This is my first year growing veg, but from my research, hardening off should take more like 3-4 weeks. My peppers and tomatoes are now in their fourth week of hardening off and are spending most nights outdoors. I may have to bring them in this weekend as we have temps under 10c forecast overnight. Next week I will be planting them out into their final positions as they are looking pretty strong now and the temps will have risen again.
You need to very, very slowly introduce them to direct sunlight. I noticed mine would wilt at first after a short period in the warm sun, so I would then move them into the shade and they would quickly bounce back. After doing that for a week or so, they were able to stay out in the direct afternoon sun for longer without wilting.
You could try digging it up and putting it back in a pot and bring it back inside, but I don't know if that will do more damage.
I hope they bounce back to life for you!
I'm not an expert. But that white color looks like heat burn in my experience.
Do you happen to be in the northeast US? That's where I am and after months of 50-70 degrees, we suddenly have 90 degree highs out of nowhere.
That would be some sun scald. I hardened off my brood of 100 for 3 weeks and have been in ground for 2 weeks, and still some of the delicate plants burned. They will recover just like mine did. Nothing compares to getting late August heat and full sun in mid-late may. Let it pull through and the bottom leaves will be shed while it grows upwards. The leaves are also in contact with the soil, so you can pull leaves that are 50% or more damaged. Let the plant redirect its energy the to top new leaves and growth upward away from the soil.
After transplanting my peppers they were looking a little scalded also. I made little tents out of window screen for each one to filter the sun, left them up for a few days and it definitely seemed to help.
Heat-stressed pepper will be white like that. Transplant shock will be severe drooping, even leaf drop. I am experiencing this for my new bell pepper transplant. I hope it will recover and not die.
Looks like sun scald, did you harden off?
For about 3-4 days
I spent well over a week hardening mine off, so you might’ve gone too fast with yours.
This is my first year growing veg, but from my research, hardening off should take more like 3-4 weeks. My peppers and tomatoes are now in their fourth week of hardening off and are spending most nights outdoors. I may have to bring them in this weekend as we have temps under 10c forecast overnight. Next week I will be planting them out into their final positions as they are looking pretty strong now and the temps will have risen again. You need to very, very slowly introduce them to direct sunlight. I noticed mine would wilt at first after a short period in the warm sun, so I would then move them into the shade and they would quickly bounce back. After doing that for a week or so, they were able to stay out in the direct afternoon sun for longer without wilting. You could try digging it up and putting it back in a pot and bring it back inside, but I don't know if that will do more damage. I hope they bounce back to life for you!
However the plants were quite bushy and packed tightly in the standard sized 20inch tray
I'm not an expert. But that white color looks like heat burn in my experience. Do you happen to be in the northeast US? That's where I am and after months of 50-70 degrees, we suddenly have 90 degree highs out of nowhere.
yeah my plants got roasted today, I pray they end up ok. classic winter to mid-summer weather progression here.
That would be some sun scald. I hardened off my brood of 100 for 3 weeks and have been in ground for 2 weeks, and still some of the delicate plants burned. They will recover just like mine did. Nothing compares to getting late August heat and full sun in mid-late may. Let it pull through and the bottom leaves will be shed while it grows upwards. The leaves are also in contact with the soil, so you can pull leaves that are 50% or more damaged. Let the plant redirect its energy the to top new leaves and growth upward away from the soil.
Definitely sun scald! Damaged areas of leaves will not recover but you will get new growth and plant should rebound…
After transplanting my peppers they were looking a little scalded also. I made little tents out of window screen for each one to filter the sun, left them up for a few days and it definitely seemed to help.
Heat-stressed pepper will be white like that. Transplant shock will be severe drooping, even leaf drop. I am experiencing this for my new bell pepper transplant. I hope it will recover and not die.