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seeds Purple on top of seedling leaves

S

Shawn Reed

Hey everyone, I am getting some purple on top of my a couple varieties of my seedling leaves. The one pictured is a peach reaper. Could it be a phosphate defiency? Lights are several inches off the plants and I only water when seedling pods are getting mostly dried. Thanks in advance for any suggestions?

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stevie said:
unlikely they would be deficient at that stage. how many hours of light are they getting and what kind of lights are you using? could be too much/intense light.
 
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T5s with 4 bulbs around 15-16 hours a day. I have seedlings in the same trays that sprouted first and are a bit taller and more developed not turning purple. Raise lights?
 
are they HO T5s? (54w per tube). if they are, i'd keep the lights no less than 7 inches, preferably around 8-10 inches when they are seedlings, then you can bring them to 7-8 inches once they develop a bit but you also have to watch the temps above their canopy. T5s generally run cool, but heat can build up if you don't have a small fan blowing over the plant canopy (not directly at them),
 
only feed them if you haven't and its a seed mix with no nutrients..
 
It's not deficiency, it's the way the particular variety reacts to the light intensity it's getting (with anthocyanins). I probably wouldn't raise the lights if the other seedlings look fine and you feel like they're properly positioned unless other symptoms appear that show a negative reaction.  The coloration in and of itself, doesn't mean anything is wrong and most likely it will go away soon. Many varieties will do that only when very young.
 
CaneDog said:
It's not deficiency, it's the way the particular variety reacts to the light intensity it's getting (with anthocyanins). I probably wouldn't raise the lights if the other seedlings look fine and you feel like they're properly positioned unless other symptoms appear that show a negative reaction.  The coloration in and of itself, doesn't mean anything is wrong and most likely it will go away soon. Many varieties will do that only when very young.
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yeah some varieties experience the pigment change more than others with light intensity, happens with tomatoes and many other plants. its a 'defense' mechanism, but his/hers is most likely a bit too close because they appear stressed to me, and a combo of heat stress as well. look at the leaf edges curling up slightly (like cupping), sign of stress.
 
I don't see any stress related-cupping or overt signs of heat stress in that picture myself, but I'm not ready to say the lights are or aren't too close from the little bit of a picture provided.  Best to look at all the seedlings, consider where the lights are, etc.  Probably wouldn't hurt to raise them, but I will generally focus on trying to find an ideal placement. I have a yellow bhut variety I grow almost every year and it will color like that no matter what at that age. If I moved the lights back based solely on its color, my light placement wouldn't be optimal. 
 
Anyway, I guess I'm using a lot of words to say based on what I see I'm still in the information gathering stage not decision making.  Good to get multiple opinions from people too.
 
stevie said:
are they HO T5s? (54w per tube). if they are, i'd keep the lights no less than 7 inches, preferably around 8-10 inches when they are seedlings, then you can bring them to 7-8 inches once they develop a bit but you also have to watch the temps above their canopy. T5s generally run cool, but heat can build up if you don't have a small fan blowing over the plant canopy (not directly at them),
 
only feed them if you haven't and its a seed mix with no nutrients..
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Yes, HO T5s. I just raised the lights to around 8 inches or so. I have a small clip on fan that I will run going over canopy. I did fertilize on Monday with a 5-2-3 that I diluted to 1/4 strength. I picked up a bottle of Neptunes Harvest fish fertilizer 2-4-1 that I was planning on using in a week and a half? Ive been doing great at not over doing it with the seedlings. Besides having the lights too close lol. I should fertilize every two weeks, correct? These guys should rebound?
 
Ouch.  I run a 4 bulb T5HO setup and I would be concerned that 4" is too close - or at least unnecessarily close.  I don't even keep all 4 bulbs on in mine for seedlings, just the 2 outside ones.
 
EDIT: I'd also agree with Stevie that it does look more stressful seeing the second pic.
 
CaneDog said:
Ouch.  I run a 4 bulb T5HO setup and I would be concerned that 4" is too close - or at least unnecessarily close.  I don't even keep all 4 bulbs on in mine for seedlings, just the 2 outside ones.
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When do you run all four bulbs?
 
Rarely and for bigger plants.  I have a 4 and a 6 bulb of the 4 foot T5HOs.  Usually I'll use the 4 bulb without the center 2 over a full spread of seedlings because it's enough light and less heat.  The ones in the middle seem to get plenty of light from the sides and reflectors and I'm maybe about 6" away (?).  When the plants start to put on a bit of size - maybe about 3 sets of leaves - I'll add a bulb so running 3 of 4 - I'll switch between the middle two bulbs ever couple days by twisting them on/off.  I wouldn't be against running all 4 at this point, I just don't always see a need to. 
 
I really try to read the plants though and if I felt they would benefit from more light I'd adjust, just as I'd adjust down to 3 if the heat from 4 were getting to them.  I use the 6 bulb similarly, turning off the middle 2 at certain times with the 4 outside running or running every other tube for 3/6.  I was fruiting plants (small < 15" plants) just fine over this past winter using 3/4 bulbs on one and 4/6 bulbs (no center 2) on the other, so those T5HO's put out some good light.
 
I think the answer is I had too much intense light and too low. I raised lights and took out middle two bulbs. Will the purple go away? Im assuming the seedlings will be good considering Ive made adjustments? Thanks for all the advice. I totally appreciate it!
 
It should go away with the new growth - I actually think it looks kinda cool, but not worth having lights too close to get it - and they should do great.  Somehow I missed a few of the posts between you and Stevie when reading through the thread (I think I linked back in through a "like" and lost my place) so if it seems like I came crashing in that wasn't my intent.
 
Good luck with your grow!
 
CaneDog said:
It should go away with the new growth - I actually think it looks kinda cool, but not worth having lights too close to get it - and they should do great.  Somehow I missed a few of the posts between you and Stevie when reading through the thread (I think I linked back in through a "like" and lost my place) so if it seems like I came crashing in that wasn't my intent.
 
Good luck with your grow!
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No worries! I appreciate any and all advice! I generally will google and search here before I ask a question as to not waste peoples time. Ive loved hot peppers for years and decided this winter I want to get good at growing them for myself! Its been a lot of fun so far and I am only a couple weeks in. This forum is awesome and its a great resource to make sure I dont totally screw this up !
 
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