens to the soil or other plants in your garden.
How to Prevent Black Spots on Pepper Plants
Check out our proven and tested tips on preventing black spots on your pepper plants.
1. Choose the suitable pepper variety.
Fortunately, there are pepper seed varieties that are resistant to diseases. When you buy seeds from garden centers, check the plant description to see its resistance to specific diseases.
For instance, if there’s an “F” on the seed pack, your pepper variety is resistant to fusarium wilt.
Here’s a table of the seed pack codes for resistance to the pepper plant diseases we discussed above.
| Plant Disease | Seed Pack Code |
| Bacterial leaf spot | BLS |
| Blossom end rot | BER |
| Anthracnose | ANT |
| Fusarium wilt | F or FUS |
2. Practice crop rotation.
Crop rotation refers to the non-planting of the same crop in the same area of your garden for at least two years. So, you’ll have to rotate the crops on a three or four-year cycle to remove any remnant of plant diseases from your garden.
We also recommend not to plant pepper plants along with other nightshade crops like tomatoes, potatoes and eggplants because the same plant diseases will likely infect them.
In the meantime, you can plant corn, beans and pumpkins in that small space. You’ll not only get a lot of nutrition from these crops, but they’ll also return nitrogen to the soil.
3. Prune low-lying leaves.
Proper air circulation between the plants is achieved through regular pruning. When there’s enough space, it ensures that less water splashes to the lower leaves or other plants, preventing the growth and spread of bacteria and fungi.
As you’ve observed from what we discussed above, most plant diseases start with wet, low-lying leaves, so it’s best to prune them out before they become breeding grounds for pathogens and start spreading diseases.
You should also prune the leggy bottom branches of the pepper plant to prevent the spores of the bacteria and fungi from splashing onto the plant’s surface.
4. Practice drip irrigation.
Drip irrigation is key to preventing the soil or low-lying leaves from becoming breeding grounds for fungi and bacteria.
With this watering method, water is applied directly to the plant’s roots. So, by watering your pepper plants close to the soil, you’ll avoid splashing onto the lower leaves and prevent them from getting moist and vulnerable to infection.
5. Remove infected plants immediately.
Unfortunately, for most pepper plant disease infections, there’s no cure. Your best bet is to remove them and prevent their spread to other plants.
Removing infected plants means destroying all their parts, debris, and soil to ensure no pathogen stays in your garden.
You also should not add plant debris to your compost because most bacteria, fungi or viruses can survive in the soil for years.
FAQs on Black Spots on Pepper Plants
Excessive accumulation of anthocyanin causes the stems of pepper plants to turn black. When pepper plants are stressed, their anthocyanin levels rise as a defense mechanism while giving a black color to their stems.
Bell peppers with black spots are safe to eat since these spots are part of the plant’s natural ripening process.
Fix your pepper plant’s calcium deficiency by adding calcium fertilizer. Calcium is a mobile nutrient that can transport from the roots to its leaves and fruits as needed.
You can eat peppers with blossom end rot; their black spots are not toxic to humans. Blossom end rot develops because of the lack of calcium in the pepper plant but has no harmful side effects on the edibility of the fruit.
Baking soda can treat leaf spots since it has anti-fungal properties that can remedy fungal diseases and even powdery mildew.
