Even seasoned gardeners occasionally run into problems with their pepper plants. When the leaves turn yellow, it usually signals a problem with the plant and it’s important to identify the cause so you can address it quickly. The most common issues are water stress and nutrient deficiencies, but disease and pest infestations can also cause the leaves to turn yellow.
Water Stress
The first thing to check when the yellow pepper leaves is to make sure the planting location is not too hot or too cold. Peppers are naturally tropical and like warm, dry weather, but if they experience extreme temperature changes they will be stressed and their leaves may begin to turn yellow and wilt.
Troubleshooting Yellow Pepper Leaves: Causes and Solutions for a Vibrant Harvest
The next issue to look for is whether the plant is receiving enough nitrogen. The pepper plant uses this nutrient to fuel leaf growth, but if it doesn’t have enough of it the old leaves will turn yellow and eventually fall off the plant. A soil test will show if the soil is deficient in nitrogen, and a one-time fertilization with a high nitrogen product should help to fix it.
Other nutrients that may be deficient include magnesium and calcium, so you can try adding these to the soil by using a mineral soil tester or a soil testing kit from your local gardening store. You can also add some humus to the soil, such as composted chicken manure or rabbit manure, or use a granular fertilizer that is high in these nutrients.