Pepper Plants Pooping Out Leaves Dropping, No Peppers

Johnstown, OH(Zone 6a)

Our pepper plants are sick. The leaves are spotted and blighted and are dropping off, leaving the plant with leaves at the top, few flowers and even less fruit. I haven't seen any bugs. About a month ago, I did find four or five orange colored egg masses -- one each on different plants in different parts of the pepper patch. I removed them. Almost all the plants sick, the exceptions being a couple of jalapeno pepper plants in the same patch that are thriving -- no leaf problems, lots of peppers.

I've attached a pictures of one of the plants. Fellow gardeners, can you help? Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions and advice on identification of the problem and how to manage or eradicate it.

Thumbnail by unionmaid
Richland, WA(Zone 7b)

My peppers are terrible this year, as are most of my friends- they look about like yours- I have no clus the problem- some of mine are less that a foot tall-very disheartening.

Highland Heights, KY(Zone 6a)

Those look much better than my jalapenos, which are almost non-existent now. It looks like something's been eating them, but I don't see any bugs.

Sanford, ME

Try inspecting your peppers at night,... I did and discovered a brown beetle chewing away,.. I looked them up and it appears to be a scarab beetle,... they are similar to Japanese beetles as far as life cycle but they prefer to feast at night........ check it out http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/bugs/scarab/


I also read an article that suggest a calcium deficiency will curl your leaves and drop your blossoms...?

good luck

Highland Heights, KY(Zone 6a)

Interesting, thanks!

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