Peppers, sweet or hot, grow well in full sun where the soil is rich in organic matter. You can minimize problems by leaving enough space between plants for air to circulate freely. Sometimes, despite our best efforts problems arise. Here are 5 common pepper problems and how to handle them.

Symptom: Holes bored in the peppers

Causes: Corn earworm, European corn borer

You will know corn earworms are the culprits if you find them inside the pepper – though they may have already left the peppers. Where corn earworms are a persistent problem, spraying BTK (Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki) early – while the worms are still feeding on the leaves – will reduce their numbers. Corn borers enter the peppers immediately upon hatching, so no spraying will control them. In either case, destroy damaged peppers and clean up crop residues at the end of the season. Read More…