Question about pepper seedlings...

[mecktom]

My pepper plants have a lighter green slmost yellow look to them. They look fine other than that. I don't think they need fertilizer since I have applied MG recently. They are about 6-8 in. tall and just do not have that deep green color.
Any help is appreciated.

[FILMNET]

MG Already? Mine takes so long to grow even under lights, i wonder also? My leaves go from green to light green every week, cant figure it out myself, I water from the bottom. I would only use fish fertilizer in the water if it did anything.

[riceke]

Every year the same thing happens. I thought it was overwatering but that didn't prove out as a few that I cut back on watering died. The other thing I thought might be chlorine in the water. I also water with 1/2 dilution of MG. Maybe that's the way they grow, because I grow tomatoes right along side of them and they don't show any of the color change. I'm at a loss as well. Hope someone has an answer.

[FILMNET]

need photos? to understand the problem

[fortyonenorth]

I've seen the same thing on some--but not all--of my peppers. My guess is that it's a (high) pH induced iron deficiency. Often, an iron deficit manifests as a yellowing of the new growth, but with dark green veins. But this isn't always the case. Sometimes it is an overall yellowing.

In my case, the higher pH is from the irrigation water (tap water) rather than a high substrate pH. You can lower the pH of your water by adding household vinegar or lemon juice in the amount of roughly 2-3 teaspoons per gallon. The exact amount will vary according to your water's buffering capacity. To get really crazy about it, buy some pH test strips and test your amended water. You want a pH between 6 and 7.

[Crandrew]

i water with distilled water and still receive the same results on my pepper seedlings.

[FILMNET]

I has a some south widows, i give them sun 2 days and under lights 2 days. It help them

[tjg911]

i'm on a well and i have so much iron in my water if you drop a glass of it on your foot it'll break your toes. but my water softener does a good job of making what looks like swamp water into pretty clear and potable water. maybe iron in the water isn't absorbed or maybe it is, i don't know. i have corno di toro, fatalii, long red slim cayenne, tabasco and datil peppers and the only ones that had a yellowing issue and were much smaller than the others (of those started 2/29 - remember the fatalii's were started in late sept) was the datil peppers. based upon marktutt's comments in a thread i started i now think it was too much water and exposure to temperatures that were too cool outside and in the basement under lights and especially when wet from watering. the fatalii were started in late september when it was warm inside the house and over wintered and did fine. fatalii and datil are the only peppers that are chinenese and they are more difficult and less tolerant of too much water and cold. once i let the datil dry out, never watered them unless they'd be in a warm spot, was light on the watering and kept them upstairs at night on the dvr at 82, once i did those things 2 of the 3 have recovered and look fine but one is still quite small tho much greener.

you don't mention varieties, watering, temps, are they severely root bound, how you are caring for them so it is pretty hard to know.

tom

[mecktom]

I have thought it was "in the water" also but just do not know. I have moved them to a lower shelf in the greenhouse where there is not as much direct light. They look better but it may be wishful thinking!

[tjg911]

peppers like light i would think cutting back on sun light would add to the problem. maybe too much fertilizer is causing troubles? 6-8" aren't small like mine that are 2-3" but i use nh fish and sea weed and dilute it cuz these are baby plants.

tom

[FILMNET]

I am growing some Pepperdew's 1 per pot color is not as strong and being outside last summer.