I noticed these white bumps on the stems of my pepper plants while planting them out this weekend, and thought you might wanna know what’s happening here.
While I’ll admit, it looks a little creepy, these are actually just roots!
Specifically, adventitious roots, which is just a fancy way of saying roots that are growing from non-root tissues like stems, leaves, or branches, rather than the primary root system.
It usually happens when:
- There is high humidity and warmth
- The plant is searching for more water and nutrients
- The stem frequently comes into contact with damp soil
- The plant experiences environmental stressors like too much water or outgrowing its container
So, if this happens, what should you do about it?
The nifty thing is, you can actually use this to your advantage!
I’d recommend transplanting out into your garden or potting up into a larger container.
When you transplant, plant them deep enough to cover the adventitious roots. They will develop into normal roots and contribute to a stronger, more established root system!
How cool is that?!
Have you seen this happen before?
P.S. I included an action shot + after pic of planting all my peppers out! Can’t wait until they start producing!