Why does your Capsicum Salsa Orange have sudden leaf drop? Diagnose the cause and fix it with our step-by-step guide.
Capsicum species are highly sensitive to uneven watering; rapid transitions between bone-dry soil and waterlogged conditions trigger an abscission response in pepper leaves. This sudden physiological shock causes the plant to shed leaves to conserve moisture.
Excessive moisture in the growing medium leads to fungal colonization of the root system, preventing the plant from transporting water to its canopy. As roots decay, the pepper plant cannot support foliage, resulting in rapid leaf drop.
Pepper plants are tropical in origin and lack frost tolerance; temperatures dropping below 50°F (10°C) can cause cellular damage. Sudden exposure to cold drafts or night-time temperature drops causes the plant to drop leaves as a survival mechanism.
A severe lack of nitrogen prevents the formation of chlorophyll and new tissue, causing the plant to sacrifice older leaves to redirect nutrients to the growing tip. This typically manifests as yellowing leaves that eventually fall off.
Your plant might also be experiencing one of these issues:
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