pepper seedlings turning yellow

[RayR]

I remember now where I saw this before, Raybo used the Burpee XL System this year.
http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=26071

By Burpee Expert, Customer Service, May 8, 2012
The super growing pellets that you purchased are only meant for starting the seeds as they consist of a sterile natural coconut fiber and as well there are trace amounts of non-organic fertilizer added to balance PH and give a good start to young seedlings. We do not suggest that you keep the seedlings in the seed starter past the first set of true leaves as the plant will need more natural trace elements for its growth.

[guruofgardens]

No problem, Ray. We're all learning from each other. We all like to hear about others' remedies to problems we might encounter. Ray - are you growing bell peppers or hot ones?

Buckhunter - let us know how your water from the outside faucet works. We also have hard water and I know much of the minerals stay in the water, but we usually fill gallon jugs and let the sunshine 'evaporate' some of the chlorine before watering inside. Even letting the water sit for a few days seems to help.

[RayR]

Originally Posted by guruofgardens

No problem, Ray. We're all learning from each other. We all like to hear about others' remedies to problems we might encounter. Ray - are you growing bell peppers or hot ones?

Both sweet peppers and hot.

[buckhunter]

update ...... they seem to be a little better today ........ maybe the heat helped ? .... I havent gave them fertilizer yet but I will today ............. I have used miracle grow tomato food in the water in past years ,any opinions on this ?

The yellowing has improved but there are a few plants showing some purple . They need some fertilizer ?

[PaddyMc]

Purple usually means not enough light and heat in my experience. I'd also wager that they're over watered. Let them dry out a little and see if that helps.

[RayR]

Originally Posted by PaddyMc

Purple usually means not enough light and heat in my experience. I'd also wager that they're over watered. Let them dry out a little and see if that helps.

Purpling under the leaves is the sign of Phosphorus deficiency. If his soil was cold, then that could cause a problem with P uptake and the purple color of the leaves would result with any solanaceous plant. but he has them indoors, even on a heat mat. I think the problem is simply a general lack of of N and P because he didn''t fertilize them when true leaves appeared.
Coco Coir has only marginally more N and P than Peat Moss, definitely not enough to take a seedling into the vegetative growth phase. Coir does contain a significant amount of Potassium, up around 2%. Producers of coir for horticultural uses do a few things to prepare it. The coir is washed to leach out salts. Coir is also slightly acidic, around 5.5-6.0, so they will add dolomite to increase the PH, the added Calcium and Magnesium will also balance out the Potassium. That's all fine for starting from seed since the seedling already has its built in supply of nutrients to take it through the first steps until the roots have developed enough to take up nutrients, but once the seedling enters vegetative growth, it's up to the gardener to supply the food.

[buckhunter]

I dont really know what to try next. I have tried heat and tomato food and they are still stunted and 60% of the seedlings are yellow or purpling or both ........ 8^( ..............

[RayR]

Originally Posted by buckhunter

I dont really know what to try next. I have tried heat and tomato food and they are still stunted and 60% of the seedlings are yellow or purpling or both ........ 8^( ..............

How many true leaves do they have?
Maybe it's time to pot them up in a little larger pot with potting soil.
Look at the roots, are they root bound, are they white and healthy?

[luke]

Can't help you with the science, but my pepper seedlings are very slow to grow, and generally go through a yellowing phase. A few had the purple leaves you described. Mine are 2 1/2 months old and are just starting to look tolerable to plant out.

After potting up, I began fertilizing with diluted fish emulsion. It eventually helped them to green up and get some size to them.

[b54red]

I had trouble with slow growing and yellowing pepper seedlings also this year. I gave mine some Miracle Grow and an iron supplement in the fertilizer with a bit of molasses. I also gave them some foliar spraying with the iron supplement and molasses and they greened up nicely. I had to pot mine up when they were small because they were growing so unusually slow. I also started taking them out for a bit of sun earlier than planned and that helped; but you have to be careful not to burn them with too much sun too soon.

Bill

[buckhunter]

ok maybe repot them ........ I have never had to do that in past years but I have had problems with small plants a few times .

Thanks ........ I'll give it a try



oh btw .......... 2 -4 true leaves ........ a few plants are dark green and 3-4 " tall and look good .....most dont............. that is the part that is confusing me ............ some plants of the same variety look good and some look awful

[RebelRidin]

I pot up into potting mix that has the "osmokote" slow release type fertilizer in it shortly after they get their first true leaves (just like I do my toms). I've always have good results this way. I only give a liquid fert (1/2 strength) the last week before I plan to set them out.

[b54red]

Originally Posted by buckhunter

oh btw .......... 2 -4 true leaves ........ a few plants are dark green and 3-4 " tall and look good .....most dont............. that is the part that is confusing me ............ some plants of the same variety look good and some look awful

I had the same problem and some of them even dropped all their leaves and a few died while at the same time my tomatoes were growing like gangbusters with the same treatment. I have had this happen before with peppers and have no clue why they do this. Some years they outgrow my tomatoes and are ready too early; but not this year. You would think starting them in a greenhouse with fairly stable conditions that they would act the same each planting but they don't. I planted some more pepper seeds about a month ago and they are growing very fast and are very healthy looking. At the rate they are growing they will be in the garden before some of the ones planted in January. I did have a couple of varieties that did grow well and they were Jalapenos and Pappadews. Pappadews are usually very slow growing. Go figure.

Bill

[buckhunter]

yes ,my tomatoes are the best tomatoes I have ever started ! The peppers are in the exact same trays with same everything .........